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CHIPS for America R&D Facilities
CHIPS for America has announced three anticipated CHIPS for America research and development (R&D) flagship facilities. These state-of-the-art flagship facilities will establish world-class destinations for advanced semiconductor R&D in the United States. They will address critical gaps in the current ecosystem, offering unparalleled value to a diverse array of stakeholders across the semiconductor value chain, including universities, small businesses, large manufacturers, and government agencies, and help build vibrant semiconductor ecosystems in the U.S. that bolster cutting-edge R&D and create quality jobs.
Specifically, these first three facilities will:
- Accelerate innovation by enabling world class R&D across the full range of microelectronics technical areas—including access to EUV lithography, which is needed for research using the most advanced patterning technology;
- Create differentiation to ensure there is a clear value to the semiconductor ecosystem beyond existing comparable facilities;
- Be financially sustainable by creating enduring value for decades and attracting investment from all types and sizes of companies;
- Be independent and neutral by enabling Natcast, on behalf of the NSTC, and the NAPMP to make strategic decisions about the operation of the facilities, and by ensuring that the facilities are places where all member entities and their employees have the opportunity to successfully innovate;
- Exist in thriving and vibrant ecosystems that can provide, foster, and grow a talented workforce and a robust ecosystem of semiconductor companies, educational and research institutions, and local support to advance the mission.
MORE ABOUT THE CHIPS R&D FLAGSHIP FACILITIES
The PPF is expected to be located the Arizona State University (ASU) Research Park in Tempe, Arizona. It will enable researchers and industry leaders to develop and test new materials, devices, and advanced packaging solutions in a state-of-the-art R&D environment. This newly constructed facility is expected to be operational in 2028 and will play a key role in driving U.S. leadership in semiconductor innovation, economic growth, and national security.
The PPF’s prototyping capabilities will consist of at least one 300mm full-flow complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology as a stable baseline for experiments. The facility will also allow for a variety of R&D in a manufacturing-like environment that would not be feasible at a manufacturing site, including novel materials and device architectures. Key packaging capabilities are expected to include a baseline advanced packaging piloting line to enable the development and commercialization of new packaging processes
CHIPS for America Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Accelerator
The EUV Accelerator is expected to operate within NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex in Albany, New York. This facility will allow Natcast, NY CREATES, and NSTC members to work collaboratively to conduct research and development activities essential to enabling faster commercialization of innovative semiconductor technology and strengthening the U.S.’s technology leadership. Key capabilities will include access to cutting-edge EUV lithography tools and next generation R&D capabilities, including high numerical aperture (NA) EUV systems.
CHIPS for America Design and Collaboration Facility (DCF)
The DCF is expected to operate in Sunnyvale, California. The proposed facility will play an important role in advancing semiconductor design research, workforce development, investment, and collaboration across the entire semiconductor value chain.
The expected facility will enable collaboration among industry leaders, academia, investors, and government partners and build on the local and national ecosystem by providing convening space, workforce best practices and initiatives developed through the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence. It will also provide NSTC members access to valuable physical and digital assets to develop next-generation semiconductor technologies for increasingly demanding end uses, such as AI and 5G.
Resources & Tools
CHIPS for America and Natcast announced the model and selection process for the three CHIPS R&D flagship facilities in July 2024. The selection of these sites followed a multi-phase facilities selection process and is consistent with the July 2024 facilities model, which was informed by more than a year of discussions with stakeholders building on the release of the NSTC Vision and Strategy paper and the NAPMP Vision paper as well as robust analysis on the current and planned future state of the U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and R&D ecosystems. A request for information published by Natcast in March 2024 also collected feedback on the demand for prototyping facilities capabilities and informed the facility model.