§19331 Microelectronics Research for Energy Innovation

Summary

Creates a Department of Energy program to fund research, development, and demonstration of microelectronics that support DOE missions and keep the United States globally competitive. The Secretary (with the Office of Science Director running core work) will give financial help to colleges (including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges, and other minority-serving schools), nonprofits, state research agencies, National Laboratories, private companies, consortia, and other groups the Secretary finds appropriate. Funded projects cover core areas like materials and fabrication science, new devices and computing architectures, modeling and AI-assisted design, integrated sensing and power, packaging and photonics, cybersecurity by design, manufacturing and metrology (in consultation with NIST), energy efficiency and sustainability, durability for harsh environments, and domestic processing of microelectronics materials. The Secretary must notify the Senate and House energy and science committees within 30 days after awarding financial help, explaining how recipients were chosen and what they will do. The program will support technology transfer with the Office of Technology Transitions and the private sector, and it will fund workforce development (internships, fellowships, grants) and education and outreach (in consultation with NSF) for students from elementary school through graduate levels, with an emphasis on hands-on learning. The Secretary must do outreach to recruit applicants from all U.S. regions and underserved communities, coordinate across DOE and with other federal microelectronics programs, and submit a report describing program goals, priorities, and expected outcomes not later than 180 days after August 9, 2022. Authorized funding is $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2023 and $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027. The Director will set up up to 4 Microelectronics Science Research Centers made of eligible partners to do mission-driven foundational research and help move results to industry. Centers will run competitive merit reviews for selection, build testbeds, advance codesign and prototyping, work on metrology and modeling (including AI and supercomputing), improve sustainability and energy use, strengthen cybersecurity, and run workforce and public outreach programs. Each Center may operate up to 5 years and can be renewed on a merit basis in additional 5-year terms (allowing operation up to about 15 years); underperforming Centers may be ended. The Secretary must keep intellectual property and value created by the Centers in the United States and must notify the Senate and House committees within 30 days after deciding to establish, renew, or terminate a Center, including the criteria used. Subject to appropriations, the Secretary may use not more than $25,000,000 to fund each Center for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027. Defined terms (one line each): Center — a Microelectronics Science Research Center; Department — Department of Energy; Director — Director of the Office of Science; Historically Black college or university — as defined in title 20; Institution of higher education — as defined in title 20; Microelectronics — semiconductors and related technologies; Minority-serving institution — includes Hispanic-serving, Alaska Native-serving, Native Hawaiian-serving, Predominantly Black, AANAPISI, and Native American-serving nontribal institutions; National Laboratory — as defined in law; Program — the program created here; Secretary — Secretary of Energy; Skilled technical workforce — as defined in the Innovations in Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships Act; Tribal College or University — as defined in title 20; Work-based learning — as defined in title 20.