Machine Nation News Team
March 14, 2025 at 11:30:00 AM
UAlbany Chip Production Line at Albany NanoTech Gets 'Atomic' Machine. Installation Of Plasma Deposition Tool At Chip Research Manufacturing Line Is Part Of $10 Million In Upgrades To R&D Chipmaking Equipment
The University at Albany’s College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering (CNSE) has bolstered its chip research capabilities with the installation of a state-of-the-art Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition (PE-ALD) tool at the Albany NanoTech Complex, announced on January 23, 2025. This “atomic” machine, manufactured by Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology, is the first of three advanced semiconductor fabrication tools arriving as part of a nearly $10 million upgrade to CNSE’s Innovation Lab, funded largely through the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act and Empire State Development’s Center of Advanced Technology in Nanomaterials and Nanoelectronics (CATN2). Located within NY CREATES’ 300mm wafer fabrication line, the PE-ALD system allows researchers to manipulate microchip designs at the atomic scale, adding or removing ultra-thin material layers with precision critical for next-generation chips powering AI, quantum computing, and energy-efficient devices.
The upgrade enhances UAlbany’s lab-to-fab model, bridging academic research with industry partners like Tokyo Electron (TEL), IBM, and Lux Semiconductors, who will use the tool to prototype advanced memory devices like memristors—brain-inspired chips with synaptic-like functions. CNSE Dean Michele J. Grimm called it a “leap forward” for cutting-edge research, noting its role in the Northeast Regional Defense Technology Hub (NORDTECH). With installation complete by March 2025, the PE-ALD tool joins a bustling Albany NanoTech ecosystem, where over 2,500 scientists collaborate, positioning UAlbany as a linchpin in the $825 million National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) EUV Accelerator hub. This milestone, celebrated during a ribbon-cutting on March 15, reinforces New York’s leadership in the $1 trillion semiconductor market, projected to grow through 2030.
Source:
University at Albany Press Release, January 23, 2025
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Social Media Buzz (powered by X):
X users are hyped about UAlbany’s new PE-ALD tool, with posts on March 30, 2025, dubbing it a “chipmaking beast” for atomic-level precision. Tech enthusiasts praised its potential for AI hardware, with one noting it “pushes Albany NanoTech into the future,” while another tied it to “New York’s semiconductor dominance.” The chatter reflects excitement for how these upgrades could drive innovation and jobs in the Capital Region.
What is the Atomic Layer Deposition?
This is one of many key terms of our broad Machine Nation Essential Modern Precision Industries Guidebook (MPIG). Click here to get a copy straight to your inbox.
Atomic Layer Deposition - A precision manufacturing technique that deposits thin films one atomic layer at a time, widely used in semiconductor production for creating uniform, high-quality coatings on microchips.
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Related Tags:
#UAlbanyNano #AlbanyNanoTech #ChipResearch #AtomicLayerDeposition #SemiconductorTech #R&DInnovation