India's Next-Gen Chip Drive: Leading the Way in Angstrom-Scale Tech

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) puts forward an innovative initiative to create angstrom-scale chips utilizing 2D materials, establishing India as a frontrunner in next-gen semiconductors. The initiative aims to secure Rs 500 crore in funding over a span of five years, with the goal of reducing global dependence on silicon-based technologies.

A group of researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has presented an innovative suggestion to the Indian government to create a new path in semiconductors by designing angstrom-scale chips. This bold initiative has the potential to place India at the leading edge of the global semiconductor market.

The initiative aims to harness new 2D materials, including graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides. These materials may facilitate chip manufacturing at dimensions significantly smaller than those employed by existing technologies, posing a challenge to the supremacy of nations such as the US, South Korea, and Taiwan, which dominate silicon-based chip production.

Submitted to the Ministry of Electronics and IT, this undertaking is a joint initiative that will need significant government financing and backing. Although requiring Rs 500 crore over five years - a relatively small amount compared to other international investments - this initiative could set the foundation for India's independence in semiconductor technology, with a plan for long-term sustainability.