US will fund digital twin research in semiconductors

The Biden administration wants to attract companies working on digital twins for semiconductors using funding from the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act and the creation of a chipmaking institute.

The CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute aims to establish regional networks to share resources with companies that develop and manufacture physical semiconductors and digital twins.

Digital twins, virtual representations of physical chips that mimic the real version, make it easy to simulate how a chip might react to an increase in power or a different data configuration. This helps researchers test new processors before putting them into production.

“Digital twin technology can help spur innovation in semiconductor research, development and manufacturing across the country – but only if we invest in the United States’ understanding and capabilities in this new technology,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, in a press release.

Research into digital twins has shown that it can integrate with other emerging technologies, such as generative AI, to accelerate simulation or further study into new semiconductor concepts.

Biden administration officials says he will hold informational meetings with interested parties this month to talk about funding opportunities. The government will fund the institute’s operational activities, research around digital twins, physical and digital facilities such as access to cloud environments, and workforce training.

The CHIPS Act was passed in 2022 to boost semiconductor manufacturing in the country, but it has struggled to keep up with capital demand. Raimondo previously said that manufacturers have requested more than $70 billion in subsidies, more than the $28 billion the government has budgeted for investment.

So far, companies like Intel and Micron are expected to receive funding from the US government through the CHIPS Act. Part of the Biden administration’s goal with the CHIPS Act is to encourage semiconductor companies to build new types of processors in the U.S., especially now that demand for high-power chips has grown thanks to the AI ​​boom.