Leader Schumer: Nation’s First-Ever National Semiconductor Technology Center – U.S. Headquarters For Chips EUV Research – Coming to Upstate NY; Created By His CHIPS & Science[...]

Albany, N.Y. -Following Majority Leader Schumer's Relentless Advocacy, Feds Will Invest $825 Million To Establish Albany NanoTech As Headquarters for R&D Key To Chips, Transforming It To Power Next Gen Of Semiconductors. The NSTC, A Major Piece Of Schumer's CHIPS & Science Law, Will Bolster Nat Sec & New Public-Private Research, Boost Domestic Semiconductor Manufacturing & Train Future Workforce; For Years, Schumer Doggedly Promoted Albany NanoTech As THE Center For American Semiconductor Innovation

After years of relentless advocacy, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today announced Albany NanoTech has been selected as America's first facility and headquarters of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) supported by an up to $825 million federal investment from Schumer's bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law.

The NSTC - a critical part of Schumer's CHIPS & Science Law - will bring together industry leaders, researchers from the nation's top universities, innovators, and entrepreneurs, to help give them access to the most advanced chip making machinery in the world and drive the next frontier of innovation.

"I am proud to announce that the nation's flagship facility of the National Semiconductor Technology Center, the US network for Chips R&D, is coming to Albany, NY - bringing with it a massive federal investment that will transform Upstate NY into a major international hub for next generation chips research," said Senator Schumer. "The NSTC is a historic and new effort by the federal government to fuel the quest to make breakthroughs in chips beyond our wildest expectations. This $825 million initial federal investment will further equip Albany NanoTech and fund research in extreme ultraviolet technology that is essential to the global semiconductor industry. Today we help usher in America's next era of chip research and manufacturing, right in Upstate NY."

The initial investment of the Department of Commerce and Natcast - the operator of the NSTC - will be up to $825 million. Today's announcement not only makes Albany NanoTech the CHIPS for America R&D flagship facility but also the headquarters for a new national extreme ultraviolet (EUV) accelerator. EUV technology is essential to the semiconductor industry and some of the most advanced machinery in the world, in which light is used to print patterns and make chips on wafers. EUV lithography is what has allowed the breakthroughs to make this technology nanoscopic and allows for the chips that power everything from smartphones, computers, and vehicles to artificial intelligence. Albany NanoTech will soon be one of only two public facilities in the world with the most advanced EUV technology, a High NA Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography tool, and will be the only publicly-owned High NA EUV Center in North America.

Schumer added, "Having the federal headquarters for EUV research that is critical to the most advanced chip development in the world will benefit every corner of our country, supercharging American innovation in semiconductors that will support the historic investments and thousands of new, good-paying jobs the chip industry has proposed across the nation, spurred by my CHIPS & Science Law. The NSTC will help keep the U.S. on the cutting-edge of semiconductor R&D to ensure America leads the world in this key technology, now with Albany first out of the gate to help the country achieve that mission."

The NSTC, first authorized by Schumer and his colleagues in a bipartisan effort in 2020 and then funded by the CHIPS & Science Law, which Schumer helped craft and led to passage, will bridge the gap between research and industry to bolster semiconductor research and development for the U.S. and its allies. Today, practically none of the most advanced chips - which are critical to national security and growing industries like artificial intelligence - are manufactured in the United States. The research conducted through the NSTC will help ensure the U.S. remains on the cutting-edge globally in chip R&D and bring this manufacturing back to the United States, boosting local economies by creating good-paying jobs and strengthening the country's national security.

The EUV Accelerator at Albany NanoTech is the first of three planned major NSTC facilities. The U.S. Department of Commerce has not yet made announcements about the NSTC's Administrative and Design Facility and Prototyping and NAPMP Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility. Together, these three major hubs will lead the NSTC's core functions and help fulfill the CHIPS & Science Law's vision of developing more American-made technology and boosting America as a global semiconductor leader. The new NSTC EUV Accelerator at Albany NanoTech will also open the door to additional federal investment, as well as help bring in additional industry partners to leverage the state-of-the-art facilities to develop and manufacture advanced chips.

THIS HAS BEEN A YEARS-LONG EFFORT BY SCHUMER TO LAND THE NSTC IN THE CAPITAL REGION

Schumer has worked for years to highlight Albany NanoTech and the Capital Region's ability to lead the country's semiconductor research and development efforts. In December 2020, after Schumer worked with a bipartisan group of Senators and key stakeholders across the semiconductor industry, including key partners at Albany NanoTech like IBM to develop the federal CHIPS programs, including the NSTC, he successfully authorized these programs as part of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. Schumer then successfully funded the NSTC through the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Law that he helped craft and led to passage.

In addition to directly highlighting Albany NanoTech to President Biden, Schumer has brought top government officials to the Capital Region to promote Albany NanoTech's assets for the nation that could be tapped as a major hub for the NSTC. In July 2021 prior to the passage of the CHIPS & Science Law, Schumer brought Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to Albany to show that Albany is a global leader in semiconductor research and development. Schumer brought Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves to tour Albany NanoTech's facility in January 2022 and National Economic Council Director Lael Brainard toured the facility in February 2024 after Schumer's invitation. In 2023, Schumer additionally brought Albany Nanotech head David Anderson as his personal guest to President Biden's 2023 State of the Union to highlight the facility and leadership.

Schumer has also promoted Albany NanoTech while meeting with both semiconductor industry and international leaders. Schumer highlighted Albany NanoTech when pitching Micron to locate their massive $100+ billion megafab project in Upstate NY, which Micron said was a critical factor in their selection of Central NY. Schumer also secured a commitment for South Korea to partner with Albany Nanotech on research, pushed for increased collaboration on semiconductor R&D between Japan and the United States, pitched Albany NanoTech to major Japanese chip suppliers for further investment, and met with the leadership of Belgium's imec on multiple occasions to discuss ways Albany NanoTech and imec can collaborate as the two global leading semiconductor public-private research institutions. Schumer said these international partnerships underscore the ability of Albany NanoTech's unique and world-renowned assets to help forge deeper ties with allies and partners in building more resilient chip supply chains and encouraging R&D collaboration, a key national security priority of the CHIPS programs, including the NSTC.

Late last year, Schumer and Governor Hochul announced a new $10 billion public-private investment at Albany Nanotech which will help install a High NA EUV lithography machine, the most advanced semiconductor equipment ever made, designed, and manufactured by ASML, at its Albany NanoTech Complex. Schumer said this helps uniquely prepare them to quickly lead the NSTC as one of only two public research institutions in the world home to the new advanced EUV tool.

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