IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
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12 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2026 M KS I N C. S P OT L I G H T Enabling the Interconnect Technologies That Transform Our World MKS Has a Strategic Role in Powering the Future of AI and HPC engineering, enabling the foundational tech- nologies that power next-generation AI and HPC infrastructure. The Shift: From Transistor Scaling to System Integration For decades, performance gains were driven pri- marily by transistor miniaturization. Today, the scal- ing frontier has moved outward. Advanced packag- ing now integrates multiple specialized dies—logic processors, graphics processing units (GPUs), AI accelerators, and stacked HBM—into tightly cou- pled system-in-package architectures. These architectures demand: • Ultra-fine redistribution layers • High aspect ratio microvias and through- silicon vias (TSVs) • Sub-5-micron line and space geometries • Hybrid bonding for wafer-to-wafer and die-to- wafer connections at near-atomic precision • Controlled copper deposition with minimal stress • Extreme thermal and power density management The performance of AI hardware increasingly AI IS RESHAPING INDUSTRIES, ECONOMIES, AND DAILY LIFE at an unprecedented speed. From generative AI and autonomous systems to high-per- formance computing (HPC) applications in science, defense, and advanced manufacturing, the demand for computational power is accelerating exponen- tially. But while algorithms capture the spotlight, the true enabler of this transformation lies deeper in the physical infrastructure that makes AI possible. Performance in the AI era is no longer defined by transistor shrink alone. It is increasingly defined by how efficient systems are integrated, intercon- nected, cooled, and manufactured at scale. As Moore's Law slows, innovation has shifted from simple transistor scaling to advanced packaging, heterogeneous integration, and precision intercon- nect engineering. In this new paradigm, packaging is performance. At the center of this transformation is the inter- connect stack, from high layer count PCBs and HDI routing to package substrates, silicon interposers, hybrid bonding, and high bandwidth memory (HBM). Every layer must operate in perfect harmony. Signal integrity, thermal stability, yield, dimensional control, contamination mitigation, and atomic-level surface precision all determine whether AI systems scale efficiently or stall under complexity. MKS stands uniquely positioned at this intersec- tion of materials science, photonics, and vacuum BY JOHN T.C. LEE, MKS PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER WITH WON LEE (VSD), MARC TRICARD (PSD), AND KULDIP JOHAL (MSD), CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICERS