Research

SwissChips will pursue research that parallels the semiconductor research activities in Europe, fostering the Swiss semiconductor ecosystem, and leveraging synergies/economies of scale. To evaluate the success of the planned research outcomes, the project defines a number of well-defined milestones (e.g., fabricated and measured chip prototypes, system-level demonstrators, events, summer schools, etc.) and deliverables (publications, project and specification reports and open-source software).

The SwissChips planned efforts on IC design infrastructure, R&D, and management are divided into nine work packages (WPs), where WP1 deals with IC design infrastructure, the technical WPs 2-8 pursue R&D efforts in the key research areas of integrated circuit design, semiconductors, and sensors, and WP9 is responsible for management, coordination, dissemination, and outreach. All of the technical WPs 2-8 are defined jointly with professors and researchers from CSEM, EPFL, and ETH. The topical focus of the technical WPs has been aligned with major ongoing and future EU research programs, projects, and initiatives, where participation of Swiss researchers will be jeopardized. The technical WPs along with the lead and co-lead institutions, and the Project Management Office (WP9), are summarized as follows: