Microelectronics Commons - Applied Research

Mission— Microelectronics Research Maturation-Development

This project focuses on the applied research activities of the Commons including the early research and development of new microelectronics materials, processes, devices, and architectural designs. It seeks to answer how new models, science, and technology can be leveraged to create a different manufacturing paradigm based on proven process tools in agile microelectronics fabrication facilities (fabs). The project also supports the establishment of the Commons Hubs, which will be networks of regional capabilities organized in collaboration with the Commons Consortium Manager (CM) to address DOD and commercial needs and requirements. The Hubs may include existing facilities augmented to enhance intrinsic specializations in emerging areas of microelectronics. Each Hub will concentrate on one of six technical areas including: Secure Edge Computing, 5G/6G Technology, Artificial Intelligence Hardware, Quantum Technology, Electromagnetic Warfare, and Commercial Leap Ahead Technologies. Core Facilities (i.e., fabs) are integral parts of the Hubs network that will provide key fabrication capabilities that are required to demonstrate prototypes with the volume and characteristics required to ensure reduced risk for full manufacturing production. This effort also includes early workforce development activities through the Commons network. Activities may span K-12, undergraduate, graduate and continuing education and may include, for example, establishment of PhD internships and post-doc training at Hub facilities and internships with Hub members.

Mission— Microelectronics Commons - 0400D

This Program supports the Department's initiatives to Build Sustainable and Long-Term Advantage, Defend the Homeland, and Deter Aggression. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) is executing the Microelectronics Commons (the Commons) activity pursuant to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (Pub. L. 116-283), including the CHIPS for America Act, and funded through the CHIPS for America Defense Fund established by the CHIPS Act of 2022. The FY 2021 NDAA legislation significantly emphasizes solutions that promote the domestic on-shoring of capabilities to address economic and technology security concerns. Under FY 2021 NDAA Sec. 9903(b), the DOD is directed to establish a National Network for Microelectronics Research and Development (NNMRD) to enable the laboratory-to-fabrication transition of microelectronics innovations in the United States and to expand the global leadership in microelectronics of the United States. Specifically, the DOD is addressing a component of the NNMRD, the Commons, through a public-private partnership consisting of regional innovation hubs distributed across the U.S. to foster a pipeline of innovative ideas and talent residing in, for example, university labs and small business R&D teams. Background U.S. technological dominance in microelectronics materials, processes, devices, and architectural designs can only be sustained through the development of a robust domestic innovation ecosystem that fosters the rapid development and transition of novel concepts into commercially viable manufacturing processes. The U.S. innovation ecosystem has long been the driver of our nation’s technology leadership throughout the world. U.S. R&D kick-started the enormous semiconductor industry and continues to lead the world in developing the next generation of disruptive technologies including new materials, devices, circuits, architectures, and design tools. In recent years, the efficient domestic adoption of U.S. chip innovation has been threatened as emerging hardware technologies have become increasingly reliant on offshore sources for State of the Art (SOTA) manufacturing, prototyping, and investment. There are several significant hurdles that hardware startups face, including limited or expensive access to necessary facilities and design infrastructure, high costs of design intellectual property, limited expertise with hardware engineering, and high costs of prototyping. As a result, the number of U.S. hardware startups has dropped significantly and foreign investment in U.S.-based technology startups has enabled offshore fabrication and maturation of emerging technologies. To address these needs, OUSD(R&E) is standing up the Commons as a public private partnership, consisting of regional innovation hubs distributed across the U.S. to foster a pipeline of innovative ideas and talent residing in university labs and small business R&D teams. The partnership will provide resources for and access to specialized lab equipment, technical expertise, and connections to existing or upgraded prototyping facilities. Fabrication facilities (fabs) will help mature promising technologies and demonstrate the manufacturing and economic benefits of these innovations for dual-use application for defense and commercial sectors. The Commons will focus on critical, on-shore prototyping to transition innovation from universities, start-ups, and small companies to fabrication facilities (lab-to-fab transition). Key features are: • Creates and connects “Lab-to-Fab” testing/prototyping hubs to form a network focused on maturing emerging microelectronics technologies • Provides broad access to these prototyping hubs, potentially by augmenting facilities and enabling access to facilities within local semiconductor companies or FFRDCs. • Facilitates microelectronics education and training of students at local colleges and universities and grows a talent pipeline to bolster local semiconductor economies and contribute more broadly to the growth of a domestic semiconductor workforce. This program element focuses on the applied research activities of the Commons, including staffing at Commons hub facilities, early technology identification, preliminary microelectronics prototyping planning, and experimental tools.

Mission— Microelectronics Commons - 0403D

This Program supports the Department's initiatives to Build Sustainable and Long-Term Advantage, Defend the Homeland, and Deter Aggression. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) is executing the Microelectronics Commons (the Commons) activity pursuant to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (Pub. L. 116-283), including and funded through the CHIPS for America Defense Fund established by the CHIPS Act of 2022. The FY 2021 NDAA legislation significantly emphasizes solutions that promote the domestic on-shoring of capabilities to address economic and technology security concerns. Under FY 2021 NDAA Sec. 9903(b), DoD is directed to establish a National Network for Microelectronics Research and Development (NNMRD) to enable the laboratory-to-fabrication transition of microelectronics innovations in the United States and to expand the global leadership in microelectronics of the United States. Specifically, DoD is addressing a component of the NNMRD, the Commons, through a public-private partnership consisting of regional innovation hubs distributed across the U.S. to foster a pipeline of innovative ideas and talent residing in, for example, university labs and small business R&D teams. U.S. technological dominance in microelectronics materials, processes, devices, and architectural designs can only be sustained through the development of a robust domestic innovation ecosystem that fosters the rapid development and transition of novel concepts into commercially viable manufacturing processes. The U.S. innovation ecosystem has long been the driver of our nation’s technology leadership throughout the world. U.S. R&D kick-started the enormous semiconductor industry and continues to lead the world in developing the next generation of disruptive technologies including new materials, devices, circuits, architectures, and design tools. In recent years, the efficient domestic adoption of U.S. chip innovation has been threatened as emerging hardware technologies have become increasingly reliant on offshore sources for State of the Art (SOTA) manufacturing, prototyping, and investment. There are several significant hurdles that hardware startups face, including limited or expensive access to necessary facilities and design infrastructure, high costs of design intellectual property, limited expertise with hardware engineering, and high costs of prototyping. As a result, the number of U.S. hardware startups has dropped significantly and foreign investment in U.S.-based technology startups has enabled offshore fabrication and maturation of emerging technologies. To address these needs, OUSD(R&E) is standing up the Commons as a public private partnership, consisting of regional innovation hubs distributed across the U.S. to foster a pipeline of innovative ideas and talent residing in university labs and small business R&D teams. The partnership will provide resources for and access to specialized lab equipment, technical expertise, and connections to existing or upgraded prototyping facilities. Fabrication facilities (fabs) will help mature promising technologies and demonstrate the manufacturing and economic benefits of these innovations for dual-use application for defense and commercial sectors. The Commons will focus on critical, on-shore prototyping to transition innovation from universities, start-ups, and small companies to fabrication facilities (lab-to-fab transition). Key features are: • Creates and connects “Lab-to-Fab” testing/prototyping hubs to form a network focused on maturing emerging microelectronics technologies • Provides broad access to these prototyping hubs, potentially by augmenting facilities and enabling access to facilities within local semiconductor companies or FFRDCs. • Facilitates microelectronics education and training of students at local colleges and universities and grows a talent pipeline to bolster local semiconductor economies and contribute more broadly to the growth of a domestic semiconductor workforce. This program focuses on the applied research activities of the Commons, including staffing at Commons hub facilities, early technology identification, preliminary microelectronics prototyping planning, and experimental tools.

Mission— Workforce Development

This project focuses on workforce development activities that are inherent to the operation of the Commons, particularly in the applied research phase of new technologies under investigation. It will facilitate microelectronics education and training of students at local colleges and universities that are part of the Commons network and provide a pipeline to bolster local semiconductor economies and contribute more broadly to the growth of a domestic semiconductor workforce.

Mission— Microelectronics Research Maturation-Development

This project focuses on the applied research activities of the Commons including the early research and development of new microelectronics materials, processes, devices, and architectural designs. It seeks to answer how new models, science, and technology can be leveraged to create a different manufacturing paradigm based on proven process tools in agile microelectronics fabrication facilities (fabs). The project also supports the establishment of the Commons Hubs, which will be networks of regional capabilities organized in collaboration with the Commons Consortium Manager (CM) to address DoD and commercial needs and requirements. The Hubs may include existing facilities augmented to enhance intrinsic specializations in emerging areas of microelectronics. Each Hub will concentrate on one of six technical areas including: Secure Edge Computing, 5G/6G Technology, Artificial Intelligence Hardware, Quantum Technology, Electromagnetic Warfare, and Commercial Leap Ahead Technologies. Core Facilities (i.e., fabs) are integral parts of the Hubs network that will provide key fabrication capabilities that are required to demonstrate prototypes with the volume and characteristics required to ensure reduced risk for full manufacturing production. Additionally, the project will directly support early workforce development activities through the Commons network. Activities may span K-12, undergraduate, graduate and continuing education and may include, for example, establishment of PhD internships and post-doc training at Hub facilities and internships with Hub members.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (3)