US Department of Energy launches semiconductor research pilot

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science is backing a pilot program to assist chipmakers in addressing lithography and metrology challenges during advanced semiconductor development. The initiative is being conducted by Brookhaven National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in collaboration with NY Creates at the Albany NanoTech Complex.

The program aims to bridge the gap between laboratory findings and commercial chip production by providing manufacturers with easier access to DOE user facilities and expert knowledge. Research will focus on lithography, the process of printing microscale circuit patterns, and metrology, the science of measuring semiconductor material properties. The pilot also seeks to address pre-competitive issues of shared interest among chipmakers, equipment suppliers, and materials firms to bolster US technological leadership and economic security.