Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), commonly known as SRC, is a high-technology research

consortium A consortium () is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations, or governments (or any combination of these entities) with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a ...

active in the

semiconductor industry The semiconductor industry is the aggregate of companies engaged in the design and fabrication of semiconductors and semiconductor devices, such as transistors and integrated circuits. Its roots can be traced to the invention of the transistor ...

. It is a leading semiconductor research consortium. Todd Younkin is the incumbent

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

and

chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

of the company. The consortium comprises more than twenty-five companies and government agencies with more than a hundred universities under contract performing research.

History

SRC was founded in 1982 by

Semiconductor Industry Association The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) is a trade association and lobbying group founded in 1977 that represents the United States semiconductor industry. It is located in Washington, D.C. About The Semiconductor Industry Association (SI ...

as a consortium to fund research and development by semiconductor companies. In the past, it has funded university research projects in hardware and software co-design, new architectures,

circuit design In electrical engineering, the process of circuit design can cover systems ranging from complex electronic systems down to the individual transistors within an integrated circuit. One person can often do the design process without needing a pl ...

transistor A transistor is a semiconductor device used to Electronic amplifier, amplify or electronic switch, switch electrical signals and electric power, power. It is one of the basic building blocks of modern electronics. It is composed of semicondu ...

s, memories, interconnects, and materials and has sponsored over 15,000 Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D. students.

Research

SRC has funded research in areas such as automotive, advanced memory technologies, logic and processing, advanced packaging, edge intelligence, and communications.

Programs

Global Research Collaboration Program

It is an industry-led international research program with eight sub-topics including artificial intelligence hardware; analog mixed-signal circuits; computer-aided design and test; environment safety and health; hardware security; logic and memory devices; nanomanufacturing materials and processes; and packaging.

DARPA Partnerships

JUMP 2.0

The JUMP 2.0 program is a research initiative that aims to further the development of information and communications technologies (ICT) in the United States. The program is structured into seven thematic centers, each focusing on high-risk, high-reward research projects. The primary areas of interest for JUMP 2.0 include the development of advanced

artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...

(AI) systems and architectures, the improvement of communication technologies for ICT systems, and the enhancement of sensing capabilities with embedded intelligence for rapid action generation. Additionally, the program investigates distributed computing systems and architectures within an energy-efficient compute and accelerator fabric, as well as innovations in memory devices and storage arrays for intelligent memory systems. JUMP 2.0 also explores advancements in electric and photonic interconnect fabrics, advanced packaging, and novel materials and devices for digital and analog applications. In collaboration with the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, JUMP 2.0 supports undergraduate research in the field of semiconductors. To date, six sites have been established to provide research experiences for undergraduate students in this area.

Joint University Microelectronics Program

Joint University Microelectronics Program (JUMP) was a research program that ran from 2018 to 2022. JUMP focused on energy-efficient electronics, including actuation and sensing, signal processing, computing, and intelligent storage.

STARnet

STARnet was a collaborative university research program that ran from 2013 to 2017, focusing on

state-of-the-art The state of the art (SOTA or SotA, sometimes cutting edge, leading edge, or bleeding edge) refers to the highest level of general development, as of a device, technique, or scientific field achieved at a particular time. However, in some contex ...

technology developments for

microelectronics Microelectronics is a subfield of electronics. As the name suggests, microelectronics relates to the study and manufacture (or microfabrication) of very small electronic designs and components. Usually, but not always, this means micrometre ...

research and development Research and development (R&D or R+D), known in some countries as OKB, experiment and design, is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products. R&D constitutes the first stage ...

. This program allocated at least $40 million annually to basic research funding.

Focus Center Research Program

The Focus Center Research Program (FCRP) began in 1998 and spanned multiple phases until its end in 2013. The research within the program was primarily concentrated on materials, structures, and devices, as well as circuits, systems, and software to develop new methods for device fabrication and integration for deeply-scaled

s and architectures for high-performance mixed-signal circuits to meet military requirements.

Industry guidance

Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) published the Microelectronics and Advanced Packaging Technologies (MAPT) Roadmap in 2023. The technology consortium was selected by the Advanced Manufacturing Office of the

National Institute of Standards and Technology The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce whose mission is to promote American innovation and industrial competitiveness. NIST's activities are organized into Outline of p ...

(NIST), which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, to develop this roadmap with an emphasis on emerging MAPT technologies. The MAPT Roadmap was developed through a collaborative effort involving researchers from different organizations spanning industry, academia, and government. It outlines critical research priorities for the semiconductor industry and provides recommendations based on a comprehensive analysis of challenges, promising technologies, key findings, trends, and the necessity for foundational capabilities within the semiconductor research and development (R&D) ecosystem. In 2021, SRC and the

(SIA) published the Decadal Plan for Semiconductors. The plan calls for an additional $3.4 billion in federal

funding to address challenges and maintain the industry's technological advancement in areas such as smart sensing, memory and storage, communications, security, and energy efficiency.

Recognition

In 2005, SRC received the

National Medal of Technology and Innovation The National Medal of Technology and Innovation (formerly the National Medal of Technology) is an honor granted by the president of the United States to American inventors and innovators who have made significant contributions to the development ...

awarded by the

president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

for their collaborative high-tech university research and for creating the concept and methodology, named the

International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) is a set of documents that was coordinated and organized by Semiconductor Research Corporation and produced by a group of experts in the semiconductor industry. These experts were rep ...

. In 2015, SRC was inducted into Georgia Tech's Hill Society for sponsoring $103 million in research grants, contracts, and fellowships since 1983.

References

{{Authority control Information technology companies of the United States National Medal of Technology recipients Semiconductor technology 1982 establishments in the United States