PTI Blog

Schrödinger's Cat: Paradox to Practical Quantum Computing

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 20 May 2026 15:00:00 GMT

In 1952 Niels Bohr commented to Werner Heisenberg that “If quantum mechanics has not profoundly shocked you, you haven’t understood it” (Heisenberg’s Physics and Beyond). What specific element of quantum madness Bohr had in mind, he does not say. The fact is there are many, and perhaps that is his point.

Werner Heisenberg: Uncertainty into Certainty

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT

In the late 1920s the world was introduced to Werner Heisenberg’s gamma-ray thought experiment. This sought to convey a fundamental conundrum within quantum mechanics: that it is impossible to simultaneously measure the position of a particle and its momentum. The more one accurately measures position, the less is known about momentum, and vice versa. Our understanding of quantum mechanics (including the uncertainty principle) has had enormous implications for the development of all quantum related technologies, from the 1930s to 2030s; from atomic power to compute power. The latter requires a new 6G communications infrastructure which will, over the next decade, require numerous global quantum links utilizing both fiber and free-space optics.

Laplace's Thought Experiment to Miniature Atomic Clocks

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT

This blog is the first in a series of examining thought-provoking historical figures and parallel developments in quantum technologies.

Navigating Back-End Manufacturing Pain Points in Micro-Optoelectronics

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Back-end manufacturing in micro-optoelectronics, though representing only ~10% of the total investment to bring a product to market, is a critical phase where missteps can derail timelines and inflate costs. While front-end processes like wafer fabrication command the lion's share of resources, the complexity of back-end assembly—particularly die bonding and wire bonding—demands specialized expertise to achieve high yields, especially for high-reliability, mixed-technology, and low-to-medium volume products. This article explores common pain points in back-end assembly and outlines actionable strategies to navigate them, with a focus on die bond and wire bond processes.

Globalization is Dead: Part Three

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 15:00:00 GMT

In what is the third and final article our “turmoil series”, we focus on the potentially radical impact of changes taking place within the US Department of Defense since the inauguration of the Trump administration against the backdrop of current events. Suffice it to say that if the reader has considered our first two blogs in this series, then we are anticipating transformations on a parallel scale to those we have previously identified. (You can read part 1 here, and part 2 here)

Globalization is Dead: Part Two

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 20 May 2025 15:00:00 GMT

As we referenced in our previous blog, three major trends in the form of de-globalization, economic nationalism and a return to the era of Great Power politics, are currently reshaping the world. Perhaps, most especially, the semiconductor world. These forces both represent significant challenges to negotiate, but equally, opportunities to exploit. As we will explain below, this is particularly true for Start-ups and SMEs. For larger players, however, tariffs and export restrictions could create a chasm between winners and losers.

Globalization is Dead: Part One

Dr. Anthony O'Sullivan — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 15:37:57 GMT

Media headlines tell us that semiconductor chip industry had a robust 2024, with expected double-digit growth and an even better year ahead. That being said, this performance was, and is driven, almost entirely by generative AI. While recent smartphone and PC sales suggest some recovery in non-AI demand in 2025, we cannot allow the dazzling sun of AI to detract from the darker clouds of more sober analyses predicated on four, fundamental, geo-political changes that are unambiguously impacting the market; (i) de-globalization, (ii) the rise of economic nationalism, (iii) the chronic need to rebuild America’s industrial base, and (iv) the rapid retreat of the post-cold war, liberal Western consensus.

Accelerate Your Production with Palomar Technologies’ Prepare for Manufacturing Service

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

In today’s competitive landscape, getting new equipment up and running efficiently is a critical factor in maintaining a strong production pipeline. However, many companies face significant challenges when integrating new manufacturing equipment into their workflows. Learning curves, product verification, process qualification, and commercialization can take weeks or even months, delaying profitable production. To help customers overcome these challenges, Palomar Technologies is proud to introduce Prepare for Manufacturing—a service designed to fast-track the transition from equipment acquisition to full-scale production.

Leveraging Expertise in High-Tech Assembly Challenges

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:53:16 GMT

Embracing the Complexity of High-Tech Assembly

In the ever-evolving world of technology, complexity is both a challenge and an opportunity. At Palomar Technologies, we understand that high-tech assembly is not just about putting parts together; it's about integrating intricate designs with precision and foresight. The rapid advancements in semiconductor technologies and photonics integration demand a meticulous approach to assembly, where each component must be perfectly aligned with the next. This complexity is embraced at Palomar, where our team thrives on solving intricate design puzzles and transforming them into streamlined solutions that drive innovation and efficiency.

Optimizing Process Approach in Semiconductor Packaging

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:15:00 GMT

This blog is divided into two parts. The first deals with the general principles behind process optimization, the second gives some practical examples of the approaches Palomar Assembly Services has successfully negotiated for its customers, saving them both time and money.

Expanding Assembly Service Capabilities at Palomar: A Leap Forward in Precision Manufacturing

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 15:15:00 GMT

As a leading provider of innovative die bonding and wire bonding solutions, Palomar Technologies has consistently pushed the boundaries of precision manufacturing, particularly in photonics, RF, and semiconductor assembly. Our commitment to providing advanced solutions that meet the ever-evolving demands of the industry continues with the expansion of Palomar’s Assembly Services capabilities. This exciting development reflects our dedication to investing in state-of-the-art technologies and enhancing our process development, prototyping, and contract manufacturing offerings for our customers.

Hold Your Horses: Metaphors in Effective Technical Communication

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 15:30:00 GMT

Communication is at the heart of commerce. It is the vehicle by which buyer and seller align. It is also the heart of development. Many conversations must be had for ideas to become things. It is especially true of the semiconductor ecosystem. Especially now, and especially in a world where technology is in such an intense period of flux and change, where geopolitical hunger for the most advanced technologies is greater than at any time since the end of the Cold War.

An Interview with Customer-Facing Program Manager, Christian Shu: Part 2

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Christian Shu recently sat down with Marketing’s Alexis Wellong to explain his new customer facing role in Assembly Services. In this interview he explains what it means to be the point of “first contact”, the immediate improvement this will mean for our customers, but also how the position will develop over time. This is the second in a two-part series. (Read part one here)

An Interview with Customer-Facing Program Manager, Christian Shu: Part 1

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Christian Shu recently sat down with Marketing’s Alexis Wellong to explain his new customer-facing role in Assembly Services. In this interview he explains what it means to be the point of “first contact”, the immediate improvement this will mean for our customers, but also how the position will develop over time. This blog will be followed by a second in a two-part series.

Archimedes and the Semiconductor Chip

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 07 May 2024 15:00:00 GMT

How do you construct a bridge across a broad channel of water when the middle is far too deep to build one or more of the needed interim supports? This was the question facing Thomas Telford at the beginning of the nineteenth century. His solution took the form of the world’s first “suspension bridge”. In essence it meant building strong foundations at the beginning and end point of the crossing; then somehow traversing the distance by sending a cable weighing hundreds of tons from one end to the other; then converting that cable into “scaffolding” from which to hang or place platforms; then, and finally, adding platforms until you reach the other side.

Trajectory: The Motion of Semiconductor Technology as a Function of Time

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Understanding where an idea came from, its context, how it was perceived by the original
thinker, and the impact that idea made on the world, is not only an interesting thought experiment, but it is also a key to how that idea (as with all ideas) was discovered in the first place.

Around the World in Five Trends

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 16:00:00 GMT

With due apologies to Jules Vern and his famous novel, we begin our 2024 blog series with an opening theme of “Around the World in Five Trends”. These are trends that will be critical in shaping the year ahead. More specifically, these relate to the direction of technical innovation, national macroeconomic policy, local automation, global competition, and international standardization.

Supporting Chiplets and Other Advanced Packaging

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 16:00:00 GMT

While Engineers can get mildly enthusiastic about what the rest of the semiconductor industry perceives as unduly narrow areas of technology, they rarely use one superlative, let alone several in one paragraph.

If for no other reason than this historic temperance, the extravagant language currently being adopted to describe the arrival and impact of chiplet technology ought to make us sit up and take note. Even interpreting such loquacious vocabulary with a large grain of salt, we ought to prepare ourselves for potentially tectonic changes in the way we approach semiconductor packaging. Most especially in the way we approach advanced design, prototyping, development and manufacture.

Handmade in the USA

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Yes, we still need to do some things by hand. Such is our collective way at looking at the world, that most of us cannot imagine, that when it comes to invention and innovation, the approaches taken in proof-of-concept, prototyping and development, and even early-stage production, these protocols are a lot closer to the Industrial Revolution of the 18^th century, than any fanciful process we might see in some set-far-in-the-future, science-fiction movie. The truth is, in the world of automated chip and semiconductor manufacturing, a lot more is done by hand than most people realize, except of course, those who are part of the process. As our opening caption puts it, there is as much relating to semiconductor production and development, past and future, that is handmade.

Assembly Services Singapore: Supporting Supply Chain Security

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 15:00:00 GMT

De-globalization, also referred to as re-shoring, is a significant trend describing much of
the dynamic characterizing the semiconductor industry in 2024, and indeed, going back as far as 2017. You only have to look at how this topic has dominated much of the industry media over these past seven years. Great care, however, needs to be taken in adopting the right framework of understanding. What we are really talking about here is common-sense risk management associated with normal business growth and new product development. As we all know from the shortages at the time, supply chains became stretched to breaking point during the global pandemic, posing severe practical obstacles across all these areas. Added to which were the logistical concerns flowing from uncertainty. It was almost a game of roulette as to which jurisdictions would be closing their borders, opening their borders, or what regulations would be in place. Language and cultural barriers only added to potential confusion. Needless to say, we all recall the stress of those times and want to do as much as possible not repeat the experience.

The Circular Economy

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 15:00:00 GMT

The current pace of technological change is only matched by levels in geo-economic uncertainties, themselves without parallel in over a century. That having been said, there are also a number of “big-picture” fundamentals that bring much needed clarity to key aspects of future life. This is not to say that all the details are known, but it is to observe that much practical information can be gained from the overall direction of the world, the global semiconductor industry in particular. One such impactful element is the rise of the “circular economy”.

Anticipating Icebergs

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Packaging development and process work marks the critical universe of small beginnings. Problems rightly anticipated in these earliest stages of development allow for approaches that are not only technologically effective, but deliver final products that survive the advent of the unexpectedly cataclysmic. The latter are usually best foreseen by those totally outside a project. A great innovation can be game-changing, but that fact alone can give birth to a significant danger. Being so caught up in the excitement of potential, the real though relatively unlikely threats can no longer be weighed up and appropriately pre-empted. So with the Titanic, the idea of a sinking event—despite history being littered with sunken ships—was so outside the builder’s frame of reference, that not enough life boats were fitted (though they were designed in). Physical realities were set aside for the assumption that the world’s largest ever ship literally could not capsize on its maiden voyage.

The Many Faces of Cost

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 20:34:27 GMT

Many of us are familiar with the saying concerning the workman and his tools. It exposes the unfortunate tendency that, when looking upon obvious failure, blame is placed on the tools rather than how they were employed. Looking at this from the reverse side, this maxim is similar to saying that there is a positive relationship between knowledge and competence. In other words, all other things being equal, the greater the command of any given set of skills, the less risk is involved in any set of actions monetizing those skills utilizing the tools that are available.

Worth Its Salt

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Almost everyone has heard the saying “worth its salt”, meaning whatever has been purchased, the financial cost was more than justified by the benefits received. It is an emphatic statement. Short, with no ambiguity. Clear. No wool pulling. No hard sell. Its origins, however, are far more nuanced, with Roman soldiers using their wages to buy salt and other essential provisions, including their own armor and weapons. Somewhere along the way the Latin word “Sal” morphed into “Salary”. This subtle play on words serves to drive home the power of the analogy; the positive correlation between effort and cost of military service on the one part, and the reward for that service on the other. It really had to be worth the exchange.

If the Shoe Fits...

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 22:58:25 GMT

As we have noted in a previous blog, the die-bonding ecosystem has grown significantly in market size since the turn of the millennium, and in terms of advanced technologies served, made extraordinary strides, particularly over the past decade. Many of these changes have centered around manufacturing alignment, with machines increasingly dedicated to specific purposes and ever greater volumes of exacting and dependable output.

Full Service Bonders

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 15:00:00 GMT

The principle of inference is a practice in science that allow us to identify the impact or nature of something that is challenging, if not altogether impossible, to see directly. Surprisingly, this is very true of the die-bonding ecosystem. At the most basic level nothing has changed in 50 years; discrete elements are picked, placed and attached to a substrate. Looking at the technologies that these finished packages now enable, however, presents a considerably more interesting and profound narrative. With that in mind, we consider the following as a window into the die bonding world.

Supporting Solutions Creativity

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 15:00:00 GMT

A well-known Danish Children’s toy company, with theme parks around the world, has recently launched its latest product aimed at grown-ups, comprising a 1:200 scaled model of the famed liner, Titanic. Actually, that is not quite true, they’re selling a set of over 9,000 individual pieces that the owner must self-assemble following 1,000 pages of full-detailed, diagrammatic illustrations. Other than the brand name, the instructions do not contain a word of English. In fact, there are no words at all, unless you count the name of the ship. All credit then to the engineer’s ability to so effectively support and convey the principles of product design and build. Finally, and despite being priced around the level of a piece of high-end audio equipment, demand is facing a significant back-log.

FSO/AI Pushing Data Access and Evolution

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:00:00 GMT

In a previous article, we noted that the next generation of 6G and quantum encrypted communications will require the extensive use of free space optics (FSO) to supplement fiber-based metropolitan networks and provide the infrastructure necessary to create a truly global and ubiquitous service, enabling a new era of digitization, ranging from autonomization to artificial intelligence, but most critically of all, quantum encryption and communication. Easy to miss, is the fact that the same factors that are revolutionizing the technology are also revolutionizing access.

Global Innovation 101

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Risk reduction is the essence of sound business behavior, but it is often misunderstood as merely “playing safe”. Playing safe can actually make risks worse by strangling the very innovation that is key to business success. "Innovation" is the act of following big trends and exploiting them to maximum commercial advantage. "Exploitation" is the art of negotiating through the twin challenges of opportunity and necessity. The most vital component in this effort, however, is sound understanding, which, when absent, is like driving an overladen heavy goods vehicle in the thick fog of an icy road.

Digital Nose Technologies

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 16:00:00 GMT

In earlier blogs we considered new technologies that utilize light in the advance of health care, and the various challenges these represent in terms of device construction and integration. We complement that study here by undertaking a similar investigation, but referencing olfactory sensors, “electronic noses” or EN. The latter typically employs an array of sensors with overlapping sensitivities to create an olfactory map, then subjects it to some form of computational pattern recognition analysis, such as we represent in Figure 1 below. What this process offers is the ability to detect volatile biomarkers in exhaled breath (as indeed, equally from urine, sweat and blood) and map-out the presence of various diseases through key elements present in their chemical signatures. The outcome is a means to provide a simple, quick, effective, accurate, and non-invasive means of diagnosis, from cancers and cardio-respiratory, to asthma and eye infections.

Diamonds are an RF Engineer’s Best Friend

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 16:00:00 GMT

In less than two decades the RF “family” has witnessed significant growth in the types and varieties of technology served, materials utilized, approaches to packaging, levels of device capability, and the wider synergy of the overall ecosystem. Indeed, it is the latter’s relentless demands for improved power, speed, dependability, scalability and size, that are the key drivers of change, itself triggered by the pull of digitization and anticipation of 5G mmWave and 6G infrastructures.

Wedge Bonding and its Advantages

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:00:00 GMT

To begin, let’s start with a brief overview of wedge bonding. Unlike ball bonding, wedge bonding does not have a flame-off action, as there is no ball. And the wire is typically clamped behind the wedge tool instead of above the tool such as for ball bond. With the wire below the tool, the system rotates to position and welds the wire to the surface forming the first bond, the clamp then opens up allowing for the system to draw out the wire path towards the second bond location. It then bonds the second bond and moves to terminate the wire with the clamp closed, leaving behind a small tail of wire below the tool for the bond one of the next wire.

Case Study: The Unintended Consequences of a Design Change

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Palomar Innovation Centers are experts in process development and work with customers in the areas of design for manufacture, process development and optimization. This case study documents an example of a customer made a design change that altered the functionality, but did not pay attention to manufacturability. The design change resulted in un-bondable pads and all of the prototype materials could not be used to generate builds for testing and validation.

Systems, Tools, and Processes for Void-Free Die Attach

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Using the correct system, tooling, process, and making wise material choices while considering material preparation are all factors and important points that need to be considered when looking to achieve void-free die attach.

Challenging Packaging Trends in Cancer Photonics

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 15:00:00 GMT

In the blog, we review some of the theoretical principles in exploiting light for diagnostic and therapeutic uses in healthcare, and in treatment of cancer in particular. Thereafter, we consider some of these emerging technologies, together with the broad requirements to be negotiated in developing the required prototype light engine packages that will lead into the early stages of manufacturing. Thirdly, we review the very practical issue of labor shortages that are increasingly frustrating these processes. Finally, we consider why third-party assembly service solutions (OSAT) are both valuable against these and other negative trends challenging the ecosystem.

Plating Requirements for Soldering Applications

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Surfaces to be soldered in a flux-less environment must be coated prior to soldering. The most common solderable metallic coatings that are used in the electronics assembly industry are gold, silver, platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, tin and tin-lead. These coatings may be applied using vacuum deposition, sputtering, thick film or plating processes. Plating is probably the most commonly used of these processes.

Design for Manufacturing – Increasing Throughput to Achieve ROI

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 15:00:00 GMT

When designing semiconductor packaging, it is often easy to get caught up focusing on the function and performance of a design and not pay enough attention to its assembly process. This is often the case because a packaging engineer may become preoccupied with what the form factor of the package has to be or how to best squeeze out the most performance for the lowest power, using the least expensive components and so on. While these various concerns are certainly vital to the future device, manufacturability is an element which is commonly forgotten about and not given enough attention in the design phase of a product. Ultimately, the manufacturability of the design will have a tremendous impact on the through-put and ROI of the package.

Scaling up from Prototype to Full-Scale Production

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 15:00:00 GMT

The journey from concept to full-scale semiconductor packaging is often hindered by a number of different obstacles along the way including everything from diverse teams scattered across the world to simply not understanding how the manufacturing process of die bonding, wire bonding or vacuum reflow impacts the package design and vice versa. Often, start-up companies or divisions of larger companies may not have a complete team available and might not be aware of how to take their package from design to full-scale production.

Case Study: Maximizing a High-Mix Process for High Volume Production

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 10 May 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Case Study: Reducing Process Steps to Improve Throughput

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Palomar Innovation Centers are experts in process development and work with customers in the areas of design for manufacture, process development and optimization. This case study documents an example of how Palomar engineers worked with the customer to optimize the manufacturing process in order to reduce the number of packaging assembly steps, which resulted in increased throughput.

A Tale of Two Bonders

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 15:00:00 GMT

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. Yet, as always, the need is to make the most of the times. In the world of bonders and semiconductors that means aligning machine systems to optimum desired outcomes. Once considered in this light, it comes apparent that not all bonders are equal. In considering semiconductor manufacturing from the stance of media headlines, one part of that narrative sets out the challenges of chip shortage, but the other effuses about the vast amount of investment being made to meet demand. Those living in Europe or North America are witnessing a new era of re-shoring back into local manufacturing. In India, semiconductor investments mark the next stage in national economic development. In Asia, one period of growth and expansion is giving way to yet another wave. Though overhyped and overused, for our industry collectively these developments are all “win-win”.

FMCW LiDAR – The hottest topic in the current photonics industry

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 15:00:00 GMT

While the challenges to fully developing FMCW (frequency modulated continuous wave) LiDAR technology appear steep, the commercial value of integrating the device on a single chip holds the promise of such significant cost reduction and technical advantage, that, on the one part, it is seen as absolutely essential for the implementation of advanced autonomous drive, and on the other, as opening the flood gates to device ubiquity as a key enabling technology across a vast range of new applications.

New Spokes in Global Defense

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 15:00:00 GMT

In the same way that a good craftsman chooses with care the right tools for the job, global defense planners are adapting their strategies to reflect the demands of increasingly changeable geo-political realities. As a result, investing in defense technologies has become akin to investing in wealth management; the tried and true may be the mainstay, but the new and the different is where the revolutionary—and decisive—may occur. The question of whether we were already moving away from conservative to less structured approaches in military thinking before COVID-19, is now mute. The pandemic caused significant shifts in attitude towards innovation across all major industries, not just aerospace and defense. In the case of the latter, however, these changes have been significantly amplified by events over the past 18 months, let alone the past few weeks. These have led not only to a marked paradigm shift, but to concomitant changes to type of defense hardware development needed to put that shift into practice. The fact that the US now requires major capital projects to be evaluated against what could be gained by alternatively investing the same funds in AI, makes a very significant point. So much so that it is difficult to find an analogy sufficient to convey the meaning adequately. So why AI?

Best Practices for Maximizing Productivity and Efficiency on Semiconductor Packaging Equipment

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Capital equipment investments are justified on the basis of providing a return on investment. Capital equipment for the semiconductor industry is no different. At Palomar Technologies, we are committed to extending the longevity and maintaining peak performance capabilities for all systems that leave our factory, whether it is a Palomar wire or die bonder or an SST vacuum pressure/reflow oven.

Obstacles and Opportunities in 2022

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 16:00:00 GMT

The headwinds of inflationary trends, pandemic management, internal political tensions, rising competitiveness, supply chain issues, geopolitical rivalry, energy shortages and the rush to secure resources, all serve to remind us that in commercial terms, the next twelve months represent a period of unparalleled obstacle to smooth business sailing. Except that is not quite true. In fact, it is not true at all. If history teaches us anything it is that the calm waters of rapid globalization and economic growth since 1991 are the exception, not the rule. Most of the past two hundred years have witnessed all these obstacles and more, and often times, far more intensely than they are currently being felt. Of course, it is disconcerting and not at all convenient, but then few if any skills are honed by convenience and without the drive of necessity, there is no invention.

Process Control Techniques for Manufacturing RF Power Amplifier Assemblies

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 16:00:00 GMT

The RF power amplifier market is expected to increase substantially in the next five years, primarily as a result of the 5G rollout which depends heavily on new power amplifier assemblies in the base stations. The estimated CAGR for the general RF power amplifier market is 5-6% from 2020-2025¹. This anticipated demand translates into a subsequent necessity for RF power amplifier manufacturers to increase their volume of production. Yet, a simple ramp up will be insufficient as with this growth in volume also comes new challenges and processes to develop and refine. The market suppliers must simultaneously churn out considerably more devices while dealing with design, material, and process faults. In addition, these companies need also maintain the integrity of their assemblies as they represent the pillars for the foundation of a new commercial initiatives and therefore require high reliability and performance in order to convince the public of their acclaimed abilities.

When Contract Manufacturing Makes Sense - Delivering Faster ROI for Semiconductor Packaging

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 16:00:00 GMT

With today’s rapidly changing technology, time-to-market is one of the most important factors for product success. The ability to rapidly develop and test photonic chip assemblies and implement fast production ramp-up are key to delivering a quick ROI needed to maintain pace with technological changes. Often times, the cost of equipment, lack of manufacturing expertise or even the lack of engineering/technical staff can hinder even the best ideas from ever being developed or tested, let alone becoming a commercial product. The economic realities of modern, advanced photonics chip packaging with the capital equipment requirements, clean room needs and labor costs, along with the need for process development and low volume production are hurdles that can be overcome by outsourcing to a photonics packaging contract manufacturer.

Developments in Undersea Fiber Optics and Packaging – 2022 and Beyond

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 16:00:00 GMT

The window from Palomar’s UK Innovation Center top floor office looks towards the Cornish coast, not too far from where Google’s Grace Hopper cable connecting New York to London, recently came ashore. At 4500 miles in length, it delivers a massive capacity uplift and, once up and running in 2022, will offer a record-breaking speed of 340 terabits per second. A private cable, with highly secure connection, it adds to several others recently laid by the various tech-giants, including the Dunant cable, connecting Virginia Beach with France. Indeed, the two equal the capacity of all earlier transatlantic cables combined. Combine these with the Curie, linking Chile with Los Angeles, and the Equiano, connecting Portugal with South Africa, and these represent tens of thousands of kilometers in undersea cables.

Modern Wedge Bonding

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:00:00 GMT

Over the years, microelectronic wire bond process and packaging engineers have debated whether to use ball or wedge bond technologies.

6G Communications: A Truly Quantum Leap

marcom@bonders.com (Palomar Technologies MarCom Team) — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 15:00:00 GMT

Our opening graphic contains three illustrations. Moving from left to right, these are respectively those of a stream engine, a nuclear reactor and the properties of quantum cubits. The latter is offset to the right to underscore the fact that in terms of the manipulation of physical laws, qubits represent an entirely different order of science. It is too easy to forget that a nuclear reactor is just another steam engine, just turning a turbine instead of wheels. Quantum manipulation, however, moves us away entirely from the laws of classical physics allowing us to do the “impossible”.