UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In an increasingly digital world, semiconductors or “chips” serve as foundational building blocks for everything from smartphones to supercomputers. The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a three-year, $2 million Future of Semiconductors (FuSe2) grant to researchers at Penn State and the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), to develop wireless communications and sensing platforms through advanced chips and packaging, the process of arranging, enclosing and protecting semiconductor devices.

The team includes Wooram Lee, Penn State associate professor of electrical engineering; Madhavan Swaminathan, Penn State professor, head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and director of the Center for Heterogeneous Integration of Micro Electronic Systems (CHIMES); and Mark Rodwell, UCSB professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Ongoing research in semiconductor and packaging technologies aims to push the boundaries of how fast and effectively systems can process information, while decreasing their size, lowering their cost and increasing their energy efficiency. As traditional silicon-based chips reach their limits, the focus is shifting toward next-generation, nano-scale materials, that allow for the next wave of technological innovation in computing. The Penn State-UCSB team aims to focus on 6G technology — the ultra-high frequency, high-speed successor to 5G networks, which is still in the early stages of research and development.

As the speed of data networks increases, the processing centers inside semiconductors must also increase their capacity to handle such a rapid influx of data, explained Swaminathan. The challenge is creating semiconductors that are compatible with the high frequency of a 6G network – and even faster networks of the future.

“The key to achieving this is through a process that resembles an assembly line, with individual parts, each with their own functions, combined into a single advanced package, the physical casing around the semiconductor chip,” Swaminathan said.

This process, known as heterogeneous integration, enables the production of enhanced, high-functioning compact electronic devices that overcome limitations to performance, functionality, size and thermal management, he said.

For this project, Lee will focus on high-speed silicon-based integrated circuit design, Swaminathan on advanced glass packaging and Rodwell on indium phosphide amplifier design, which is needed to generate sufficient power at such high frequencies. Together, the researchers will work to integrate the three technologies into a single device.

“The proposed work will be the basis for 6G,” Lee said. “In 6G, the fusion of physical, digital and human worlds will be connected seamlessly by advanced communication and sensing technologies, which the proposed work will implement, transforming the way we live and work through virtual reality, augmented reality, holographic telepresence and driverless cars.”

The team also plans to educate doctoral-level scientists and engineers in various areas of semiconductor design and packaging as well as provide short courses on specialized training in semiconductor manufacturing to students and industry professionals. The overarching goal, the researchers said, is to infuse the U.S. semiconductor industry with experts, educators and skilled technicians.

“We are truly honored to receive this award to pursue fundamental research on new semiconductor technology for advanced communications and sensing, and to train the future semiconductor workforce,” Lee said.

Swaminathan echoed the sentiment.

“It is a privilege to contribute to this field, which will continue to underpin how our society evolves in terms of communication, travel and more,” Swaminathan said. “We are deeply grateful for the support for this project.”

The NSF’s FuSe2 program is a national initiative granting approximately 20 awards up to $2 million each in 2024. This program is aligned with the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, a federal statute investing $52.7 billion in funding to the development of the U.S. semiconductor industry.