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OCTOBER 2026 I I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE 13 depends on how precisely these elements are manufactured. A single micron of misalignment, a microscopic void in copper, or slight warpage in a substrate can have a significant impact, e.g., compromised yield, efficiency, and reliability. This is where MKS plays a strategic role, not just as a supplier of critical subsystems or materials, but as an integrated enabler for holistic solutions across the interconnect ecosystem. Building the AI Stack From the Ground Up AI infrastructure begins at the foundation: the high layer count multilayer PCB. These boards must route massive power and high-speed signals across dozens or even hundreds of copper interconnects. As AI workloads intensify, current densities rise, and signal margins shrink. Extremely high preci- sion laser drilling, high uniformity copper plating, and advanced process control become essential to ensure reliability at scale. Above this foundation lies HDI technology, where routing compresses into microscopic geometries. Microvias shrink to dimensions smaller than a human hair. Even the smallest defect can impact bandwidth or long-term reliability. MKS advanced surface treat- ment, laser drilling, metallization, and plating chemis- tries and systems enable small features, high accu- racy, selective material removal, ultra-pure copper deposition, consistent via filling, and uniform grain structure, which is critical for maintaining electrical performance under extreme conditions. The package substrate represents the next critical bridge connecting board-level routing to silicon- level precision. As I/O counts increase and HBM stacks grow taller, overlay accuracy and warpage control become defining challenges. Sub-5-micron geometries require highly controlled plating envi- ronments, precision laser-via formation, and contamination-free surface preparation. Through its integrated surface treatment and plating, laser processing, and vacuum-enabled plasma technolo- gies, MKS supports scalable substrate manufac- turing for AI and HPC applications. At the heart of AI bandwidth scaling sits the silicon interposer. Acting as the high-density bridge between GPU logic and stacked memory, inter- posers demand ultra-fine redistribution layers and deep via formation. As the industry transitions from traditional microbumps to Cu-Cu hybrid bonding, process and systems precision intensifies. Hybrid bonding requires atomically clean, ultra-flat copper surfaces and tightly controlled deposition environ- ments. The MKS high-precision hybrid bonding system, advanced copper plating technologies, and precision vacuum instrumentation enable robust, low-resistance interconnects at the highest