In a collaborative effort involving approximately 300 experts from 112 organizations in industry, academia, and government, the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) has introduced the Microelectronics and Advanced Packaging (MAPT) Roadmap. This comprehensive guide outlines critical research priorities and technology challenges crucial to supporting the seismic shifts outlined in the 2030 Decadal Plan for Semiconductors, issued jointly by SRC and the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) in January 2021.
Facing fundamental physical limits due to the ever-shrinking components, the semiconductor industry confronts a crisis. The MAPT Roadmap, accessible at srcmapt.org, is the first industry-wide 3D semiconductor roadmap designed to steer the forthcoming microelectronics revolution. Funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in April 2022, the SRC spearheaded this initiative based on its history of innovation and thought leadership.
Dr. Victor Zhirnov, Chief Scientist and Director of the MAPT Roadmap, expressed the significance of the collaborative effort: “The commitment demonstrated by such a wide array of scientists, engineers, and researchers to the development and production of the MAPT Roadmap indicates the importance of such an effort.”
The 2030 Decadal Plan for Semiconductors identified five seismic shifts in the industry related to smart sensing, memory and storage, communication, security, and energy-efficient computing. The MAPT Roadmap, in line with the Decadal Plan’s goals, discusses how to achieve these system-level objectives, outlining the implementation plan for the semiconductor industry. The research focus includes advanced packaging, 3D integration, electronic design automation, nanoscale manufacturing, new materials, and energy-efficient computing.
Crucially, the MAPT Roadmap addresses fundamental and practical limits of information and communications technology sustainability, emphasizing energy sustainability, environmental sustainability, and workforce sustainability. Dr. Todd Younkin, President and CEO of Semiconductor Research Corporation, highlighted the roadmap’s alignment with the CHIPS and Science Act, led by the U.S. Department of Commerce, in fostering a robust domestic semiconductor ecosystem.
