DoD Microelectronics Commons: A National Network for Defense Microelectronics Innovation
Summary
This briefing outlines the Department of Defense (DoD) Microelectronics Commons initiative, established under the CHIPS for America Defense Fund. It details the strategy to bridge the ‘Valley of Death’ in domestic microelectronics by connecting research universities, regional innovation hubs, and core fabrication facilities for lab-to-fab prototyping. The presentation also outlines the planned timeline, participating focus areas, and execution through the S2MARTS Other Transaction Authority (OTA) managed by NSTXL.
Slide 1: Title Slide
DoD Microelectronics Commons A National Network for Defense Microelectronics Innovation
Dr. Dev Shenoy, PD Microelectronics, Director Defense Microelectronics Cross Functional Team OUSD (R&E) Microelectronics Modernization
October 31, 2022
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for Public Release
Slide 2: Precedence & Notices
If there is any inconsistency between the material presented here and the Request for Solutions (RFS), the RFS shall take precedence.
The Microelectronics Commons RFS will be posted on www.sam.gov and https://nstxl.org/microelectronics
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Slide 3: The United States is an Innovative Designer but NOT an Innovative Producer
• The United States is a world leader in microelectronics design. • But the United States is responsible for only 12% of microelectronics production globally. Most of that production is in Asia. • Two major roadblocks to domestic production are: • Establishing viability and marketability of new microelectronics technologies. Once established, US firms have incentive to invest. • Access to facilities for innovators. Researchers in industry and academia do not have access to facilities to explore, prototype, and demonstrate leap-ahead technological advancements. • The result is significant risk to our microelectronics supply chains leading to: • loss of key intellectual property • loss of market influence • dependency on foreign economies
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Slide 4: Lab-to-Fab Transition of Microelectronics Technologies
• Research Universities, Start-ups have facilities for Lab prototyping but face barriers to Technology Demonstration. • Core Facilities or Foundries/Fabs provide access to early stage Fab prototyping.
Microelectronics Commons aims to enable lab-to-fab prototyping– evolve microelectronics laboratory prototyping to fabrication prototyping – in domestic facilities.
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Slide 5: The Microelectronics Commons: Innovation from Lab-to-Fab
The Microelectronics Commons is a CHIPS-funded national network that will create direct pathways to commercialization for US microelectronics researchers and designers from “lab to fab.”
The Commons is designed to: • Enable sustained partnerships between emerging technology sources, manufacturing facilities, and interagency partners • Develop a pipeline of talent to bolster local semiconductor economies and contribute more broadly to the growth of a domestic semiconductor workforce • Bridge the microelectronics technological “Valley of Death” • Expand domestic microelectronics fabrication capability • Enhance microelectronics education and training pipeline to bolster the microelectronics engineering workforce
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Slide 6: The Microelectronics Commons: Three Main Elements
Regional Hubs • Hubs connect researchers and designers to prototyping capabilities targeted to regional strengths in the Hub’s technical topic area. • Will be competitively selected based on expertise and capabilities in the region. • Hubs will concentrate on one of six application areas including: Secure Edge/IoT Computing, 5G/6G Technology, Artificial Intelligence Hardware, Quantum Technology, Electronic Warfare, and Commercial Leap-Ahead Technologies.
Core Facilities • Core facilities are existing facilities that have scalable capacity beyond what the regional hubs can provide. • Dual function: • To further complement and amplify the work of the regional hubs; for example, 200 mm wafer fab for Silicon CMOS-compatible technologies and 150 mm wafer fab for compound semiconductors. • To engage with commercial fabs and align them better to commercial processes to facilitate transition to commercial companies. • Cores provide access to repeatable processes, back-end manufacturing/integration and full flow-fabrication.
Non-profit management company • Administers the Microelectronics Commons program
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Slide 7: Microelectronics Commons Addresses the Valley of Death
Microelectronics Commons Addresses the Valley of Death
Required Investment Progression: University & USG -> VC Investment -> Commercial and DOD Program Investment
Lifecycle Stages:
- Proof of Concept
- Prototype in Laboratory (Research Universities, Start ups face barriers to Technology Demonstration)
- Prototype in a Foundry/Fab (Innovation Hubs boost research connections targeted to regional strengths: Secure Edge/IoT Computing, Electronic Warfare, AI HW at the Edge, 5G/6G Technology, Commercial Leap Ahead Technologies, Quantum Technology; Core Facilities: CMOS + New Technology Integration, Non-CMOS)
- Capacity in production environment (Core Facilities provide access to scale early stage prototyping, and engage with Industry and NSTC to burn down risk for integration of new technologies with commercial SOTA)
- Demonstration of Production Rates
- Defense Program and Commercial Adoption (Commercial adoption and optimization for Defense program demonstrators across Commercial Industry, Defense Programs, and Defense Industrial Base)
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Slide 8: Microelectronics Commons Geographically Diverse Participation
Microelectronics Commons will Draw Participation from a Geographically Diverse set of Hubs Across the Defense Innovation Ecosystem
Regional Innovation Hubs: • Microelectronics Commons will be open to competition from research organizations across the U.S. • More information can be found at the National Security Technology Accelerator website* (* https://nstxl.org/opportunity/microelectronics-me-commons/)
Map indicates States Representing Organizations Responding to Microelectronics Commons RFI (Notice ID: N0016422SNB42).
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Slide 9: Microelectronics Commons Development Notional Timeline
Microelectronics Commons development notional timeline
Schedule: • FY23 Q1: • Announcements: Industry Awareness Day, Coming Soon Announced via NSTXL/S2MARTS • Acquisition: RFS for 9 Regional Hubs via NSTXL/S2MARTS • FY23 Q2: • Acquisition: 9 Hubs selected • FY23 Q3: • Announcements: NSTXL Call for Projects • Acquisition: Awards to 9 Regional Hubs • FY23 Q4: • Acquisition: Project Selection Finalized • FY24 Q1: • Acquisition: Project Awards
Notes: • Hub Request for Solutions (RFS) (in light orange on Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Quarter 1 Acquisitions line) will also go to prospective Core Facilities. They will be part of the Hub RFS responses. • In responses to the RFS, Hubs may: o Also propose a Core Facility with which they will work, either directly or on a fee-for-service basis o Core Facilities may respond to be considered as a Hub lead
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Slide 10: How to Participate in the Microelectronics Commons
• The Naval Surface Warfare Center – Crane (NSWC Crane) Strategic & Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S2MARTS) Other Transaction Authority (OTA) will be the primary contract vehicle for the ME Commons • The Microelectronics Commons Management Company, the National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL), will make program announcements (Industry Day, RFS, etc.) on the S2MARTS site and on www.sam.gov • Important Links: • Microelectronics – DoD Research & Engineering, OUSD(R&E) (cto.mil): https://www.cto.mil/ct/microelectronics/ • Microelectronics Commons NSTXL: https://nstxl.org/opportunity/microelectronics-me-commons/
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Slide 11: CHIPS Act Background
• The Department of Defense (DoD) received a total of 400 million per year in FY 2023 through 2027. The appropriated funds remain available until the end of each FY only. FY 2023 funds are to remain available until September 30, 2023, and so on. • The NDAA for FY 2021 Sec. 9903(b) described a National Network for Microelectronics Research and Development (NNMRD) that the Secretary of Defense may establish, subject to availability of appropriations. The NDAA for FY 2022 (Public Law 117-81) Sec. 217 amended this guidance to explicit direction to the Secretary of Defense to establish the NNMRD, subject to the availability of appropriations for such purposes.
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for Public Release