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Editorial
Following the publication of the European Chips Act (ECA) on February 8, 2022, which came with a financial allocation of 43 billion Euros, the Portuguese Government unveiled the National Strategy for Semiconductors (NSS) on January 8, 2024, with a funding of 121 million Euros spanning 2024-2027.
While the primary aim of the ECA is to reclaim the scientific and industrial expertise that Europe once possessed in the field of semiconductors, the objective of the NSS is to foster the development of the semiconductors sector in Portugal, maximizing the participation of our country in the ECA. For that, the NSS outlines three key focus areas: (1) Promoting and consolidating the qualification of individuals in the fields of semiconductors and microelectronics; (2) Expanding the Portuguese ecosystem for semiconductor chips design and advanced packaging; and (3) Improving the transfer of technology to the industry in emerging semiconductor related fields.
It is noteworthy that each of these focus areas aligns perfectly with the mission of IT, whether as R&D-Unit/Associate Laboratory (R&D-Unit/LA), as Technology and Innovation Center (CTI), or both. Additionally, IT has several groups with a well-established tradition of internationally recognized research, development, and high-level training dedicated to semiconductor device modeling, signal integrity and package design, electronic design automation, RF and power electronics, emerging semiconductor technologies such as GaAs, GaN and SiGe technologies, as well as integrated and quantum photonics. Therefore, the two referred legal instruments present an invaluable opportunity that we cannot afford to waste. On the contrary, participating in the European Chips Act at both the national and European levels is a responsibility that IT cannot decline.
José Carlos Pedro
(IT President)
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