Sandia National Laboratories has made a significant move by joining a new partnership that seeks to bolster the United States’ position in the ever-competitive semiconductor manufacturing sector. Historically, the U.S. held a commanding presence in chip production during the 1990s, commanding over 35% of the global market. However, that share has dramatically declined to merely 12% today. The nation does not currently produce any of the world’s cutting-edge chips, the very components fueling essential technologies such as smartphones—used by 71% of the global population—autonomous vehicles, quantum computing, and AI systems.
In a bid to address this decline, Sandia National Laboratories has become the first national lab to join the U.S. National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), an initiative launched under the CHIPS and Science Act. This legislation aims to accelerate technological innovation and tackle critical challenges facing the country’s semiconductor sector.
Mary Monson, Sandia’s senior manager of Technology Partnerships and Business Development, emphasized the significance of this development, stating, “We have pioneered the way for other labs to join. The CHIPS Act has brought the band back together, you could say. By including the national labs, U.S. companies, and academia, it’s really a force multiplier.”
Sandia has a long-standing history of contributing to the semiconductor landscape, thanks to research and development partnerships facilitated by its Microsystems Engineering, Science and Applications (MESA) facility, and advanced cleanroom technologies focused on next-generation innovations. Through its involvement with the NSTC, Sandia aims to enhance domestic semiconductor manufacturing processes, boost research and development initiatives, and improve national security-related production. The goal is to foster the kind of innovation that solidifies U.S. leadership in the semiconductor field.
Monson notes the urgency of these efforts, reflecting on the lessons former crises have imparted. The recent pandemic illustrated significant vulnerabilities when chip shortages stalled various industries, leaving car manufacturers without crucial components. According to Rick McCormick, Sandia’s senior scientist for semiconductor technology strategy, “An average car contains 1,400 chips, while electric vehicles use more than 3,000.” He highlighted the significant global investment of over $300 billion from other nations looking to dominate semiconductor manufacturing—underscoring that the CHIPS Act is the U.S.’s strategic response to stay competitive. A key objective includes achieving more than 25% of the global capacity for cutting-edge chips by 2032.
Sandia is also poised to play an instrumental role in shaping the future of semiconductor technology. “More than $12 billion in research and development spending is planned under CHIPS, including a $3 billion program to create an ecosystem for packaging assemblies of chiplets,” McCormick elaborated. These chiplets, which communicate efficiently, are integral in modern AI processors and can help facilitate the transition to advanced applications.
Additionally, Sandia is ready to contribute to workforce development within the semiconductor industry, an area where a critical shortage is anticipated. The Semiconductor Industry Association has projected a need for an additional 60,000 to 70,000 workers in the coming years. McCormick stated, “We need to engage the STEM workforce to address this looming crisis.”
As Sandia integrates more deeply within the NSTC framework, it aims to provide access to its resources and facilities to further enhance collaborations. This initiative aligns with Sandia’s mission to propel technology transfer, enhance private sector involvement, and enrich its own operational capabilities. Monson reiterated that Sandia is not only a hub of semiconductor expertise but is also well-positioned to influence the industry’s trajectory over the next two decades, thereby fortifying national security and advancing technology in the U.S.
