NIST and SRC-NRI Partnership to Drive Next-Generation Computing
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) have entered a partnership to support research and innovation in nanoelectronics, an emerging field that could revolutionize computer technology. The goal is to develop a successor to the basic electronic building block in today’s computers, with the aim of demonstrating its feasibility in computer circuits over the next 5-10 years.
The partnership, which was selected through an open competition, will provide $18.5 million over five years, with NIST contributing $2.76 million. The Semiconductor Research Corporation’s Nanoelectronics Research Initiative (NRI) will coordinate research among major universities across the country, focusing on developing critical measurement tools to accelerate advances in nanoelectronics.
The NRI has established three major research centers: Western Institute of Nanoelectronics (WIN), Institute for Nanoelectronic Discovery and Exploration (INDEX), and Southwest Academy for Nanoelectronics (SWAN). These centers receive significant support from their state governments and funds provided by SRC member companies in the region of each center.
The partnership aims to support America’s continued leadership in nanoelectronics research and develop an electronic component that could replace the conventional CMOS FET by 2020. NIST’s expertise in ultra-precise engineering and manufacturing will be crucial in making advanced current and future chip technologies possible.
Keywords: nanoelectronics, NRI, measurement tools
