A semiconductor research facility in upstate New York was selected as one of three national technology centers and will receive up to $825 million in funding as part of a broader federal effort to boost the United States’ competitiveness in the industry.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer made the announcement Thursday.
The Albany NanoTech complex was selected by federal officials as the national headquarters for research into a cutting-edge semiconductor technology known as extreme ultraviolet, or EUV, lithography. The lab will have the most advanced chip-making machinery in the world and allow researchers from the semiconductor industry to collaborate with their university counterparts, according to Schumer, the Senate’s Democratic majority leader.
“When you do the high-end research, which will be done here, and you can make the most advanced chips in the world, it makes sure that our military has the edge,” Schumer said in a telephone interview. “It makes sure our economy and our companies have the cutting edge, as well,”
The National Semiconductor Technology Center Extreme Ultraviolet Accelerator is scheduled to begin operating next year. The contract for it stems from the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, which was designed to create more high-tech jobs and help the United States compete with international rivals like China. The Biden administration has set a goal for the U.S. to make 20% of the world’s advanced chips.
