Reasserting U.S. Leadership in Microelectronics - A White Paper on the Role of Universities

Abstract

The United States’ longstanding leadership in the realm of semiconductors and microelectronics is today under serious challenge. The solution: a concerted and ambitious national response that emphasizes manufacturing, innovation and workforce development. As a key element in the rich ecosystem that has underlaid U.S. preeminence in microelectronics for more than 50 years, universities play a significant role in this national quest. This white paper synthesizes a high-level vision for how universities can best contribute towards the national priority of reasserting U.S. leadership in microelectronics. With a “first-principles” approach, we propose a process for deliberation and resource allocation that looks at three key questions: what are the needs of the country, how do they map onto the core competences of universities, and which programs and partnerships are most likely to deliver the desired results. It should be noted that in this document, we do not attempt to match the proposed programs to specific initiatives currently under discussion, such as those spelled out in the CHIPS Act (National Semiconductor Technology Center, National Network for Microelectronics R&D, National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program and others) or the Endless Frontiers Act. The study presented in this white paper leads to several recommendations in the categories of Education and workforce development, Research, Technology translation, startups and intellectual property, Academic infrastructure, and Regional networks. This paper can also be found at https://usmicroelectronics.mit.edu/white_paper/