Response to Department of Commerce’s Request for Information 2022-01305
Semiconductors are the foundation to essential technologies – from smartphones and computers to military assets and national security systems.
However, the rise of global competition and increasing complexities of geopolitics creates uncertainties in the global supply chain. Additionally, while the United States leads the world in semiconductor research, design, and tooling, there is no integrated, collaborative capability between industry, academia, and government in advanced development, prototyping, and packaging. This necessitates that the U.S. commits to restoring, driving, and scaling U.S. semiconductor and packaging leadership.
Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Act
The Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Act presents a critical opportunity to define a new era of American technology infrastructure and competitive market advantage. As we undertake these historic investments to catalyze the U.S. semiconductor industry, unprecedented developments in innovation are also changing the semiconductor landscape. For example, heterogeneous integration of chips in a compact, advanced package represents a paradigm shift of extraordinary technical potential and an opportunity for U.S. technical leadership. The time is ripe to invest accordingly.
To meet this sense of urgency, a comprehensive approach should be undertaken.
The American Semiconductor Innovation Coalition (ASIC), with broad representation of industries, small companies, universities, colleges, consortia, and nonprofits, and with technical advice from national labs, offers responses to the Department of Commerce RFI 2022-01305. The key principles below outline critical aspects to bolster a robust domestic semiconductor supply chain that is achievable, scalable, and sustainable.
Key Principles to Bolster Domestic Semiconductor Supply Chain
Provide an Innovation Ecosystem
Comprise a coalition of industry, academia, government (including national labs), non-profits, and startups, in order to provide an innovation ecosystem with first-class resources for research, development and prototyping.
Ambitions Technical Agenda
Create and execute on an ambitious, but practical, technical agenda focused on the technology transition from innovation to commercialization at scale, with a focus on technologies that can be prototyped within five (5) years.
Cross Link and Leverage Existing Resources
Tightly coordinate and align National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) and National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP) to provide an integrated program that crosslinks expertise and leverages existing resources for maximum effectiveness.
Hubs and CoEs around the country
Be structured as closely coordinated hubs and centers of excellence (CoEs) that span the entire country and include access to resources, scientists, facilities, and partners who can work quickly and efficiently to demonstrate and transfer breakthrough technology to manufacturing.
Leverage and Upgrade Infrastructure
Leverage and upgrade prior infrastructure investments to increase the pace of innovation by expanding existing piloting and prototype integration centers.
Accessible IP to Accelerate Prototyping
Provide accessible intellectual property (IP) to accelerate technology demonstrations and prototyping.
Set Standards to Enable Open Chiplet Ecosystem
Set standards to enable an open chiplet ecosystem and prioritize specific technologies for U.S. leadership, such as Advanced HI, Memory, and SIP.
Governance Based on Tiered Membership Model
Have an inclusive governance structure based on a tiered membership model for a strong, diverse, and reconfigurable network.
Labor Market to Support Skills Development
Create efficient labor markets to support nation-wide skills development and education standards, training programs guided by NSTC and NAPMP, and hands-on training facilities and design resources.
Increase and Diversify Pool of Talent
Facilitate start-ups and workforce development programs with access to prototyping facilities and other resources that increase and diversify the critical pool of talent.
Modernize Educational Content
Modernize educational content to align with new industry needs, led by cross-agency and joint industry-academia-government partnerships to expand outreach across all background and education levels, including “new collar”.
Sustainable Long-term Roadmap
Ensure a sustainable long-term roadmap to achieve and sustain a domestic semiconductor supply chain.
The CHIPS Act has the potential to not only restore U.S. semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing, but also enable the U.S. to outpace global market competition. ASIC is proud to be part of this meaningful endeavor and looks forward to additional collaboration and partnership as we mobilize and revolutionize the semiconductor industry.