National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 1

Vision and Strategy:

National Semiconductor Technology Center

Eric Lin

Interim Director

CHIPS Research and Development

Donna Dubinsky

Senior Counselor to the Secretary

CHIPS Implementation

April 26, 2023
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 2

CHIPS for America

$39 billion for manufacturing

Two component programs:

1. Attract largescale investments in 

advanced technologies such 

as leading-edge logic and 

memory

2. Incentivize expansion 

of manufacturing capacity 

for mature and other types of 

semiconductors

$11 billion for R&D

Four integrated programs to:

1. Conduct research and 

prototyping of advanced 

semiconductor technology

2. Strengthen semiconductor 

advanced test, assembly, and 

packaging

3. Enable advances in 

measurement science, 

standards, material 

characterization, 

instrumentation, testing, and 

manufacturing

Workforce development

Plus CHIPS

initiatives from 

other agencies, 

including DOD, 

State, NSF, 

and Treasury
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CHIPS for America R&D

National 

Semiconductor 

Technology Center

National Advanced 

Packaging 

Manufacturing 

Program

Manufacturing USA 

institutes 

(up to three)

Metrology R&D 

(NIST)

• To strengthen and advance U.S. 

leadership in R&D

• An integrated ecosystem that 

drives innovation

• In partnership with industry, 

academia, government, and 

allies

• A strategic view of R&D 

infrastructure, participant valueproposition, and technology 

focus areas

• Informed by the Industrial 

Advisory Committee 
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Challenges

Prototyping, testing, and scaling 

is too costly for most 

organizations to undertake

Researchers and developers do 

not have easy access to test 

facilities and equipment, or 

digital design tools and data set

Without these rich grounds for 

innovation and education, the 

U.S. lags in innovation

The U.S. needs a 

research and 

development 

ecosystem that is 

• robust

• holistic

• inclusive 
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 5

The National 

Semiconductor 

Technology Center

will serve as the focal point 

for research and engineering 

throughout the 

semiconductor ecosystem, 

advancing and enabling 

disruptive innovation to 

provide U.S. leadership in 

the industries of the future.
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NSTC VISION

By the decade’s end, the NSTC should be 

viewed throughout the world as an essential 

resource within the broad semiconductor 

ecosystem with a network of respected 

scientists and engineers, state-of-the-art 

facilities, effective programs, and demonstrated 

technical achievements.
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Goals

Extend U.S. technology 

leadership to provide the 

foundation for future 

applications and industries for 

economic and national 

security

Build and sustain a 

semiconductor workforce 

development ecosystem

Significantly reduce the time 

and cost of moving from design 

idea to commercialization, 

making semiconductor design 

capabilities accessible to a 

wide range of stakeholders
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Programs

Technology 

leadership

Community 

assets

Workforce 
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National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 9

TECHNOLOGY 

LEADERSHIP

• In-house and funded research

• Grand challenges and road maps

• Standards and protocols

• Technical exchanges

• Security
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National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 10

COMMUNITY 

ASSETS

• Chiplets

• Design Enablement Gateway

• Data sets

• Patents

• Technical centers for prototyping, 

research, and experimentation
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 11

POTENTIAL AFFILIATED TECHNICAL CENTERS

Baseline CMOS and CMOS R&D Advanced packaging

NSTC HQ core functions

Process and 

production 

R&D

Microelectromechanical 

systems

RF, analog, 

and mixed 

signal

Memory

Mature node Bioelectronics

Design tools

Photonics

Power

Device 

security
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 12

National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 12

WORKFORCE 

PROGRAMS

• Outreach to groups, including 

underrepresented communities

• Support scale-up of existing 

quality programs

• Develop novel approaches to 

training

FOR SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS, AND 

TECHNICIANS
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Membership Examples 

• Businesses of all sizes and at all stages

• Fabless companies

• Foundries

• Integrated device manufacturers

• Equipment vendors

• Materials suppliers

• Research institutions, including minority 

serving institutions

• Community colleges

• State and local governments

• National labs

• Labor unions

• Investors
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Whole of Government
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 15

Donna Dubinsky

Senior Counselor to the Secretary

CHIPS Implementation
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 16

Governance Recommendations

“Establish NSTC as an independent 

legal entity in public-private 

partnership by the end of 2023. The 

Secretary of Commerce should select 

a Board of Directors, and that Board 

should oversee both the NSTC and 

the NAPMP to ensure synergy and 

alignment in the investments. The 

Board members should include broad 

representation from government, 

industry, and academia.”

PCAST Report on 

Revitalizing the U.S. 

Semiconductor 

Ecosystem

• “Structure the NSTC as a new and 

independent non-profit utilizing the 

Department’s Other Transaction 

Authority”

• “Recruit a highly respected executive 

with deep technical expertise and 

senior level leadership experience in 

the semiconductor industry to serve 

as the CEO of NSTC”

DOC Industrial Advisory 

Committee PPP Working 

Group
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Governance Overview

Goals:

• Agile, fast-moving, flexible

• Responsive, accountable

• Neutral, trusted, science-driven

• Expert, independent

• World-class leadership

• Visionary

• Dedicated to the public interest

• Long-lasting

Steps: 

1. The Secretary of Commerce, in 

collaboration with the Secretary of Defense, 

will establish the NSTC through the 

creation of a public-private consortium as 

required by the CHIPS Act.

2. The Department anticipates the creation of 

a new, purpose-built, independent, 

nonprofit entity with the requisite neutrality, 

expertise, leadership, and capacity to serve 

as the operator of the NSTC.

3. The Department anticipates entering into 

an agreement with the NSTC operator that 

will include the processes for receiving 

government funds, program scope, and 

accountability.
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Operating Structure
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April 26, 2023 A call for nominations for a short-term Selection Committee 

The committee, acting independently of the Department, will select the 

board of trustees that will form a non-profit 

The Department anticipates that the non-profit will serve as the operator 

for the NSTC

TODAY
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R&D TIMELINE

April 2023 • A Vision and Strategy for the NSTC

• FRN for Selection Committee

May 2023 • Manufacturing USA summary of RFI responses

• NIST Metrology Program paper on focus areas and next steps

Summer 2023

• Creation of nonprofit entity that the Department anticipates will serve 

as the NSTC Operator

• NAPMP strategy paper

Fall 2023

• Creation of NSTC Consortium

• CHIPS Incentives Program funding announcement for construction of R&D 

facilities

End 2023 • NSTC membership details and first program offerings

Notional timeline based on 

expectations at the time of 

the release of A Vision and 

Strategy for the NSTC on 

April 25, 2023.