Arizona State University is receiving $17.5 million from the Arizona Commerce Authority to expand semiconductor research.
The money will go towards purchasing equipment from the company NXP Semiconductors to “enhance the capabilities” of the university.
Equipment will go into ASU’s MacroTechnology Works facility. The technology will help startups and contribute to workforce development, according to Sally Morton, ASU's executive vice president of Knowledge Enterprise.
“The goal is to really continue to expand and accelerate the state's capabilities and contributions to the nation with respect to semiconductor manufacturing," she said.
The investment from ACA is part of the agency’s $100 million commitment announced last year in support of semiconductor and microelectronics development in Arizona.
Morton said ASU is playing an important role in the CHIPS and Science Act.
"This technology is only getting more important as technology advances and there's a need for more powerful computations and more powerful devices," said Patrick Ptak, the ACA’s senior vice president of executive initiatives.
He says the new equipment will let students, researchers and industry leaders make prototypes and conduct “other types of experimentation and research.”
