MIT and Applied Materials, Inc. have announced a groundbreaking collaboration to enhance the capabilities of MIT.nano, the Institute’s center for nanoscale science and engineering. The agreement, combined with a grant from the Northeast Microelectronics Coalition (NEMC) Hub, will result in a total investment exceeding $40 million from private and public sources. This significant investment will enable the addition of advanced nano-fabrication equipment and capabilities to MIT.nano, creating a unique open-access site in the U.S. to support research and development at an industry-compatible scale.
The collaboration is poised to bridge the gap between academic research and commercialization, facilitating the transition of innovations from laboratory settings to industry foundries for manufacturing. Applied Materials, the world’s largest supplier of equipment for manufacturing semiconductors and advanced electronics, will provide state-of-the-art process tools capable of supporting 150 and 200mm wafers. This will significantly enhance MIT.nano's existing capabilities, particularly in fabricating 200-millimeter (8-inch) wafers, which are essential for industry prototyping and production of semiconductors used in various markets including consumer electronics, automotive, industrial automation, and clean energy.
The installation and operation of these tools at MIT.nano are made possible by the support of the NEMC Hub, which will allocate $7.7 million from the U.S. Department of Defense’s CHIPS and Science Act to enable the installation of the advanced equipment. This investment is expected to have a direct impact on the members of the NEMC Hub, the Massachusetts and Northeast regional economy, and national security.
The collaboration also includes Applied Materials joining the MIT.nano Consortium, an industry program comprising 12 companies from various industries around the world. Through this partnership, the company's technical staff will have the opportunity to engage with MIT's intellectual centers, including continued membership with the Microsystems Technology Laboratories.
The collaboration between MIT, Applied Materials, and the NEMC Hub represents a significant step towards accelerating advances in silicon and compound semiconductors, power electronics, optical computing, analog devices, and other critical technologies. It also reinforces MIT.nano's commitment to facilitating innovation and collaboration across academia, startups, and established companies.
