Oct 18 2012
The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany announced today that its Smart System Technology and Commercialization Center of Excellence (STC) in Rochester has received the critical and prestigious designation as a Trusted Foundry – Aggregator by the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Defense Microelectronics Agency.
This announcement is a further testimony to the success of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s strategy and investments in nanotechnology. As the first organization in the Northeast to receive this accreditation, CNSE’s STC now has the ability to work directly with DoD, intelligence agencies, allied foreign governments and government contractors in providing access to a secure, on-shore resource to enable the integration of multi-project wafers into trusted foundries. Serving as a clearinghouse for critical defense-related projects, this designation allows CNSE’s STC to work with any trusted foundry to assist designers in achieving devices that are functional according to specification during initial manufacture – also known as “first-pass silicon” – as well as devices that integrate multiple designs, potentially from multiple teams.
“This prominent designation gives further momentum to our efforts to establish New York as the center of the world’s fast-growing nanotechnology industry,” Governor Cuomo said. “This recognition will add fuel to the fire in further expanding the State’s critical mission of attracting high-tech jobs, companies and private investment. I commend Dr. Kaloyeros and his team on this important accreditation, and look forward to further building New York’s 21st century upstate technology corridor.”
The accreditation comes on the heels of DoD’s designation of CNSE’s STC in April as a Trusted Foundry, recognizing it as a secure source for the development and manufacturing of integrated circuits for a wide range of defense and intelligence applications.
“This critical designation of CNSE’s STC as the first Trusted Foundry – Aggregator in the Northeast is testament to the vision and leadership of Governor Andrew Cuomo in developing a world-class nanotechnology industry in New York,” said CNSE Senior Vice President and CEO Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros. “With this accreditation, CNSE’s STC will gain further recognition as a prime location for next-generation military technologies, and at the same time, provide opportunities to attract additional high-tech growth to Western New York.”
As the new nanotechnology-led requirements for national defense and security drive the need for on-shore, trusted sources for integrated circuit design and manufacturing, CNSE’s STC will play an emerging role – that of Trusted Aggregator – serving as an enabler for exploiting the rapid innovation of the marketplace, and providing a trusted mechanism to utilize otherwise non-interlinked organizations to kick-start a technological transformation for the Department of Defense.
This new “Trusted Aggregator” accreditation, through the Defense Microelectronics Activity’s (DMEA) Trusted Foundry Program, allows CNSE’s STC to work with either U.S. or allied government agencies, or prime contractors, on classified integrated circuit designs. These designs, often developed by teams of designers, are then combined into robust multi-project-wafers that can be transitioned into accredited trusted foundries, and then ready for other trusted services, including packaging, assembly and test.
“CNSE’s Smart System Technology & Commercialization Center of Excellence is honored to be designated as a Trusted Foundry – Aggregator, and to have the opportunity to serve an essential role in addressing the technology needs of the U.S. military,” said CNSE Vice President for Disruptive Technologies and Director of CNSE’s STC Paul Tolley. “Working with our partners in both the government and industrial sectors, our mission is to advance state-of-the-art military applications that will keep our soldiers out of harm’s way and our citizens safe.”
With this designation as the first Trusted Foundry – Aggregator in the Northeast, combined with its role as New York’s first and only Trusted Foundry for the processing, packaging and assembly of MEMS and optoelectronic devices – essentially innovative sensors that use microprocessors to rapidly process data – CNSE’s STC is uniquely positioned to attract corporate technology partners and new high-tech jobs to Western New York. CNSE’s STC houses over 30,000 square feet of certified cleanroom facilities to enable fabrication, packaging and testing.
Next-generation MEMS devices can be used in a variety of nanotechnology-enabled military applications, including field-deployable, multi-functioning nanosensors and actuators, integrated system-on-a-chip (SOC) and system-in-a-package (SIP) technologies, and protective coatings and materials for the safety and security of military personnel and equipment.
Source: http://www.sunycnse.com/Home.aspx