Google and the National Institute of Standards and Technology of the U.S. Department of Commerce have entered into a cooperative research and development arrangement.
The goal is to create and produce chips researchers can utilize to create new nanotechnology and semiconductor devices, a Sept. 13 Department of Commerce news release said.
“By creating a new and affordable domestic supply of chips for research and development, this collaboration aims to unleash the innovative potential of researchers and startups across the nation,” Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Laurie Locascio said in the release. “This is a great example of how government, industry and academic researchers can work together to enhance U.S. leadership in this critically important industry.”
SkyWater Technology will produce the chips at its semiconductor foundry in Bloomington, Minn., the release reported. Google will cover the initial setup fees and provide funding for the first batch of manufacturing. The chip's circuitry will be designed by NIST in collaboration with researchers from universities.
Academic and small-business researchers will be able to utilize the chips without limitations or paying licensing costs because the circuit designs will be open source, the release reported.
“Google has a long history of leadership in open source,” Will Grannis, CEO of Google Public Sector said, according to the release. “Moving to an open-source framework fosters reproducibility, which helps researchers from public and private institutions iterate on each other’s work. It also democratizes innovation in nanotechnology and semiconductor research.”
