Future Semiconductor Technologies Research Center

In the 2030s, the world will need zetta scale data centers, peta operations per second and per watt of AI capabilities, tera-hertz communication for 6G and satellite communications, and compact and low-loss voltage/power conversion. These applications demand tremendous computing capabilities from semiconductor devices and circuits in terms of transistor density, performance, energy efficiency, and affordable cost. Fortunately, semiconductor thrives on innovation since the invention of transistor 75 years ago. After half a century of effort and investment, Taiwan has become a semiconductor powerhouse and an important partner in the global semiconductor supply chain. Future integrated circuit technology must evolve towards higher performance, lower power consumption, and higher frequencies. Scaling down transistor dimensions alone in a planar manner is no longer sufficient to sustain Moore's Law. Semiconductor technology must move towards three-dimensional integration, as well as make breakthroughs in new structures, new materials, and new processes. Semiconductor technologies development has entered the era of 3D system scaling, which involves three-dimensional transistors and memory cells, and heterogeneous 3D integration. Taiwan's semiconductor technology must continue to advance in order to meet future technological challenges. The goal of this proposal is to help overcome the technical bottlenecks, to help Taiwan’s industry advancing semiconductor technology by conducting earlystage research of several key technologies at university while developing semiconductor talents and research skills in Taiwan. In this proposal, we address new materials, new structures, and new applications with six research themes: