Australia’s place in the semiconductor world: the issue in a nutshell

Today in Australia’s place in the semiconductor world, Dr Steven Duvall distills semiconductors and how they’re used, why Australia needs to play a more significant role in the their manufacture, and how it can do this.

In this Q and A, which is also the 40th and final episode of @AuManufacturing Conversations with Brent Balinski for the year, we hear from independent semiconductor professional Dr Steven Duvall.

Duvall hits some of the important points from his excellent recent four-part series, co-authored with Glenn Downey and contributed to @AuManufacturing‘s “Australia’s place in the semiconductor world” editorial series.

From a very basic starting point — an explanation of what semiconductors are and what they do — he describes their importance in the modern world, the nation’s use of them, where we can look to grow our participation in this ultra-competitive and highly-globalised sector, and more. All in under 20 minutes.

Episode guide

0:34 – Background at Intel and Silanna and current association with the Semiconductor Sector Service Bureau.

3:40 – What is a semiconductor and what are some of the different understandings of the term?

6:10 – How semiconductors pervade our lives.

6:50 – The oil of the 21st century?

8:55 – Why are semiconductors important to Australia? And why do we even need a role in this industry?

10:24 – It’s virtually important for Australia or any other country to produce every semiconductor product it uses, but there are probably a few we should focus on making here.

11:08 – “The evergreen nature of the semiconductor industry” and its support for engineering and scientific talent.

12:10 – “A somewhat controversial view” on what we need here.

12:40 – We have an opportunity to start small with compound semiconductors.

14 – The four areas where compound semiconductors can be important, and where Australia could focus. Where does the expertise currently lie?

15:55 – How much would it cost to get started?

Further reading

The four-part series by Duvall and Downey (in order)
AN INTRODUCTION TO SEMICONDUCTORS
THE CURRENT ‘STATE OF THE WORLD’
THE INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALIA AND ITS OPPORTUNITIES
THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUSTRALIA IN THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY

Main picture: credit Intel Corporation

@AuManufacturing and AUS-Semiconductor-Community’s editorial series, Australia’s place in the semiconductor world, is brought to you with the support of ANFF.