A semiconductor research facility in upstate New York has been chosen as one of three national technology centers and is set to receive up to $825 million in funding. This initiative is part of a broader federal effort to enhance the United States’ competitive edge in the semiconductor industry.
The announcement was made on Thursday by U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer. The Albany NanoTech complex has been designated by federal officials as the national headquarters for research into a cutting-edge semiconductor technology known as extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. According to Schumer, the Senate’s Democratic majority leader, the lab will feature the most advanced chip-making machinery globally and will enable collaboration between researchers from the semiconductor industry and their university counterparts.
Schumer stated in a telephone interview that conducting high-end research at the facility ensures the United States maintains a technological edge in military capabilities and strengthens its economic competitiveness.
The National Semiconductor Technology Center Extreme Ultraviolet Accelerator is scheduled to commence operations next year. This development is part of the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to create more high-tech jobs and bolster the United States’ competitive stance against international rivals, such as China. The Biden administration has set an objective for the U.S. to manufacture 20% of the world’s advanced chips.
The selection of the Albany lab advances ongoing efforts by Schumer and other government officials to position upstate New York as a global hub for semiconductor research and manufacturing. Governor Kathy Hochul announced a partnership with the semiconductor industry late last year to finance the construction of the EUV Center.
In February, the Biden administration revealed that $1.5 billion would be allocated to computer chip company GlobalFoundries to expand domestic production north of Albany and in Vermont. Additionally, in April, the administration announced a $6.1 billion government support agreement with Micron Technology for producing advanced memory computer chips in Syracuse, New York, and in Boise, Idaho.
Schumer remarked that these initiatives are set to establish upstate New York as a central hub for semiconductor research not only in the United States but globally.
The Department of Commerce has yet to announce the locations of the other two national technology centers.
