Biden-Harris Administration Opens Funding Competition for Up to $1.6 Billion to Accelerate U.S. Semiconductor Advanced Packaging Technologies

Credit: A. Kim/NIST

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) funded by the CHIPS and Science Act to enable the United States semiconductor industry to adopt innovative new advanced packaging flows for semiconductor technologies. This investment comes as part of the President’s overarching Investing in America agenda, which is increasing American competitiveness and boosting manufacturing in industries of the future. Semiconductor packaging allows multiple components to be brought together as a single electronic device. Advanced packaging brings those components together in novel ways that improves performance of chips while reducing cost and power consumption. CHIPS for America anticipates making available up to approximately $1.6 billion for funding multiple awards across five research and development (R&D) areas, with the potential for follow-on funding for prototyping activities. This funding opportunity furthers the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program’s (NAPMP) mission to establish a vibrant, self-sustaining, and profitable, domestic advanced packaging industry in the United States.

“Securing domestic packaging capabilities is a key part of our mission to expand domestic semiconductor manufacturing. The Biden-Harris Administration’s investments in the NAPMP, including the advanced packaging piloting facility, expected to be announced later this year, will bring innovative and new technologies directly to American manufacturers and consumers - helping achieve the economic and national security goals of the CHIPS and Science Act.” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

Investing in R&D has never been more important to drive advances in semiconductor technology and establish leading-edge domestic capacity for semiconductor advanced packaging. Emerging artificial intelligence (AI)-driven applications are pushing the boundaries of current technologies like high performance computing and low power electronics, requiring leap-ahead advances in microelectronics capabilities, especially advanced packaging. Solving technical challenges in advanced packaging will help U.S. manufacturers compete globally.

“This ambitious funding opportunity is designed to fill key technology gaps in advanced packaging to ensure U.S. leadership in the global semiconductor ecosystem.” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director Laurie E. Locascio. “CHIPS for America is delivering on its mission to create a domestic packaging industry where advanced node chips manufactured in the U.S. and abroad can be packaged within the United States.”

“Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’ leadership, we have moved out to bring leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States,” said Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Arati Prabhakar. “CHIPS R&D is the next step to create fresh opportunities for semiconductor manufacturing and jobs here at home. Investments like this one in innovative advanced packaging R&D will help American companies create the transformative pathways that we need to win the future.”

This funding opportunity spans five R&D areas to address key challenges and technology gaps in advanced packaging detailed in the NAPMP Vision Paper:

1. Equipment, Tools, Processes, and Process Integration
2. Power Delivery and Thermal Management
3. Connector Technology, Including Photonics and Radio Frequency (RF)
4. Chiplets Ecosystem
5. Co-design/Electronic Design Automation (EDA)

This multilayered approach targets R&D efforts that are complementary to one another, and will ultimately translate into results that can be integrated collectively and seamlessly into existing advanced packaging manufacturing processes for semiconductors. Expected outcomes from R&D efforts include new prototypes and innovative advanced packaging flows suitable for adoption by the U.S. semiconductor industry.

CHIPS for America anticipates making available up to approximately $1.6 billion in funding across multiple awards of varying size and scope. Anticipated amounts will vary by R&D area and range from approximately $10 million to approximately $150 million in Federal funds per award, with awards being made over a five-year period of performance. Additionally, CHIPS for America anticipates reserving up to $50 million to support awardees’ future prototyping activities, to be conducted at the anticipated National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) Prototyping and NAPMP Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility.

On October 22, 2024, the CHIPS Research and Development Office will host a one-day meeting for potential applicants to this funding opportunity, followed by on-demand webinars explaining each research and development area. Registration for in-person attendance will close on October 21, 2024, at 9:00am EDT or when capacity has been reached. Registration for virtual attendance will close on October 21, 2024, at 5:30pm EDT. You can register here.

For more information about the CHIPS NAPMP program, visit CHIPS.gov.