News: Suppliers
15 November 2024
IntelliEPI awarded Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund’s first grant
Governor Greg Abbott says that the first Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF) grant of $4,120,000 has been extended to Intelligent Epitaxy Technology Inc (IntelliEPI) of Richardson, TX, USA — which manufactures molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)-grown epitaxial wafers for telecoms, photonics, radio frequency and microwave technologies — for its new 30,000ft2 wafer production facility in Allen, Texas, which is expected to create more than $41m in capital investment and to nearly triple the company’s annual wafer production. Abbott signed into law the Texas CHIPS Act in June 2023, establishing the TSIF as well as the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium.
The Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund is a new incentive program to encourage Texas’ leadership in semiconductor research, design and manufacturing. Administered by the Texas CHIPS Office (a newly formed division within the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office), the programs are designed to leverage Texas’ investments in the semiconductor industry, encourage semiconductor-related companies to expand in the state, further develop the expertise and capacity of Texas institutions of higher education, and maintain the state’s position as the nation’s leader in semiconductor manufacturing.
“Texas is the no. 1 state for semiconductor manufacturing, leading the nation as the top exporter of semiconductors and other electronic components for the last 13 years,” noted Abbott.
As the only domestic US manufacturer of epitaxy-based compound semiconductor wafers, IntelliEPI says that it will further modernize its epitaxy reactors in Texas.
“This TSIF award underscores the critical importance of our advanced compound wafer technologies, along with TSIF’s strategic goals for semiconductor innovation,” notes IntelliEPI’s CEO & chairman Dr Yung-Chung Kao. “The funding will not only expand our production facilities but also solidify the State of Texas’ position as a key hub for compound wafer manufacturing, a critical need for America’s national and economic security,” he adds.
“This fund not only supports job creation and economic growth but also fortifies Texas’s leadership in semiconductor innovation, ensuring our state’s prosperity for generations to come,” says Senator Joan Huffman, chair of the Senate Finance Committee.
DARPA awards University of Michigan’s Zetian Mi $3m to scale III–V materials on silicon
