Semiconductor Research Corporation

Last updated
Semiconductor Research Corporation
Company typePrivate
Industry Semiconductor
Founded1982;43 years ago (1982)
Headquarters,
United States
Key people
Todd Younkin (president and chief executive officer)
Website www.src.org

Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), commonly known as SRC, is a high-technology research consortium active in the semiconductor industry. [1] It is a leading semiconductor research consortium. [2] [3] Todd Younkin is the incumbent president and chief executive officer of the company. [4] [5]

Contents

The consortium comprises more than twenty-five companies and government agencies with more than a hundred universities under contract performing research. [6] [7]

History

SRC was founded in 1982 by Semiconductor Industry Association [8] as a consortium to fund research and development by semiconductor companies. [9]

In the past, it has funded university research projects in hardware and software co-design, new architectures, circuit design, transistors, memories, interconnects, and materials and has sponsored over 15,000 Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D. students. [10]

Research

SRC has funded research in areas such as automotive, advanced memory technologies, logic and processing, advanced packaging, edge intelligence, and communications. [11]

Programs

Global Research Collaboration Program

It is an industry-led international research program with eight sub-topics including artificial intelligence hardware; analog mixed-signal circuits; computer-aided design and test; environment safety and health; hardware security; logic and memory devices; nanomanufacturing materials and processes; and packaging. [12]

DARPA Partnerships

JUMP 2.0

The JUMP 2.0 program is a research initiative that aims to further the development of information and communications technologies (ICT) in the United States. [13] [14] The program is structured into seven thematic centers, each focusing on high-risk, high-reward research projects. [15] The primary areas of interest for JUMP 2.0 include the development of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems and architectures, the improvement of communication technologies for ICT systems, and the enhancement of sensing capabilities with embedded intelligence for rapid action generation. [16]

Additionally, the program investigates distributed computing systems and architectures within an energy-efficient compute and accelerator fabric, as well as innovations in memory devices and storage arrays for intelligent memory systems. [16] JUMP 2.0 also explores advancements in electric and photonic interconnect fabrics, advanced packaging, and novel materials and devices for digital and analog applications. [16]

In collaboration with the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, JUMP 2.0 supports undergraduate research in the field of semiconductors. To date, six sites have been established to provide research experiences for undergraduate students in this area. [17]

Joint University Microelectronics Program

Joint University Microelectronics Program (JUMP) was a research program that ran from 2018 to 2022. [18] [19] JUMP focused on energy-efficient electronics, including actuation and sensing, signal processing, computing, and intelligent storage. [20] [21]

STARnet

STARnet was a collaborative university research program that ran from 2013 to 2017, focusing on state-of-the-art technology developments for microelectronics research and development. [22] [23] This program allocated at least $40 million annually to basic research funding. [22]

Focus Center Research Program

The Focus Center Research Program (FCRP) began in 1998 and spanned multiple phases until its end in 2013. [24] [25] The research within the program was primarily concentrated on materials, structures, and devices, as well as circuits, systems, and software to develop new methods for device fabrication and integration for deeply-scaled transistors and architectures for high-performance mixed-signal circuits to meet military requirements. [26]

Industry guidance

Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) published the Microelectronics and Advanced Packaging Technologies (MAPT) Roadmap in 2023. [27] The technology consortium was selected by the Advanced Manufacturing Office of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, to develop this roadmap with an emphasis on emerging MAPT technologies. [28]

The MAPT Roadmap was developed through a collaborative effort involving researchers from different organizations spanning industry, academia, and government. [27] It outlines critical research priorities for the semiconductor industry and provides recommendations based on a comprehensive analysis of challenges, promising technologies, key findings, trends, and the necessity for foundational capabilities within the semiconductor research and development (R&D) ecosystem. [29]

In 2021, SRC and the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) published the Decadal Plan for Semiconductors. [30] The plan calls for an additional $3.4 billion in federal research and development funding to address challenges and maintain the industry's technological advancement in areas such as smart sensing, memory and storage, communications, security, and energy efficiency. [30]

Recognition

In 2005, SRC received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation awarded by the president of the United States for their collaborative high-tech university research and for creating the concept and methodology, named the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors. [1]

In 2015, SRC was inducted into Georgia Tech's Hill Society for sponsoring $103 million in research grants, contracts, and fellowships since 1983. [31]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DARPA</span> Technology research and development agency of the U.S. Department of Defense

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. Originally known as the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), the agency was created on February 7, 1958, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in response to the Soviet launching of Sputnik 1 in 1957. By collaborating with academia, industry, and government partners, DARPA formulates and executes research and development projects to expand the frontiers of technology and science, often beyond immediate U.S. military requirements. The name of the organization first changed from its founding name, ARPA, to DARPA, in March 1972, changing back to ARPA in February 1993, then reverted to DARPA in March 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Integrated circuit</span> Electronic circuit formed on a small, flat piece of semiconductor material

An integrated circuit (IC), also known as a microchip or simply chip, is a small electronic device made up of multiple interconnected electronic components such as transistors, resistors, and capacitors. These components are etched onto a small piece of semiconductor material, usually silicon. Integrated circuits are used in a wide range of electronic devices, including computers, smartphones, and televisions, to perform various functions such as processing and storing information. They have greatly impacted the field of electronics by enabling device miniaturization and enhanced functionality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xidian University</span> Public university in Xian, Shaanxi, China

Xidian University is a public university in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education, and co-funded by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, SASTIND, and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation. The university is part of the Double First-Class Construction and Project 211.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CEITEC</span> Brazilian technology center

The Centro Nacional de Tecnologia Electrônica Avançada S.A is a Brazilian technology center specialized in project development and fabrication in microelectronics, i.e. integrated circuits, or "chips". This center is one of the agents for the Brazilian Microelectronics Program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEMATECH</span> Defunct US semiconductor consortion (1987-2015)

SEMATECH was a not-for-profit consortium that performed research and development to advance chip manufacturing. SEMATECH involved collaboration between various sectors of the R&D community, including chipmakers, equipment and material suppliers, universities, research institutes, and government partners. SEMATECH's mission was to rejuvenate the U.S. semiconductor industry through collective R&D efforts, focused on improving manufacturing processes and introducing cutting-edge technologies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation</span> Former US computer research consortium

Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation, originally the Microelectronics and Computer Consortium and widely seen by the acronym MCC, was the first, and at one time one of the largest, computer industry research and development consortia in the United States. MCC ceased operations in 2000 and was formally dissolved in 2004.

The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) is a set of documents that was coordinated and organized by Semiconductor Research Corporation and produced by a group of experts in the semiconductor industry. These experts were representative of the sponsoring organisations, including the Semiconductor Industry Associations of Taiwan, South Korea, the United States, Europe, Japan, and China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multi-project wafer service</span>

Multi-project chip (MPC), and multi-project wafer (MPW) semiconductor manufacturing arrangements allow customers to share tooling and microelectronics wafer fabrication cost between several designs or projects.

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) is a trade association and lobbying group founded in 1977 that represents the United States semiconductor industry. It is located in Washington, D.C.

A three-dimensional integrated circuit is a MOS integrated circuit (IC) manufactured by stacking as many as 16 or more ICs and interconnecting them vertically using, for instance, through-silicon vias (TSVs) or Cu-Cu connections, so that they behave as a single device to achieve performance improvements at reduced power and smaller footprint than conventional two dimensional processes. The 3D IC is one of several 3D integration schemes that exploit the z-direction to achieve electrical performance benefits in microelectronics and nanoelectronics.

The IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal is a science award presented by the IEEE for outstanding contributions to the microelectronics industry. It is given to individuals who have demonstrated contributions in multiple areas including technology development, business development, industry leadership, development of technology policy, and standards development. The medal is named in honour of Robert N. Noyce, the co-founder of Intel Corporation. He was also renowned for his 1959 invention of the integrated circuit. The medal is funded by Intel Corporation and was first awarded in 2000.

The Western Institute of Nanoelectronics (WIN) is a research institute founded in 2006 and headquartered at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science in Los Angeles, California, US. The WIN Center networks multiple universities with the Industry and government based sponsors (members of the Semiconductor Industry Association consortium NRI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in pursuit of replacing Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (CMOS FET). WIN's research is focused on spintronics extending from materials, devices, and device interactions, metrology and circuits/architectures. Sponsors include:

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