PI: Zheng Yao
Co-PI: Lifang He
University: Lehigh University
Industry partner: Broadcom Inc.
Chips made by the semiconductor industry are essential to microelectronics and the modern economy. The microelectronics industry is currently facing the dual challenges of more sluggish energy efficiency gains and emerging sources of fast-growing energy demand for computing. With new sources of energy demand emerging, such as energy-intensive AI applications, energy use in key microelectronics applications in the information technology (IT) sector is on an unsustainable growth trajectory. For example, today’s exponentially increasing use of computing is causing explosive growth in the electricity needed for both operation and cooling of existing and future planned data centers. The challenge of microelectronics energy efficiency is also a supply chain security and national security challenge. It is now critical to strengthen the IT manufacturing sector, which includes computing, communications, and other applications of the nearly trillion-dollar global semiconductor and microelectronics manufacturing enterprise. Building technological leadership by manufacturing far more energy efficient products is also critical so that the industry becomes more resilient, technologically cutting-edge, and less dependent on continuing government incentives.
In the semiconductor manufacturing industry, a persistent challenge has been driving digital transformation and advancing smart manufacturing. The proposed Foundry Unified System for Inspection and Optimization of Networks (FUSION) offers a solution that enables the manufacturer to digitally transform their processes without the need to replace existing equipment. This approach requires minimal hardware installation on each production line tool, facilitating the intelligent IoT-based collection and processing of data from traditional, non-intelligent instruments. This upgrade and digital transformation can be implemented seamlessly, without disrupting ongoing production line operations. It allows the manufacturer to achieve intelligent upgrades and digital management at a low cost, ultimately enhancing the overall yield of the production line, while also contributing to energy conservation and carbon reduction goals.
Lehigh University Energy Research Center has been collaborating with Broadcom Inc. in the past several years and is planning to further their collaborative effort of increasing the efficiency of semiconductors manufacturing process.