Sandia National Laboratories has joined a new partnership aimed at helping the United States regain its leadership in semiconductor manufacturing.
Despite the US being considered a powerhouse in semiconductor manufacturing in the 1990s, with a share of more than 35% of the world’s semiconductors, this share has since dropped to 12%.
Today, the country manufactures none of the world’s most advanced chips, which power technologies like smartphones, owned by 71% of the world’s population, as well as self-driving cars, quantum computers, and artificial intelligence-powered devices and programmes.
How Sandia is set to ramp up semiconductor manufacturing
Sandia hopes to help change the US’ position in the semiconductor industry. It recently became the first national lab to join the U.S. National Semiconductor Technology Center.
The NSTC was established under the CHIPS and Science Act to accelerate innovation and address some of the country’s most pressing technology challenges.
“We have pioneered the way for other labs to join,” said Mary Monson, Sandia’s senior manager of Technology Partnerships and Business Development.
“The CHIPS Act has brought the band back together, you could say. By including the national labs, US companies, and academia, it’s really a force multiplier.”
Sandia has a long history of contributing to semiconductor manufacturing through research and development partnerships, its Microsystems Engineering, Science and Applications facility known as MESA, and its advanced cleanrooms for developing next-generation technologies.
Through its NSTC partnerships, Sandia aims to strengthen U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and research and development, enhance national security production, and foster the development of innovative new technologies that set the nation apart globally.
“The big goal is to strengthen capabilities. The industry is moving rapidly, so we are staying up to date on all developments and incorporating what will help us deliver more efficiently on our national security mission. It’s about looking at innovative ways of partnering and expediting the process,” Monson said.
The urgent need for semiconductor technology
The urgency of the effort is evident. The pandemic provided a perfect example, as car lots were left bare and manufacturers sat idle, waiting for chips to be produced to build new vehicles.
“An average car contains 1,400 chips and electric vehicles use more than 3,000,” explained Rick McCormick, Sandia’s senior scientist for semiconductor technology strategy.
“Other nations around the globe are investing more than $300 billion to be leaders in semiconductor manufacturing. The Chips Act is our way of keeping up.
“One goal is for the US to have more than 25% of the global capacity for state-of-the-art chips by 2032.”
Training the workforce of the future
Sandia could also play a significant role in training the future workforce. The government has invested billions of dollars in new factories for semiconductor manufacturing, all of which require staff trained in STEM fields.
McCormick commented: “The Semiconductor Industry Association anticipates that the U.S. will need 60,000 to 70,000 more workers, so we need to help engage the STEM workforce. That effort will also help Sandia bolster its staffing pipeline.”
As part of its membership, Sandia will offer access to select facilities to other NSTC members, fostering collaboration and partnerships. Technology transfer is a core part of Sandia’s mission, and this initiative will build on that by helping private partners increase their stake in the industry while enabling Sandia to advance its own mission.
