In the late 1970s and early 80s, the North Carolina legislature saw the potential economic benefits of semiconductor technologies and decided to invest in the creation of the Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC). The goal was to attract semiconductor companies to Research Triangle Park (RTP) in hopes of dominating the emerging industry. However, despite these efforts, RTP ultimately lost out to Silicon Valley in the race to lead the global microelectronics boom.
While RTP may not have become the dominant force in the semiconductor industry, it did not lose out entirely. The industry is vast, and many regions, including RTP, saw significant economic success. One of the positive outcomes of the MCNC investment was the creation of a statewide fiber optics network, connecting educational institutions across North Carolina to high-speed fiber. Additionally, NC IDEA, a private foundation that provides funding to entrepreneurs, spun out of the original MCNC effort.
Being recognized as a global center of excellence is crucial in various industries. Just as aspiring country music stars flock to Nashville and aspiring actors head to Hollywood, tech entrepreneurs often dream of making it big in San Francisco. For decades, Silicon Valley thrived on the miniaturization of silicon transistors, driving the computing revolution and pushing the boundaries of Moore’s Law.
However, as Moore’s Law reaches its limits with transistors as small as 3 nanometers, a new generation of semiconductors is emerging. Wide bandgap semiconductors, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), are leading the charge in the energy sector. These materials have higher bandgaps and thermal conductivity, making them ideal for high-power applications like electric vehicles and renewable energy systems.
North Carolina has the opportunity to lead this emerging semiconductor industry, with significant research and development efforts at NC State University and organizations like Wolfspeed, a market leader in wide bandgap manufacturing. The Department of Defense has also invested in research centers like CLAWS to further advance wide bandgap technologies.
While it remains to be seen if RTP will become known as the „Silicon Carbide Triangle,“ the region has early traction and federal support in this critical area of semiconductor technologies. To learn more about how North Carolina is advancing in this field and integrating renewable energy sources into the energy grid, interested individuals can attend a free event on August 28 at Cary Founded. The event, organized by RIoT, the Research Triangle Foundation, and American Made, will feature a panel discussion on the future of semiconductor technologies in North Carolina. Join and discover how you can contribute to leading the way in the next semiconductor economy.