Climate change puts global semiconductor manufacturing at risk. Can the industry cope?

By Josh Lepawsky, Memorial University of Newfoundland Semiconductors are the basic building blocks of microchips. These technological marvels are in everything from lightbulbs and toothbrushes to cars, trains and planes, not to mention the vast array of electronics that have become integral to many people’s daily lives. The 21st century chip manufacturing industry has been…

BluGlass teams up with Applied Energetics 

ASX-listed compound semiconductor developer BluGlass has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with US defence and dual-use photonics company, Applied Energetics, with the two companies to work together on military and commercial applications.  In a statement on Friday, BluGlass said the work would leverage its high-performance gallium nitride (GaN) distributed feedback (DFB) lasers “in Applied…

BluGlass raises $4.3 million through placement, aims to raise another $9 million through SPP

ASX-listed compound semiconductor company BluGlass has received $4.3 million in commitments from institutional and sophisticated investors in what it describes as “a strongly supported share placement” at an issue price of $0.037 per share. According to an announcement from BluGlass on Monday, it is also undertaking a share purchase plan offer to enable eligible shareholders…

BluGlass completes GaNWorks acquisition

ASX-listed compound semiconductor developer BluGlass has announced the completed acquisition of Silicon Valley-based contract manufacturer GaNWorks Foundry and successful installation and validation of gallium nitride (GaN) wafer processing equipment onsite. BluGlass announced the acquisition of its former manufacturing partner in December last year for $US 800,000, made up of $US 120,000 cash and $US 680,000…

$26 million awarded through ARC Linkage projects

Funding totalling $26 million has been announced through ARC Linkage Projects 2023 Round 1 across 50 projects, including for next-generation microchip manufacture, anodes for next-generation lithium batteries, and addressing superalloy microstructure defects. The Linkage Projects scheme backs projects that “initiate or develop long term strategic research alliance” and provides funding of between $50,000 and $300,000…

New report looks at skills needed for Australian semiconductor moonshot

Following its Australia’s semiconductor manufacturing moonshot report last year, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute has published a follow-up report on developing the talent pipeline needed to underpin a local chip industry. Published on Thursday, Australia’s semiconductor manufacturing moonshot: securing semiconductor talent looks at the importance of developing skills, global human capital challenges, and – as…

Alpha HPA battery anode plant nears completion

Critical aluminium materials manufacturer Alpha HPA is nearing the completion of upgrades to its small-scale, commercial high purity alumina (HPA) production facility in Gladstone, Queensland. Supported by a $15.5 million grant awarded under the federal government’s Critical Minerals Development Program, the upgrade will add a HPA circuit including an HPA tunnel kiln and five rotary…

Queensland quantum strategy shoots for the stars

A new strategy to support the continued growth of the quantum technology industry has been launched by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk during her CEDA State of the State address. The strategy leverages Queensland’s research and fabrication capabilities across quantum and other related technologies such as semiconductors, superconductors, photonics, and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), for industry sectors…

BluGlass joins US regional innovation hub for wide-bandgap semiconductors

ASX-listed compound semiconductor company BluGlass has been named a member of the Commercial Leap Ahead for Wide-bandgap Semiconductors (CLAWS) Hub, an initiative funded through the US government’s CHIPS and Science Act. CLAWS is one of eight Microelectronics Commons regional innovation hubs announced by the US Department of Defense, which was awarded $US 238 million (about…

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Archer’s biochip design validated by commercial foundry partner  Fabless semiconductor company Archer Materials has had its advanced graphene field effect transistor (gFET) chip design validated by an unnamed commercial foundry partner in the Netherlands with a whole four-inch wafer run. The new gFET device designs have been fabricated and the foundry process was successful, according…