US SiC R&D facility celebrates topping out
21,760-square-foot SiC prototyping, testing and fabrication facility in Arkansas reaches first milestone
The University of Arkansas has celebrated a milestone with the topping-out of the Multi-User SiC Research and Fabrication Facility.
The new semiconductor facility will enable the federal government – via national laboratories – businesses of all sizes and other universities to prototype with SiC, a capability that does not presently exist elsewhere in the United States.
Work at the facility is intended to bridge the gap between traditional university research and the needs of private industry. The aim is to accelerate technological advancement by providing a single location where chips can go from developmental research to prototyping, testing and fabrication.
The 21,760-square-foot facility, located next to the National Center for Reliable Electrical Power Transmission at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park, will feature approximately 8,000 square feet of clean rooms for fabrication and testing.
Education and training within the facility will also accelerate workforce development, helping supply the next generation of engineers and technicians in semiconductor manufacturing.
Pictured above: From left, Kim Needy, dean of the College of Engineering, signs a beam while Margaret Sova McCabe, vice chancellor for research and innovation, and Chancellor Charles Robinson observe.
