Department of Energy national laboratories are joining forces to establish a new organization that works toward building a strong domestic semiconductor supply chain. The DOE said Tuesday that the Semiconductor Manufacturing and Advanced Research with Twins, or SMART, USA Institute will utilize advanced technologies to improve the nation’s competitiveness in microelectronics production.
The Idaho National Laboratory will lead the new institute as chief digital officer.
What Is the SMART USA Institute?
The SMART USA Institute will primarily employ digital twins, or virtual representations, to improve the design, packaging, manufacturing and testing of semiconductors. According to DOE, the effort will also tap into the artificial intelligence and computational research capabilities of its network of national laboratories.
“The Department of Energy and our National Labs have been at the forefront of artificial intelligence research and we’re expanding that reach to advance domestic manufacturing capacity and national security,” commented Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, a Wash100 awardee.
The DOE has long been involved in efforts to advance semiconductor research. The Exascale Computing Project under DOE’s Office of Science and National Nuclear Security Administration played a role in the development of GPU components that are now in use to power advanced simulations and AI.
A Nationwide Effort
SMART USA is an addition to Manufacturing USA, a wider network of institutes that aim to bolster domestic manufacturing competitiveness. Each Manufacturing USA institute is a public-private partnership working together toward a common goal.
In November, the Department of Commerce awarded $285 million to the Semiconductor Research Corporation to build and operate a chip manufacturing facility in Durham, North Carolina. The manufacturing facility is part of the SMART USA initiative, which received a $1 billion total funding.
