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39 min ago 2 min read
Texas Tech University (TTU) has secured around $4.5m through a state grant to support semiconductor development at the Edward E Whitacre Jr College of Engineering.
The Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF) grant will support research and development of wide and ultrawide bandgap semiconductors (UWBG) for use in harsh environments.
The technology is used in electronics and optoelectronics and has applications in communications, aerospace and defence.
Wide and UWBG semiconductors have energy separation between bands that support high-temperature and high-power systems.
Hieu Nguyen, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at TTU, said, “This award… accelerates our ability to turn research into… commercial opportunities and long‑term competitiveness in the semiconductor ecosystem.”
TSIF is administered by the Texas CHIPS Office. The grant programme was established in June 2023, following the Texas CHIPS Act legislation, and has since allocated $948m to support semiconductor research, manufacturing, and design in Texas.
TSIF has recently issued grants to ($13m), US semiconductor manufacturer ($20.85m), and US chip specialist ($4.83m) to advance respective semiconductor programmes.
In an address to US Congress, in early March, US President Donald Trump said the CHIPS Act funding should be .
Despite his criticism of the Act, however, Trump still wants to reshore US semiconductor manufacturing to improve national security and create highly-skilled jobs.
