US completes chip R&D trio with Arizona 300mm centre
Arizona is to host what the US says is the world’s first 300mm front-end semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging research facility
The US Department of Commerce and Natcast announced the Arizona State University (ASU) Research Park in Tempe, Arizona as the anticipated location for the third and final flagship CHIPS for America research and development (R&D) facility, rather than Oregon or Texas.
The Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility (PPF) will be part of the NSTC Prototyping and National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Programme (NAPMP) with cutting-edge capabilities to bridge the gap between laboratory research and full-scale semiconductor production. It will enable researchers and industry leaders to develop and test new materials, devices, and advanced packaging.
The centre is expected to be operational in 2028 and will work alongside the $1bn EUV Centre in Albany, New York, and the Design and Collaboration Centre in Sunnyvale, California. Back in April 2024 the US government cut back its chip R&D plans from $5bn to $3.5bn.
However, chip makers such as Intel, AMD, Samsung and TSMC already work with Belgian research lab imec and EUV lithography equipment maker ASML on leading edge 300mm front end manufacturing technology, with a 300mm, 1nm pilot line being built with support from the EU Chips Act. It has also been developing projects on chiplet packaging technologies.
The Arizona centre marks a significant shift to bring commercialisation of technology into the US. The US government points to a lack of 300mm semiconductor wafer prototyping capability facilities and the absence of shared access to specialized facilities, shared infrastructure, skilled resources, and capital.
TSMC and Intel are building significant leading edge fabs in Arizona that will use the leading edge 2nm, 18A and 16A process nodes.
“A strong research and development ecosystem is essential to ensuring the United States remains at the forefront of semiconductor innovation,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Arizona has long been a hub for technological progress, and this new facility will strengthen our domestic supply chain, drive advanced manufacturing breakthroughs, and secure America’s leadership in this critical industry.”
The PPF’s prototyping capabilities will consist of at least one 300mm full-flow CMOS line as a stable baseline for experiments. The facility will also allow for a variety of R&D in a manufacturing-like environment that would not be feasible at a manufacturing site, including novel materials and device architectures.
Key packaging capabilities are expected to include a baseline advanced packaging piloting line to enable the development and commercialization of new packaging processes. The facility will also support U.S. workforce development efforts by providing opportunities for collaborative, hands-on research utilizing industry-leading tools and equipment.
“The PPF will play a critical role in advancing semiconductor innovation across the country,” said Deirdre Hanford, CEO of Natcast which is managing all three centres. “This facility will be a premier destination where researchers from industry, academia, startups, and the broader semiconductor ecosystem will convene to explore, experiment, and collaborate on the next generation of semiconductor and packaging technologies that will power the industries of the future.”
Natcast has accepted a nonbinding Letter of Intent from the Arizona Commerce Authority and Arizona State University. The final contract is subject to additional due diligence, continued negotiations, and refinement of terms.
The centres are based around the NSTC Vision and Strategy paper and the NAPMP Vision paper as well as analysis of the current and planned future state of the US semiconductor manufacturing and R&D ecosystems.
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