The global microelectronics industry is undergoing massive changes. Semiconductor manufacturing, largely done abroad, is threatened by political instability that could derail current global supply chains. In response, companies are increasing semiconductor production in the U.S.
Semiconductor technology is also close to approaching the limits of Moore’s Law, which states that chips double in computing power every two years while costs are cut in half. This has left those in the semiconductor field to explore new types of technology.
In response to such large changes in the semiconductor industry, the Semiconductor Research Corporation, or SRC, formed the Joint University Microelectronics Program, or JUMP, 2.0. The coalition is a public-private partnership made up of universities, industry partners and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA.
According to DARPA, JUMP 2.0 consists of research centers focusing on a variety of technical challenges relevant to semiconductors. One of these research centers is the Center for Heterogeneous Integration of Micro Electronic Systems, or CHIMES, led by Penn State. Fourteen university partners, including Arizona State University, will collaborate through the center to advance future microelectronics capabilities.