UK Investments Boost Semiconductor, Silicon Photonics Industry

Two research hubs in Southampton and Bristol, England have received £11 million ($13.9 million) each to help bring new chip technologies to market. The newly established Innovation and Knowledge Centres (IKC) will support research and initiatives, will provide access to state-of-the-art prototyping technology, and will work closely with early-stage companies.

At the University of Southampton, the Cornerstone Information and Knowledge Centre will build on the university’s expertise in silicon photonics and work to improve the development and commercialization of silicon photonics technologies. The site will be led by professor Graham Reed, director of the Optoelectronics Research Centre.

U.K.’s Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy Saqib Bhatti (left) and professor Graham Reed, director of the University of Southampton Optoelectronics Research Centre. Reed will lead the newly established Cornerstone Innovation and Knowledge Center in its efforts to boost the commercialization of silicon photonics technology. Courtesy of the University of Southampton.

The REWIRE facility at the University of Bristol will boost a well-established cluster of chip companies across the southwestern U.K. and Wales. Led by professor Martin Kuball, director of the Centre for Device Thermography and Reliability, REWIRE will focus on wide/ultrawide bandgap compound semiconductors, which outperform traditional silicon semiconductors in areas like power electronics for electric vehicles and photonics for optical fiber communications.

Further funding totaling £4.8 million ($6.6 million) has been awarded to 11 semiconductor skills projects in the U.K. The funding aims to raise awareness of the semiconductor industry and to address key gaps in workforce talent and training framework.