University of Arkansas to establish semiconductor research center

A $10.35 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy will establish a research center dedicated to the manufacturing of semiconductors used in computers and other electronic devices.

Why it matters: The Center for Manipulation of Atomic Ordering for Manufacturing Semiconductors at the University of Arkansas will be the first Energy Frontier Research Center in Arkansas.

• The U.S. Department of Energy began establishing these facilities in 2009 "to tackle the toughest scientific challenges preventing advances in energy technologies" and to train the next generation of scientists.

What's happening: A team led by Shui-Qing "Fisher" Yu, electrical engineering professor, will research ways to make semiconductors, which traditionally use silicon, more efficient and less expensive, Yu told Axios.

The big picture: The four-year grant is part of the Energy Department's $540 million in research funding to universities and national laboratories focused on clean energy technologies. The goal is to develop low-carbon manufacturing processes that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to the university.

Details: Most of the grant money will pay salaries.

• Meanwhile, some will pay for equipment and supplies, Yu said.
• The U of A will lead researchers from Arizona State University, George Washington University, Stanford University, University of California Berkeley, Dartmouth College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, University of Delaware and Sandia National Laboratory.