The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), backed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), announces plans to invest $194m across semiconductor research network STARnet.

The SIA, jointly administered by DARPA, the US Government’s defence research and development unit, and the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), has announced plans to jointly invest a total of $194m over the next five years for research into semiconductor research.
The money will be used to fund research projects across the Semiconductor Technology Advanced Research network (STARnet), which is comprised of six multi-university research centres made up from 39 different universities:

  • The Center for Future Architectures Research (C-FAR), led by the University of Michigan;
  • The Center for Spintronic Materials, Interfaces and Novel Architectures (C-SPIN), led by the University of Minnesota;
  • The Center for Function Accelerated nanoMaterial Engineering (FAME), led by the University of California, Los Angeles;
  • The Center for Low Energy Systems Technology (LEAST), led by the University of Notre Dame;
  • The Center for Systems on Nanoscale Information Fabrics (SONIC), led by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
  • The TerraSwarm Research Center, led by the University of California, Berkeley.

“Semiconductors – the building blocks of modern technology – have bolstered America’s economic strength and national security while also improving our everyday lives,” said Brian Toohey, SIA president and chief executive officer. “By developing the next generation of semiconductor technologies, the STARnet program will help keep America at the forefront of innovation and ensure the long-term success of the U.S. semiconductor industry. Thanks to tremendous investments from semiconductor industry leaders and government, the scale and scope of the STARnet program is unmatched by any other industry.”
Through its work in promoting the value of semiconductors, SRC has attracted many corporate partners, including Applied Materials, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, IBM, Intel Corporation, Micron Technology, Raytheon, Texas Instruments and United Technologies.
“The STARnet program marks an exciting step forward for the U.S. semiconductor industry, America’s tech sector, and the overall U.S. economy,” said Dr. John E. Kelly, IBM senior vice president, director of IBM Research, and SIA vice chairman. “STARnet is a shining example of the semiconductor industry’s rich tradition of partnering with government and universities to drive American innovation.”