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Purdue & TSMC team up on centre for secured microelectronics
Purdue University and TSMC have jointly announced plans to establish a Centre for Secured Microelectronics Ecosystem aimed at ensuring a secure supply of semiconductor chips and related tools all the way from the foundry to the packaged system.
The center, to be located at the Purdue University West Lafayette campus (Indiana) in collaboration with Purdue Research Foundation, will perform research to ensure a secure ecosystem for the manufacture of microelectronics systems.
“Semiconductors will continue to be the enabling backbone for technological and economic growth in the 21st century, propelling advancements in the internet of things, autonomous transportation, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and many other applications,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said, in a press release. “We are pleased that TSMC and Purdue University took their partnership to the next level at SelectUSA — a platform for leading global semiconductor manufacturers to continue expanding and investing in the United States. Under President Trump’s leadership, the administration will continue doing all it can to grow and equip our highly skilled workforce, maintain our competitive investment and regulatory environment, and support world-class American research universities.”
“This agreement solidifies a vital global partnership for Purdue and enables our leading researchers to further advance their discoveries in microelectronics,” said Purdue University President Mitch Daniels. “TSMC’s commitment is only the beginning of what we believe will be an internationally significant initiative.”
The Purdue School of Electrical and Computer Engineering has about 10 faculty members currently collaborating with TSMC at various levels of research. The new centre is expected to begin operations at the beginning of the new academic year.
In February, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported that the global semiconductor industry posted sales of USD 468.8 billion in 2018, the industry’s highest-ever annual total, and an increase of 13.7% compared with the previous year.
“This industry is one of the most important for our global economy and security,” said Chad Pittman, vice president of the Purdue Research Foundation National Security and Defense Program Office and Government Relations. “The strengths in research and development of Purdue and TSMC will help support and advance this critical industry on multiple levels and help secure the ever-advancing microelectronics technology.”
The agreement also allows TSMC to help facilitate access to multi-project wafer shuttle runs to test the effectiveness of the proposed research and to assign representatives on the advisory board of the center to mentor specific projects.