Commerce Signs Letters of Intent for $389 Million in Chip R&D Awards With Four Companies
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced in Washington on October 22 that it has signed letters of intent with four companies to provide up to $389 million in federal research and development awards under the CHIPS and Science Act, aimed at power semiconductor devices, modules and critical materials. The announcement was published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), part of the department.
The four companies and their award ceilings are: Washington-based Helion, up to $175 million to develop high-voltage power semiconductors and advanced energy power modules for fusion power generation, whose semiconductors will power, control and harvest energy from the magnets driving its fusion generators; Massachusetts-based Commonwealth Fusion Systems, up to $85 million for semiconductors for radio-frequency plasma heating, power electronics, embedded electronics for fusion diagnostics and radiation-hardened electronics; Vertical Semiconductor, up to $73 million to advance its vertical gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors and demonstrate the technology for the world's first 2.5 MW super intelligence data center rack; and Sibelco, up to $56 million to develop next-generation purification and finishing technologies for ultra-high-purity quartz used across the semiconductor value chain.
The department said that under the final awards each company will conduct R&D on critical projects spanning power semiconductor devices, modules and materials, and that as a condition of funding the department will receive a minority, non-controlling and non-voting equity stake in each company, enhancing the return for the U.S. taxpayer. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said the awards will accelerate American semiconductor innovation to enhance domestic energy and power resources, while Bill Frauenhofer, the department's Executive Director of Semiconductor Investment and Innovation, said the CHIPS R&D awards will support breakthroughs in power semiconductor devices and critical materials and strengthen America's ability to convert and deliver power for the grid, advanced data centers, defense systems and emerging fusion energy.
The department said power electronics is foundational to modernizing the domestic grid and powering critical energy infrastructure, and that developing these capabilities domestically will reduce reliance on overseas manufacturing. According to Reuters, the funding comes from a $10 billion R&D fund approved by Congress in 2022, and the department has awarded 19 R&D grants to semiconductor firms in recent months.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：12英寸硅晶圆表面（资料图）。2x910 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经维基共享资源。Photo: Surface of a 12-inch silicon wafer (file photo). By 2x910, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
