Semiconductors and Nanoelectronic Chips: Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Sustainability and Supply Chain

Semiconductors or chips form the basis of modern electronics. This book aims to showcase the pervasive role of semiconductors in modern life and their growing importance in AI-driven technologies. It emphasizes the need for enhanced performance to cope with the unprecedented AI demand. It also addresses the sustainability challenges of semiconductor manufacturing. The book outlines vulnerabilities in the global supply chain and highlights government efforts to re-shore critical components for security and sovereignty. It describes some quite important technical and sustainable challenges for the semiconductor industry. It also reviews Europe’s current position in the semiconductor ecosystem and proposes a long-term strategy to strengthen its supply chain resilience. Such a suggested European strategy for enhancing its semiconductor technological sovereignty can be mimicked in any country currently trapped in the technology rivalry between US and China.

Christophe Wyon received an Engineer degree (1980) and a PhD (1984) as well as the habilitation to manage scientific research (2009) in Physics and Chemistry of Materials from the Grenoble Polytechnique National Institute, France. He is Director of Research at CEA-Leti. He managed several laboratories in LETI involving the crystal growth of laser, scintillator and semiconductor materials, the front-end processes for advanced transistors and Flash memories, and the development of OLED micro-displays. He also managed the physical characterization and failure analysis department of advanced ICs within ST in the frame of Crolles2 Alliance, gathering ST, NXP and Freescale. He authored and co-authored more than 80 scientific papers. He worked during 8 years for the French Ministry of Economy for promoting the microelectronics industry in France and in Europe. He was in charge of setting-up huge national and European programs for the development of micro- and nano-electronics. Since June 2019, he is the CEA-LETI representative in Brussels in order to promote the nanoelectronics industry in Europe. He contributes notably to the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda of European microelectronics under the responsibility of the European Components and System community

Professor dr.dr. Marcel Van De Voorde studied natural and applied sciences at Belgium and at European universities which resulted in various academic degrees. He was professor at multiple reputed universities worldwide including EU e.a. University of Technology DELFT; US, Japan and China e.a. reputed Tsinghua University in Beijing. He had direction functions at well known research centers and organizations e.a. CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) Geneva, European Commission Research, 12 years  Max Planck Institutes in Germany, IMEC: nano-electric institute in Leuven since its founding in 1984 till 2024. He was/is member of multiple Research Councils and Governing Boards, worldwide e.a. CNRS (FR), CSIC (ES, CNR (IT), NIMS (JP), ESA (European space agency), NATO R&D&T,  etc; he is senator and Trustee at European and World academies of sciences; honorary professor and doctor honors causa of various universities in the world. He had/is advisor to Ministers, Directors of research Institutes, Rectors of Universities in Europe and worldwide e.a. IMEC Leuven, the Science Council of the French Senate and national assembly in Paris, etc. His CV contains inventions e.a. proton therapy for cancer treatment, and plaid an important role in university education and research in Europe e.a. EC-ERASMUS programme, BOLOGNA Ministers Declaration with BSc, MSc, PhD…He also received honors from the Belgian King, the Luxemburg State, European Commission etc. He has a long experience in “Nanoscience and technology”.