Silicon Labs opens new R&D lab in Austin with Texas CHIPS Act support
Silicon Labs has opened a new research and development laboratory at its headquarters in Austin, Texas, expanding its capabilities for advanced chip design, testing and validation.
The facility has been partly funded through a USD 23 million grant from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF), established under the Texas CHIPS Act.
The laboratory includes research, testing and validation equipment as well as engineering workspace for chip design and testing. According to Silicon Labs, the TSIF funding has enabled the company to upgrade its equipment to support more advanced wafer process technology nodes.
The expanded facility will be used to develop, test and validate wireless semiconductor technologies for IoT applications. It will support development across Silicon Labs' wireless portfolio, including its Series 3 platform, which targets applications in areas such as smart homes, industrial systems, healthcare, commercial environments and smart cities.
Silicon Labs says the additional laboratory capacity will allow engineers to accelerate product development, validate technologies and collaborate across engineering disciplines.
“Our new Austin Innovation Center represents an important milestone in the partnership between the State of Texas and Silicon Labs to advance semiconductor innovation and reinforce Texas as the most attractive destination for semiconductor research, design, and development,” says Matt Johnson, President and CEO of Silicon Labs, in the press release.
The Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund was established to support semiconductor research and development investments in the state, with the aim of strengthening Texas' semiconductor industry.
