News
It’s reported that a team of 30 scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has submitted a proposal to the government to develop Angstrom-scale chips, which will leverage new semiconductor technologies based on two-dimensional (2D) materials. The proposal suggests that using these advanced materials could reduce chip sizes to one-tenth of the world’s smallest chips currently in production, which may position India as a leader in semiconductor innovation.
The IISc scientific team first submitted a detailed project report to the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) in April 2022. After revisions, an updated report was resubmitted in October 2024 and later shared with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
The report recommends developing 2D semiconductors using ultra-thin materials such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). These materials enable chip fabrication at the Angstrom scale, which is significantly smaller than the current nanometer-scale technology.
An Indian official revealed that MeitY holds a positive view of the project. The Chief Scientific Adviser and Secretary of MeitY have already held meetings to explore electronic applications where such technology could be deployed.
At present, India remains highly dependent on foreign manufacturers for semiconductor production. The country’s largest semiconductor project is a joint venture between Tata Electronics and Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (PSMC), with an investment of INR 910 billion. This project has received approval from the India Semiconductor Mission and is expected to receive 50% capital support from the government.
In contrast, the IISc proposal seeks a INR 50 billion investment over five years to establish indigenous next-generation semiconductor technology. The project also includes a roadmap for self-sustaining development following the initial funding phase.
