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

CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute

Eric Forsythe, Ph.D.

Technical Director, CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute

February 2, 2024
National Institute of Standards and Technology | U.S. Department of Commerce 2

Disclaimer

• Statements and responses to questions about advanced 

microelectronics research and development programs in this webinar:

• Are informational, pre-decisional, and preliminary in nature.

• Do not constitute a commitment and are not binding on NIST or the 

Department of Commerce.

• Are subject in their entirety to any final action by NIST or the Department 

of Commerce.

• Nothing in this presentation is intended to contradict or supersede the 

requirements published in any future policy documents or Notices of 

Funding Opportunity.
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Two component programs to:

1. Attract large-scale

investments in advanced

technologies such as leading-edge 

logic and memory, and advanced 

packaging

2. Incentivize expansion 

of manufacturing capacity 

for mature and other types of 

semiconductors

$39 billion

for incentives

Plus CHIPS initiatives 

from other agencies, 

including DOD, State, 

NSF, and Treasury

Four integrated programs to:

1. Conduct research and prototyping of 

advanced semiconductor technology

2. Strengthen semiconductor advanced 

packaging, assembly, and test

3. Enable advances in measurement 

science, standards, material 

characterization, instrumentation, 

testing, and manufacturing

$11 billion

for R&D

Workforce Initiatives

CHIPS for America
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Vision A vibrant and self-sustaining 

U.S. domestic semiconductor 

ecosystem that revitalizes 

American manufacturing, 

grows a skilled and diverse 

workforce, and leads the 

world in semiconductor 

research and innovation.

Mission Accelerate the development 

and commercial deployment 

of foundational 

semiconductor technologies

by establishing, connecting, 

and providing access to 

domestic research efforts, 

tools, resources, workers, 

and facilities.

CHIPS R&D
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Manufacturing USA 

Institute

Metrology National 

Semiconductor 

Technology Center

National Advanced 

Packaging 

Manufacturing 

Program

CHIPS R&D Programs

Workforce Initiatives
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Notice of Intent
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CHIPS Manufacturing USA 

Institute

• Establish one institute with the potential for significant impact on 

semiconductor manufacturing

• Topic: Digital twins

• Minimum expected NIST commitment ~$200 million over a fiveyear period

• Anticipate a greater than 1:1 cost share

• Analysis of RFI responses, industry feedback, listening sessions 

across 15+ engagements, and technology opportunities across 

the CHIPS R&D portfolio.
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What is a digital twin?

• A virtual representation or model that serves as the real-time digital 

counterpart of a physical object or process.

• Benefits

• Innovate faster and at less expense

• Access feasible for small and medium businesses

• Enhance training modalities

• Shorten process design and validation times

• Improve facility performance

• Challenges

• Being able to produce and access the data needed to validate 

digital twins and power machine learning and AI tools

• Strategic industry collaboration, which requires a neutral 

convener to build trust and bring together all parties to share 

the risks and rewards of working across boundaries

• Significant financial investment, which is out of reach for 

small and medium-sized manufacturers to do themselves
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Vision

Enable seamless integration of 

digital twin models into the U.S. 

semiconductor manufacturing, 

advanced packaging, and 

assembly industries, enabling 

rapid adoption of innovations and 

enhancing domestic 

competitiveness for decades.

Mission

Foster a collaborative 

environment within the domestic 

semiconductor industry, enabled 

by the world’s first shared

semiconductor Digital Twin 

process validation facility, 

industry-relevant research 

projects, and digital-twin 

supported workforce training.

Digital Twin Institute
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Digital Twin Institute Objectives

Reduce the time and cost for chip development and 

manufacturing

Accelerate the adoption of semiconductor manufacturing 

innovations

Increase access to semiconductor manufacturing training 

through the adoption of digital twin-enabled tools

Expand access to digital twin tools, solutions and 

frameworks 
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Deliver technical 

solutions, de-risk 

new tools, and 

conduct data 

analysis

Develop and test 

education & workforce 

development tools 

enabled by digital twins

Digital Twin Institute Approach

A physical 

facility and 

digital 

framework, 

integrated 

with industryled research 

projects

Expected activities:

• Baseline facility testbed

• Digital emulation hardware

• Core technical & operations staff

Competitively fund industry-led technical 

and workforce development projects 2

Create a shared 

marketplace of 

digital twin models

4

Data analysis tools DT+ Full process flows

1 Establish a shared physical facility

Digital framework for 

interoperable data and 

models

3
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Manufacturing USA
13

Manufacturing USA Vision and Mission

VISION: Securing U.S. Global Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing

MISSION: Connecting people, ideas, and technology to:

• solve industry-relevant advanced manufacturing challenges

• enhance industrial competitiveness and economic growth

• strengthen our economic and national security
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Common Institute 

Design:

• Industry-led publicprivate partnership

• Typically $70-120M 

federal investment

• At least 1:1 match with 

private funds

• Neutral convening for 

collaborations

• Each institute develops 

a unique technology

• Institutes address the 

education and 

workforce skills gap for 

their technologies

GOVERNMENT

INDUSTRY + Shared Use Facility

+ Testbeds

+ Equipment

+ Materials Prototyping

MANUFACTURING 

USA INSTITUTE

ACADEMIA

NATIONAL LABS

Institute Partnership Model
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• Notice of Funding Opportunity ― Spring of 2024

• Webinars and Proposer Days 

• Sign up for emails from CHIPS.gov for details on webinars, events, 

and funding opportunities

Next Steps
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LEARN MORE, SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK

Industry Day

• February 12, 2024

• 12:30 pm ET

• Virtual

• The Industry Day will include a short webinar 

followed by

• Two breakout sessions

• One-on-one sessions with signup

• Learn more and register at CHIPS.gov
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Frequently Asked Questions
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The CHIPS Act indicates up to three institutes. 

Why will there be just one?

• After receiving extensive public input, the CHIPS R&D office determined that a single 

institute with both regionally-focused programs and meaningful cross-region participation 

will best meet the CHIPS for America goals of strengthening U.S. technology leadership, 

accelerating ideas to market, and realizing a robust semiconductor workforce. 

• In establishing a single institute with national reach, CHIPS for America seeks to enable 

the seamless integration of digital twin models into U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, 

advanced packaging, and assembly, enabling rapid adoption of innovations and 

enhancing domestic competitiveness for decades to come.

Questions and Answers
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• The institute is expected to collaborate closely with other CHIPS for America 

programs including CHIPS Incentives and with microelectronics R&D programs 

supported by other U.S. federal agencies.

• The institute will be part of the Manufacturing USA network and will closely work with 

existing institutes developing digital twins for broader manufacturing sectors.

How will the new institute work with other 

programs?

Questions and Answers
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• For general planning purposes, the minimum expected NIST commitment will be 

approximately $200 million over a 5-year period. 

• CHIPS for America expects to leverage private sector and other non-Federal 

investments on a substantially greater than 1:1 basis.

What is the expected cost-share of this institute?

Questions and Answers
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Thank you