A €43 billion European plan for semiconductors

In February, the European Commission confirmed its massive €43 billion semiconductor industry plan. €11 billion has been earmarked for research on the most advanced chips and new pilot manufacturing lines. CEA-Leti is expected to play a major role in the plan.

The European Chips Act announced in February rivals the US’s support for the semiconductor industry. The legislation hasn’t gone before the European Parliament yet, and the Union’s 27 Member States still have to weigh in. But there are several reasons to be optimistic, especially in terms of the plan’s impact on Grenoble. The most advanced chips are front and center in the plan’s strategy, and FD-SOI, a technology originally developed at CEA-Leti, plays a predominant role.

New FD-SOI pilot line in Grenoble planned
To a large extent, the Chips Act mirrors the preliminary document drawn up at the end of 2021 by CEA-Leti, Imec, and Fraunhofer at the request of the European Commission.
The document mentions a new FD-SOI pilot line to be built in Grenoble to help scale up 10 nm FD-SOI. Today, STMicroelectronics manufactures chips on the substrate, but using 28 nm technology.

The plan now has to be made official through agreements at the EU and national levels.
The semiconductor shortage is wreaking havoc across the economy—a good reminder of how important R&D and innovation are to the industry.

Contact: camille.giroud@cea.fr

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