Micro Act

To provide for a comprehensive and integrative program to accelerate microelectronics research and development at the Department of Energy, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Microelectronics Research for Energy Innovation Act Micro Act 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Department The term Department (2) Historically black college and university The term historically Black college and university part B institution 20 U.S.C. 1061 (3) Institution of higher education The term institution of higher education 20 U.S.C. 1001(a) (4) Minority serving institution The term minority serving institution 20 U.S.C. 1067q(a) (5) National laboratory The term National Laboratory 42 U.S.C. 15801 (6) Secretary The term Secretary (7) Skilled technical workforce The term skilled technical workforce 42 U.S.C. 1862p (8) Tribal college and university The term Tribal College and University 20 U.S.C. 1059c 3. Findings Congress finds that— (1) the coming end of Moore’s Law presents major technological challenges and opportunities for the United States and important implications for national security, economic competitiveness, and scientific discovery; (2) future progress and innovation in microelectronics, and maintaining a robust domestic microelectronics supply chain, will require an approach that advances relevant materials science, electronic and photonic device technologies, processing and packaging technologies, manufacturing technologies, circuit, chip, and system architecture, and software system and algorithm development in a co-design fashion; (3) the National Laboratories possess unique technical expertise and user facilities that are essential to overcoming foundational research challenges relevant to the topics described in paragraph (2), and translating and transferring research outcomes to industry; and (4) the assets described in paragraph (3) will enable the Department to drive advances in microelectronics that are essential to meeting future needs in areas critical to its missions as well as the future competitiveness of the domestic microelectronics industry, including high-performance computing, emerging data-centric computing approaches, and energy-efficient computing; optical sensors, sources, and wireless networks; and power electronics and electricity delivery systems. 4. Microelectronics research program (a) In general The Secretary shall carry out a cross-cutting program of research, development, and demonstration of microelectronics relevant to the mission of the Department and in the service of the Nation’s global competitiveness in the field of microelectronics. In carrying out this program, the Secretary shall coordinate across all relevant programs and offices of the Department. (b) Research areas In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall award financial assistance to eligible entities under subsection (c) to carry out research projects in— (1) foundational science areas, including— (A) materials sciences, chemical sciences, and plasma science synthesis, and fabrication; (B) novel microelectronics devices, including emerging memory and storage technologies; (C) diverse computing architectures and paradigms, including analog computing and edge computing; (D) data-driven modeling and simulation; (E) integrated sensing, power harvesting, and communications; (F) component integration and subsystems; (G) photonic integration; and (H) development of co-design frameworks for all stages of microelectronics design, development, fabrication, and application; (2) cybersecurity by design to result in trusted and resilient microelectronics; (3) methods for leveraging advanced simulation and artificial intelligence to enhance co-design and discovery in microelectronics; (4) in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, fabrication and processing science and metrology associated with microelectronics manufacturing, including lithography, patterning, surface deposition, etching, and cleaning; (5) approaches for optimizing system-level energy efficiency of advanced computing systems, the electrical grid, power electronics, and other energy infrastructure; (6) approaches for enhancing the durability and lifetime of radiation-hardened electronics; (7) enhancement of microelectronics security, including the development of integrated devices, packages, and thermal management for severe environments and national security; and (8) in coordination with other relevant initiatives at the Department, methods to improve the lifetime, maintenance, decommissioning, recycling, reuse, and sustainability of microelectronics components and systems, including technologies and strategies that reduce the use of energy, water, critical materials, and other commodities that are determined to be vulnerable to disruption. (c) Eligible entities The entities eligible to receive financial assistance under this section include— (1) an institution of higher education, including historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, and minority serving institutions; (2) a nonprofit research organization; (3) a State research agency; (4) a National Laboratory; (5) a private commercial entity; (6) a partnership or consortium of 2 or more entities described in paragraphs (1) through (5); and (7) any other entities the Secretary deems appropriate. (d) Technology transfer In carrying out the program described in subsection (a), the Secretary, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Technology Transitions, and in consultation with the private sector, shall support translational research and transfer of microelectronics technologies and identify emerging research and development needs of industry and government for the benefit of United States economic competitiveness. (e) Workforce development In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall support— (1) workforce development through the existing authorities and mechanisms available to the Department, including internships, fellowships, individual investigator grants, and other activities the Secretary deems appropriate; and (2) education and outreach activities to disseminate information and promote understanding of microelectronics and related fields among students at K-12, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Such activities may include educational programming with an emphasis on experiential and project-based learning. The Secretary shall consult with the Director of the National Science Foundation on activities carried out this paragraph. (f) Outreach In carrying out activities under subsection (e), the Secretary shall ensure program outreach to recruit applicants and engage participants from all regions of the country, especially underserved communities and groups historically underrepresented in STEM. (g) Report Not less than 180 days after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, a report describing the goals, priorities, and anticipated outcomes of the program described in subsection (a). (h) Funding There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the activities described in this section— (1) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; (2) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; (3) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; (4) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; and (5) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2026. 5. Microelectronics science research centers (a) In general In carrying out the program under section 4, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office of Science, shall establish up to four Microelectronics Science Research Centers (referred to in this section as Centers (b) Activities The activities of the Centers authorized under this section shall include research, development, and demonstration activities for— (1) accelerating the development of new microelectronics science and technology, including materials, devices, circuits, systems, architectures, fabrication tools, processes, diagnostics, modeling, synthesis, and, in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, metrology; (2) advancing the sustainability and energy efficiency of new microelectronics devices, packages, and systems; (3) application-driven co-design and prototyping of novel devices to facilitate laboratory-to-fabrication transition; (4) advancing knowledge and experimental capabilities in surface and materials science, plasma science, and computational and theoretical methods, including artificial intelligence, multi-scale co-design, and advanced supercomputing capabilities to invent and manufacture revolutionary microelectronic devices; (5) creating technology testbeds for prototyping platforms for validation and verification of new capabilities and sharing of ideas, intellectual property, and the unique facilities of the Department; (6) supporting development of cybersecurity capabilities for computing architectures that measurably improve safety and security, and that are adaptable for existing and future applications; and (7) supporting long-term and short-term workforce development in microelectronics. (c) Requirements (1) Selection and duration The Director of the Office of Science shall select Centers on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis for a period of not more than 5 years, subject to the availability of appropriations, beginning on the date of establishment of that Center. (2) Applications An eligible applicant under this subsection shall submit to the Director of the Office of Science an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director deems appropriate. (3) Eligible applicants The Director of the Office of Science shall consider applications from— (A) National Laboratories; (B) institutions of higher education, including historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, and minority serving institutions; (C) private industry; (D) research centers; (E) consortia of 2 or more of the entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (D); and (F) any other entity that the Secretary of Energy deems appropriate. (4) Renewal After the end of either period described in paragraph (1), the Director of the Office of Science may renew support for the Center for a period of not more than 5 years on a merit-reviewed basis. For a Center in operation for 10 years after its previous selection on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, the Director may renew support for the center on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis for a period of not more than 5 years, and may subsequently provide an additional renewal on a merit-reviewed basis for a period of not more than 5 years. (5) Termination Consistent with the existing authorities of the Department, the Director of the Office of Science may terminate an underperforming center for cause during the performance period. (d) Technology transfer The Director of the Office of Science, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Technology Transitions, shall implement partnerships with industry groups for the purpose of facilitating the translation and transfer of research results produced by the Centers. (e) Coordination The Secretary shall— (1) establish a coordinating network to coordinate cross-cutting research and foster communication and collaboration among the Centers; and (2) ensure the coordination, and avoid unnecessary duplication, of the activities of each Center with the activities of— (A) other research entities of the Department, including— (i) the Nanoscale Science Research Centers; (ii) the National Quantum Information Science Research Centers; (iii) the Energy Frontier Research Centers; (iv) the Energy Innovation Hubs; (v) the National Laboratories; and (vi) other offices of the Department; (B) the National Semiconductor Technology Center authorized in title XCIX of division H of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 (C) institutions of higher education; (D) industry; and (E) research activities carried out by other Federal agencies. (f) Workforce development Centers established under this section shall support workforce development through— (1) incorporation of undergraduate students, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and early career researchers, as well as K-12 students through opportunities such as dual-enrollment programs and work-based learning programs, as applicable; (2) hand-on research and equipment training programs; (3) technical training and certificate programs for the skilled technical workforce; (4) facilitation of engagement between academic, industry, and laboratory researchers; and (5) public outreach activities, including to students at K-12, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Such activities may include educational programming with an emphasis on experiential and project-based learning. (g) Outreach In carrying out activities under subsection (e), the Secretary shall ensure program outreach to recruit applicants and engage participants from all regions of the country, especially underserved communities and groups historically underrepresented in STEM. (h) Intellectual property The Secretary shall ensure that the intellectual property and value proposition created by the Centers are retained within the United States. (i) Funding The Secretary of Energy shall allocate up to $25,000,000 for each Center established under this section for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026, subject to the availability of appropriations. August 19, 2022 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Microelectronics Research for Energy Innovation Act or the Micro Act This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to carry out a cross-cutting program of research, development, and demonstration of microelectronics relevant to the mission of DOE and in the service of the nation's global competitiveness in the field of microelectronics. In carrying out such program, DOE shall award financial assistance to eligible entities, such as national laboratories, to carry out research projects in, among other things, foundational science areas and methods for leveraging artificial intelligence. The Office of Science within DOE shall establish up to four Microelectronics Science Research Centers to conduct mission-driven research to address foundational challenges in the design, development, and fabrication of microelectronics and to facilitate the translation of research results to industry. The Office of Science, in coordination with the Office of Technology Transitions, shall implement partnerships with industry groups to facilitate the translation and transfer of research results produced by the centers.