The first country to discover and develop key nanotechnologies will lead the next technology era, a Congressional committee was told today.
Nanoelectronics is a priority for the US economy, for high paying jobs and for the nation's ability to innovate and compete in the future, was the message put across by Dr. Jeff Welser, director of the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative (NRI) tothe House Committee on Science, Space and Technology's Subcommittee on Research and Science Education.
"There is no doubt that our country must work to bring our deficits down and our Congressional leaders are taking on that difficult task in the 2012 budget debates. We applaud them and support their efforts," said Brian Toohey, president, Semiconductor Industry Association.
"Within that debate we are bringing forth our best ideas, generous resources and most brilliant minds to help our nation tackle the deficit by growing the economy and fostering the next era of technology leadership, which we believe will be in nanoelectronics."
Semiconductor technology is ubiquitous in modern life, from computers and smart phones to medical devices and LEDs.
In 2010, US semiconductor companies generated $144 billion in sales—representing nearly half the worldwide market, and making the technology the nation's largest export.
The current technology is reaching physical limits, however, which is why the industry formed the NRI, an industry-driven consortium that funds a coordinated program of university research in partnership with federal and state government agencies.
The NRI focuses on the key challenge for continuing progress in semiconductor electronics; finding a new nanoelectronic device—the next "switch"—that can extend beyond the current technology limits and keep the United States at the forefront of the nanoelectronics revolution.
