National Science Foundation – Future of Semiconductors (FuSe2) (nsf24521) | NSF

Replaces Doc(s):NSF 23-552

Nationwide Science Basis

Directorate for Engineering     Engineering Schooling and Facilities     Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Programs     Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation     Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Programs

Directorate for Mathematical and Bodily Sciences     Division of Supplies Analysis     Division of Chemistry

Directorate for Pc and Info Science and Engineering

Directorate for Know-how, Innovation and Partnerships

Directorate for STEM Schooling

Intel Company

Ericsson Inc.

Samsung

Micron Know-how, Inc.

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter’s native time):

     March 14, 2024

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND REVISION NOTES

This solicitation goals to domesticate holistic, co-design efforts that allow fast progress in new semiconductor applied sciences. This system leverages partnerships between business and tutorial establishments to spur innovation and know-how switch, to tell analysis wants, and to coach the longer term workforce.

The eligibility standards for who might function PI and the restrict on the variety of proposals per PI or co-PI have been revised.

Trade companions co-funding this solicitation embody:

Ericsson
Intel Company
Micron Know-how
Samsung

Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation must be submitted in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Insurance policies & Procedures Information (PAPPG) that’s in impact for the related due date to which the proposal is being submitted. The NSF PAPPG is usually revised and it’s the duty of the proposer to make sure that the proposal meets the necessities specified on this solicitation and the relevant model of the PAPPG. Submitting a proposal previous to a specified deadline doesn’t negate this requirement.

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Normal Info

Program Title:

Way forward for Semiconductors (FuSe2)

Synopsis of Program:

Semiconductor microelectronic techniques are at a crossroads. Continued advances in capabilities and reductions in prices throughout computing, sensing, and communications are threatened. Semiconductor know-how has lengthy superior following the tendencies in miniaturization characterised by Moore’s Regulation, underpinned by new supplies, processes, gadgets, and architectures. Nonetheless, the developments in these underpinning areas have typically progressed impartial of the applying space, which has delayed their incorporation into next-generation applied sciences. Closing this hole is required to optimize future progress. Semiconductor supplies, gadgets, and computing have to be optimally co-designed, with simultaneous consideration of parts throughout the know-how chain.

The advantages of co-design to advance semiconductor know-how have been widely known in a wide range of authorities and business research. A holistic, co-design strategy can extra quickly create high-performance, strong, safe, compact, energy-efficient, and cost-effective options. The technological drivers embody the necessity to cut back the power consumption of computation and communication applied sciences; cut back the impression of gadget and system manufacturing on the atmosphere; improve efficiency pace and capability; and develop new computing techniques.

The aim of this Way forward for Semiconductors (FuSe2) solicitation is to domesticate holistic, co-design approaches to basic analysis and workforce schooling and coaching with a view to allow fast progress in new semiconductor applied sciences. The way forward for semiconductor manufacturing would require the design and deployment of numerous new applied sciences in supplies, chemical and supplies processes, gadgets, and architectures by means of the event of application-driven techniques. Partnerships between business and tutorial establishments are important to spurring this innovation, enabling know-how switch, informing analysis infrastructure wants, and coaching the longer term workforce.

This system seeks to fund analysis in addition to schooling and workforce improvement to enhance science, know-how, engineering, and arithmetic (STEM) schooling on the nation’s establishments of upper schooling, spanning two-year faculties and four-year universities together with the minority-serving establishments with a aim to advance semiconductor design and manufacturing. NSF encourages daring, probably transformative actions that tackle future semiconductor design and manufacturing challenges in addition to shortages within the expert scientists, engineers, and technician workforce. This solicitation encourages proposers to take a holistic perspective on workforce improvement, contemplating the participation of the complete spectrum of numerous expertise in STEM profession paths, superior applied sciences, and analysis capabilities. All proposals should embody schooling and workforce improvement plans built-in with the proposed analysis actions. This solicitation seeks proposals to carry out basic analysis to allow a brand new paradigm in semiconductor capabilities by means of analysis grants targeted on co-design approaches. Groups of all sizes, with a minimal of a PI and a co-PI, are inspired.

Way forward for Semiconductor Co-Design Analysis and Schooling Grants (FuSe2) – Awards might be supported in FY 2024 as much as $2M per award for as much as a three-year grant interval, commensurate with mission scope and crew dimension. This program seeks to fund collaborative crew analysis that transcends the standard boundaries of particular person disciplines to realize program objectives.

The three analysis subject areas recognized for assist in FY 2024 beneath this solicitation are:

Subject 1. Collaborative Analysis in Area-Particular Computing.

Subject 2. Superior Operate and Excessive-Efficiency by Heterogenous Integration.

Subject 3. New Supplies for Power-Environment friendly, Enhanced-Efficiency and Sustainable Semiconductor-Based mostly Programs.

Particulars are supplied beneath Program Description in Part II. Every proposal ought to explicitly establish at the least considered one of these analysis subject areas within the title to concentrate on, although proposals which merge concepts from a number of subject areas are inspired. Each proposal ought to tackle co-design overlaying at the least two of the areas within the know-how stack (supplies, gadgets, and techniques) within the analysis strategy.

Please word that this system contact data is present on the time of publishing. See program web site for any updates to the factors of contact.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

Please word that the next data is present on the time of publishing. See program web site for any updates to the factors of contact.

Nadia A. El-Masry, phone: (703) 292-4975, electronic mail: [email protected]
Z. C. Ying, phone: (703) 292-8428, electronic mail: [email protected]
Geoffrey Brown, phone: (703) 292-4979, electronic mail: [email protected]
Jason Hallstrom, phone: 703-292-2997, electronic mail: [email protected]
Sankar Basu, phone: (703) 292-7843, electronic mail: [email protected]
Premjeet Chahal, phone: (703) 292-7264, electronic mail: [email protected]
Rosa Lukaszew, phone: (703) 292-8103, electronic mail: [email protected]
Paul A. Lane, phone: (703) 292-2453, electronic mail: [email protected]
Colby A. Foss, phone: (703) 292-5327, electronic mail: [email protected]
Xiaobo S. Hu, phone: (703) 292-8910, electronic mail: [email protected]
Sumanta Acharya, phone: (703) 292-4509, electronic mail: [email protected]
Vinod Okay. Lohani, phone: (703) 292-2330, electronic mail: [email protected]
Eleanor Sayre, phone: (703) 292-2997, electronic mail: [email protected]

Relevant Catalog of Federal Home Help (CFDA) Quantity(s):

47.041 — Engineering
47.049 — Mathematical and Bodily Sciences
47.070 — Pc and Info Science and Engineering
47.076 — STEM Schooling
47.084 — NSF Know-how, Innovation and Partnerships

Award Info

Anticipated Sort of Award: Commonplace Grant or Persevering with Grant

Estimated Variety of Awards: 15 to twenty

In FY 2024, relying on the standard of submissions and the provision of funds:

Roughly 20 awards are anticipated, every as much as $2,000,000 whole and as much as 3 years in period, topic to the provision of funds and high quality of proposals acquired.

The finances must be commensurate with the scope of the proposed analysis. Estimated program finances, variety of awards and common award dimension/period are topic to the provision of funds.

Anticipated Funding Quantity: $40,000,000

Estimated program finances, variety of awards and common award dimension/period are topic to the provision of funds.

Eligibility Info

Who Could Submit Proposals:

Proposals might solely be submitted by the next:

Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Impartial museums, observatories, analysis laboratories, skilled societies and comparable organizations situated within the U.S. which can be instantly related to academic or analysis actions.
Establishments of Larger Schooling (IHEs) – Two- and four-year IHEs (together with group faculties) accredited in, and having a campus situated within the US, performing on behalf of their college members.
Tribal Nations: An American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or group that the Secretary of the Inside acknowledges as a federally acknowledged tribe pursuant to the Federally Acknowledged Indian Tribe Checklist Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5130-5131.

Who Could Function PI:

By the submission deadline, any PI, co-PI, or different senior mission personnel should maintain both:

a tenured or tenure-track place, or
a main, full-time, paid appointment in a analysis or instructing place with exceptions granted for household or medical go away, as decided by the submitting establishment.

People with main appointments at for-profit non-academic organizations, or at abroad department campuses of U.S. IHEs should not eligible.

Researchers from international tutorial establishments who contribute important experience to the mission might take part as senior personnel or collaborators however might not obtain NSF assist.

An investigator who’s a PI or co-PI of a FuSe award primarily based on a proposal submitted in response to the earlier FuSe solicitation, NSF 23-552, can’t be a PI or co-PI for this FuSe2 solicitation, however might function Senior Personnel. Proposals violating this limitation might be returned with out overview.

Restrict on Variety of Proposals per Group:

There aren’t any restrictions or limits.

Restrict on Variety of Proposals per PI or co-PI: 1

Every FuSe2 mission requires a minimal of 1 PI and one co-PI.

An investigator might function a PI, co-PI or Senior Personnel on solely ONE proposal, together with subawardees, submitted in response to this solicitation. If an investigator exceeds this restrict, proposals acquired throughout the restrict might be accepted primarily based on earliest date and time of proposal submission. The rest might be returned with out overview. This limitation contains proposals submitted by a lead group and any subaward included as a part of a proposal involving a number of organizations.

Proposal Preparation and Submission Directions

A. Proposal Preparation Directions

Letters of Intent: Not required
Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required
Full Proposals:

B. Budgetary Info

C. Due Dates

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter’s native time):

     March 14, 2024

Proposal Evaluation Info Standards

Benefit Evaluation Standards:

Nationwide Science Board authorised standards. Further benefit overview standards apply. Please see the complete textual content of this solicitation for additional data.

Award Administration Info

Award Situations:

Further award circumstances apply. Please see the complete textual content of this solicitation for additional data.

Reporting Necessities:

Commonplace NSF reporting necessities apply.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract of Program Necessities

Introduction
Program Description
Award Info
Eligibility Info
Proposal Preparation and Submission Directions
Proposal Preparation Directions
Budgetary Info
Due Dates
Analysis.gov/Grants.gov Necessities

NSF Proposal Processing and Evaluation Procedures
Benefit Evaluation Ideas and Standards
Evaluation and Choice Course of

Award Administration Info
Notification of the Award
Award Situations
Reporting Necessities

Company Contacts
Different Info

I. INTRODUCTION

The Way forward for Semiconductors initiative (FuSe2) is a cross-directorate program supported by NSF’s Directorates for Pc and Info Science and Engineering (CISE), Engineering (ENG), STEM Schooling (EDU), Know-how, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP), and Mathematical and Bodily Sciences (MPS).

The aim of FuSe2 is to assist basic analysis enabling the co-design of semiconductor supplies, gadgets and techniques that can propel US semiconductor manufacturing and functions past the boundaries of Moore’s regulation and uncover new software areas in addition to develop the semiconductor analysis and improvement expertise pool. “Co-design” is emphasised to encourage cross-fertilization amongst broad areas of analysis sponsored by the NSF, particularly analysis that crosses conventional directorate boundaries at NSF (e.g., CISE, ENG, EDU, MPS, TIP, and many others.) and that don’t match effectively with present applications. Co-design concurrently contemplating at the least two of the areas within the know-how stack (supplies, gadgets, and techniques) within the analysis strategy is required for every proposal. Further concerns of manufacturability, thermal administration, recyclability, and impression on the atmosphere are inspired.

This system seeks to develop new semiconductor techniques by means of this intimate convergent co-design of the important parts of the method, linking the essential elements of the applying in a single built-in course of. Present apply focuses on impartial analysis and discovery in every space individually, and advances are sometimes not successfully translated to apply. The FuSe2 program will assist advances and analysis the place supplies, gadgets and techniques, are found and developed in an built-in approach, which might higher facilitate information switch between these analysis areas.

FuSe2 enhances present analysis actions within the present analysis areas in semiconductor-based science and know-how, each inside NSF and different federal companies, however focuses on the co-design of a number of steps within the software improvement course of. This strategy ought to result in the invention of latest functions and cross-fertilization to enhance the efficiency fabrication, design safety, power effectivity and course of sustainability in present applied sciences. FuSe2 proposals ought to present a transparent imaginative and prescient of the applying space impacted by the analysis and might embody ties to business to allow fast adoption of latest discoveries. They need to present a imaginative and prescient assertion describing the brand new capabilities that could possibly be enabled by the proposed analysis, and the potential industrial, academic, and societal advantages.

The rising demand for higher data and communications know-how (ICT) is projected to require a bigger share of the world’s whole power manufacturing. Whereas ICT presently consumes solely a minor share of the overall power used worldwide, it’s rising at a fast charge. Together with higher power calls for are the related will increase in water consumption and greenhouse gasoline manufacturing, difficult the method sustainability. Thus, power effectivity and sustainability must be a consideration in all proposals. Each experimental and computational approaches might be wanted in addition to probably information mining and analytics to speed up the co-design course of.

All proposals ought to describe the implications of the proposed actions on the schooling of the expert technical workforce in co-design approaches, and semiconductor business. (Expert technical workforce refers broadly to settings starting from technical institutes and group faculties to superior analysis.) The event of a talented workforce versed within the organizational and technical features of co-design is essential for advancing semiconductor applied sciences and must be addressed. This program goals to advance STEM schooling and coaching of a future expert workforce for semiconductor applied sciences spanning throughout the numerous disciplines required to convey these applied sciences into actuality, comparable to supplies, chemistry, physics, and chemical, industrial, or electrical and laptop engineering. Instance job roles that this solicitation goals to develop embody however should not restricted to manufacturing technicians, course of, and semiconductor design engineers. All groups responding to this solicitation should embody an “Schooling and Workforce Growth” part describing the proposed actions and anticipated impression of the grant.

The outcomes of this program, when translated to apply, ought to advance the US semiconductor manufacturing business and organizational constructions, allow new capabilities amongst a broad vary of associated industries, improve U.S. competitiveness in growing and producing new merchandise, bolstering financial development, benefiting society at giant, and educating college students and different workforce individuals with the abilities required for management within the burgeoning industries. Outcomes will assist the manufacturing enterprise decrease environmental impression; cut back power consumption in each the manufacturing and use; handle waste; and optimize fabrication/design safety and the usage of assets.

FuSe2 proposals ought to display the necessity for sustained assist of a multidisciplinary crew utilizing a convergence analysis strategy. Inclusion of minority-serving establishments is inspired. Proposals should describe why the mission crew is suitable to comprehend the mission’s objectives and the way the crew will guarantee efficient collaboration within the co-design course of. A compelling rationale have to be introduced for the multi-organization construction of the mission. Subsequently, proposers responding to this solicitation should embody a “Challenge Administration and Collaboration” part.

Proposals might reap the benefits of important efforts underway to enhance the nation’s competitiveness within the semiconductor and superior digital and computing fields. For instance, proposals might leverage actions of different initiatives in US authorities companies and business. Proposers are additionally inspired to leverage present academic applications inside or outdoors of NSF in artistic methods.

Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation should tackle each semiconductor analysis and semiconductor schooling and workforce improvement in a broad sense, and so they should combine a mixture of progressive instruments and strategies from computational, engineering, and supplies sciences.

Proposals to FuSe2 must be interdisciplinary in construction together with related consultants and disciplines from throughout the CISE, EDU, ENG, MPS, and TIP directorates.

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This Way forward for Semiconductors (FuSe2) solicitation will assist basic analysis, coaching, and academic analysis on co-design of semiconductor techniques within the FuSe2 description beneath. Proposals of all sizes are inspired. The finances ought to mirror the scope of the issue and crew dimension required to perform the analysis objectives. The FuSe2 proposals ought to tackle one of many subject areas introduced beneath on this present solicitation:

FuSe2: Way forward for Semiconductors Analysis and Schooling Grants

Every proposal ought to have an express co-design analysis agenda that spans at the least two of the three areas of supplies devices-systems. The proposal might be centered in one of many subject areas (Area-Particular Computing, Superior Operate and Excessive Efficiency by Heterogeneous Integration, or New Supplies for Power Environment friendly, Enhanced-Efficiency, and Sustainable Semiconductor-Based mostly Programs), nevertheless co-design throughout each the areas of materials-devices-systems and subject areas is inspired. The solicitation dialogue of every subject space will not be meant to be limiting, and the examples talked about don’t point out they’re of any particular curiosity to the NSF. They’re introduced solely for instance attainable concerns in every subject space. Profitable proposals will clarify why the proposed analysis will considerably enhance chosen analysis metrics. Challenge descriptions have to be complete, well-integrated, and convincing that the collaborative contributions of the mission crew might be higher than the sum of every particular person contribution. If attainable, the proposals are inspired to maneuver from discovery to prototyping or use demonstration. Investigators are inspired to hunt out partnerships in a large and numerous class of establishments that collectively can present new and compelling approaches to the proposed analysis.

Awards will assist basic, multidisciplinary (minimal of 1 PI and one co-PI), and integrative analysis and schooling to allow co-design analysis, with sustainable improvement, as a key consideration and software in a number of of the subject areas described beneath. FuSe2 awards will present as much as three years of assist at a degree as much as $2M per award. The funding is meant to assist PIs with complementary experience, graduate college students, some senior personnel (together with post-doctoral researchers), and their collective analysis and coaching wants (e.g., supplies, provides and journey). FuSe2 proposals should describe the present state of artwork within the related software space and the particular challenges that might be addressed by the proposed analysis. They need to current a compelling rationale and convincing technical strategy to co-design to handle these challenges. Proposals ought to clearly clarify how the proposed analysis will present new capabilities that will impression the way forward for semiconductors, together with capabilities in schooling and workforce improvement. A rationale for the work, function of collaborating PIs, and finances have to be introduced. Proposals together with a translation to business plan are fascinating. Proposals ought to clarify the potential advantages and challenges of co-design throughout the software space to the economic system, atmosphere, and society. Partnerships with two-year, minority-serving, and different academic establishments to teach the expert technical workforce are inspired.

Schooling and Workforce Growth Tips

Recognizing {that a} needed factor of the way forward for semiconductors is growing the human capability for future analysis, all proposals should tackle how their work will contribute to schooling and workforce improvement. The proposals should embody throughout the Broader Affect Description a piece titled “Schooling and Workforce Growth Plan” that clearly articulates the schooling and workforce improvement objectives. Sufficient particulars concerning the proposed schooling and workforce improvement actions focused at equipping college students with abilities and/or up-skilling the present workforce wanted sooner or later applied sciences must be supplied. For proposals that plan to have interaction college students, a plan for recruitment, retention, and commencement of scholars from traditionally underrepresented minority teams in STEM must be clearly mentioned. As well as, plans for assessing the effectiveness of the schooling and workforce improvement plan must be introduced. PIs are strongly inspired to develop the “Schooling and Workforce Growth Plan” in collaboration with consultants in schooling, curriculum improvement, and tutorial evaluation. Emphasis must be positioned on the efforts that can combine the analysis and schooling & workforce improvement elements.

Subject 1: Collaborative Analysis in Area-Particular Computing

Fashionable computing techniques depend on a deep know-how stack, spanning high-level functions, laptop and community platforms, and the underlying circuits, gadgets, and supplies used to comprehend these platforms. We invite proposals that re-imagine computing techniques by means of co-design throughout this know-how stack, or by reinventing the stack altogether. This may be performed by contemplating new methods of wanting on the conventional computing stack, by enabling new varieties of communication throughout layers of the stack, or by approaching computing system design from a totally new viewpoint. Taken as a complete, these approaches are broadly categorized as Area-Particular Computing. Instance domains of curiosity embody (however should not restricted to) Software Domains, Computing Technique Domains, and Know-how Domains:

Software Area:

Compute/data-intensive functions that considerably problem immediately’s computing and communication materials. Examples embody synthetic intelligence and machine studying (together with foundational fashions), giant information analytics, monetary computing, graph processing, genomics, combinatorics, physics-based modeling and simulation (e.g., molecular dynamics), and sparse-data computing. Area-specific compute languages and compiler know-how that addresses a number of {hardware} targets is of curiosity. Orchestration of a number of {hardware} accelerators to assist a given software or workload can also be of curiosity.
Extremely distributed and heterogenous laptop and community techniques, together with wi-fi next-G techniques.
Area-specific programming languages and compiler applied sciences that tackle a number of {hardware} targets.
Orchestration of a number of {hardware} accelerators and reminiscence/storage tiers to assist a given software, workload, or area.
Superior digital design and automation assist for focused software domains, e.g., supporting supplies discovery, circuit design, and many others.

Computing Technique Area:

Non-von Neumann architectures (e.g., software or algorithm utilization of close to or in-memory compute), memory-movement minimization by means of spatial or different distributed reminiscence architectures utilized to the area of curiosity.
Rising computing paradigms, comparable to quantum-inspired classical computing, biology/physics-inspired computing, Ising machines, and MemComputing.
Rising reminiscence and shared reminiscence architectures, with the power to considerably speed up memory-intensive functions, from the cloud to the sting.
Analog computing, together with analog in-memory computing and mixed-signal computing for decreasing information conversion overhead, tensor processing, and many others.
ASICs for environment friendly and low energy techniques.
Reminiscence-movement minimization by means of spatial or different distributed reminiscence architectures.
Self-organizing, self-correcting, and/or adaptive architectures; approximate computing; and different error-tolerant approaches.
The cloud-edge-IoT computing continuum, together with virtualization in edge information facilities.
Disaggregated techniques, reminiscence pooled techniques.
Privateness preserving, safe, reliable computing.
Digital design automation instruments for rising computing paradigms.

Know-how Area:

Close to and in-memory computing primarily based on rising reminiscence applied sciences comparable to RRAM, MRAM, FeFET, ECRAM, and others, and their use within the context of particular functions.
Computing-enabled storage.
Classical computing with probabilistic bits (p-bits).
Circuits and architectures for next-G techniques.
Rising applied sciences for reminiscence, logic, and interconnect, together with non-charge-based gadgets and techniques.
Co-integration of CMOS with X applied sciences (X=rising gadgets in important numbers).
Area-specific compute architectures that totally leverage 3D and/or 2.5D integration proximity or heterogeneity and related design instruments and approaches for 3D and/or 2.5D architectures.
AI/ML-inspired and/or novel approaches to design automation of micro- and nano-systems.

The general aim is to extend the efficiency, power effectivity, usability, sustainability, and different features of computing techniques by means of co-design approaches that leverage the traits of particular domains (e.g., software, computing technique, know-how, and many others.). Profitable proposals will clarify why the proposed analysis is exploring a particular area and the way the proposed actions will considerably enhance the recognized analysis metrics. Proposals are inspired to incorporate design-space exploration of software program and {hardware} design decisions utilizing practical or proxy workloads from the chosen area in mission plans. System prototyping by making the most of semiconductor fabs is inspired, and proposals ought to clearly clarify the system demonstration that can outcome from the mission. Consideration of the numerous software program challenges (e.g., programming language assist, compiler assist, working system assist) that have to be addressed to effectively make the most of the proposed {hardware} platforms in heterogenous techniques is strongly inspired, together with consideration of programmability and compilability points. Challenge descriptions have to be complete and well-integrated and supply convincing proof that the collaborative contributions of the mission crew might be higher than the sum of the elements. Investigators are inspired to hunt partnerships throughout numerous establishments that collectively present new and compelling approaches to the proposed analysis. Particulars must be included about how the chosen area options are central to the analysis objectives.

Subject 2: Superior Operate and Excessive Efficiency by Heterogeneous Integration

This subject goals to speed up the adoption of superior digital, photonic, or hybrid gadgets & elements for sensing, reminiscence, power, and many others. to allow cutting-edge performance in semiconductor know-how. It helps holistic co-design of heterogeneous techniques throughout gadgets, circuits, and algorithms, by integrating novel elements and supplies suitable with CMOS or future applied sciences. Co-design initiatives envisioned on this subject would concentrate on system-level methods enabling essentially the most strong, compact, energy-efficient, and cost-effective options that tackle how analog and digital data might be processed, saved, communicated, and actuated upon. Co-design initiatives ought to embody superior and built-in thermal administration options for part reliability. The analysis deliberate on this observe ought to embody co-optimization of functionalities, probably crossing boundaries of sensing, analog processing, digital processing, machine studying and detection and many others., enabling smarter world-machine interfaces as outlined by the semiconductor business’s decadal plan1 or sustained always-available communication.

Examples that embrace heterogeneous integration with superior functionalities are (however should not restricted to):

Heterogeneous Integration & Heterogeneous Know-how Elements:

D-based hetero-integration of various functionalities comparable to – however not restricted to – CMOS platform integration with superior analog {hardware} for top power effectivity, excessive pace, compactness, tailor-made bandwidth/frequency/temperature, and scalability in addition to probably novel recollections and sensors.
Millimeter-wave and next-generation communications. Safe analog/RF and mixed-signal applied sciences.
Microelectronics accelerating the adoption of WiFi-band hole semiconductor know-how and rising the mixing of power-conversion with sensing and communication, for top energy density, high-bandwidth interconnects.
Edge processing bringing information evaluation nearer to the sensors and different sources of information.
Hetero-integration with novel embedded thermal cooling options, thermal isolation of excessive power-density elements, cooling options for hot-spot administration, and low-thermal resistance interface supplies improvement and integration.
3D integration of reminiscence and compute using superior packaging strategies to realize higher computation power effectivity by both decreasing the power of or decreasing the necessity for information motion.
Bio-inspired sensing-to-action with machine studying architectures balancing energy/power and price of native or in-memory processing with international concerns.

Bundle Platform Heterogeneous Integration:

Platform integration and improvement supporting versatile chiplet-based system design. Enabling processing and design instruments related to new supplies, gadgets, and built-in techniques.
Superior lively, high-density, and useful packaging and processing approaches.
Consideration must be given to low global-warming-potential (GWP) refrigerants for thermal administration.
Higher/more practical take a look at options to catch defects at wafer degree. This could embody, however will not be restricted to, higher DFT, higher BIST engines, higher take a look at content material, and/or higher take a look at {hardware} to facilitate more practical screening at wafer take a look at.
Strategies to allow extra resilient and defect tolerant designs.
Strategies and schemes for improved characterization of chiplets at wafer take a look at to allow clever pairing of chiplets at meeting. Higher predictive capabilities of how the gadget will perform within the end-use atmosphere primarily based on pre-assembly information. Novel thermal administration strategies to handle excessive energy and high-power densities particularly in 3D configurations. Particularly, thermal options to chill the chips within the backside of the stack.
Improved energy supply networks. Particularly, options to offer excessive constancy energy to the highest die.

Heterogeneous Integration System Design Instruments and Characterization Applied sciences:

New manufacturing and key metrologies to be used in characterization, performance validation, course of enhancements, failure evaluation and fault isolation.
System, platform, circuit, interface, and packaging degree design instruments.
Thermal evaluation design instruments that combine throughout scales from chip-level to the server-level, and relevant to heterogeneous integration.
System-technology co-optimization framework for ease of design and validation of chiplet techniques and for efficient use of foundry choices.

FuSe2 proposals on this subject space should describe the present state-of-the-art within the related software space, the particular challenges that might be addressed by the proposed analysis and embody the plans to validate or display the co-designs related to the present and superior business applied sciences. Prototyping design and fabrication, in any respect ranges, by means of NSF supported facilities and fabs or by collaborations with industrial foundries are inspired. A tool-focused FuSe mission ought to develop methodologies or laptop simulation instruments to ascertain intrinsic efficiency limits of the focused performance. The mission additionally ought to perform analysis on gadgets, circuits, algorithms, and fabrication or meeting processes to attenuate the extrinsic variability of elements, in addition to to permit for low-cost and probably wide-scale deployment. FuSe proposals ought to articulate the underlying basic analysis and the innovation anticipated, by way of fashions, instruments and/or simulations that display how the proposed hetero-integration and/or analog mixed-signal designs allow dramatic enhancements in productiveness and predictability. Profitable FuSe proposals ought to illuminate how the development can have broader impression on the design and adaptation of the associated applied sciences to be built-in with the way forward for semiconductor know-how.

Subject 3: New Supplies for Power Environment friendly, Enhanced-Efficiency and Sustainable Semiconductor-Based mostly Programs

The continued advances in microelectronic miniaturization with smaller and extra highly effective gadgets are taxed with a concomitant improve in power consumption. Whereas the power effectivity of electronics has been steadily enhancing, this development is being challenged with the ever-increasing variety of computations wanted for all features of recent life. The sector is presently approaching a essential level as conventional Moore’s regulation silicon transistor scaling is now not yielding commensurate power effectivity advantages. This comes at a time when far more computing energy is required to take care of rising data-intensive functions that depend on synthetic intelligence (AI) and machine studying (ML) to generate new sectors of the economic system and to revitalize American manufacturing.

Semiconductor manufacturing is energy-intensive, consumes important quantities of water, and has a major environmental impression resulting from the usage of giant quantities of chemical compounds together with substances of excessive concern comparable to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). There may be an rising curiosity in and emphasis on transitioning to energy-efficient manufacturing practices with decreased environmental impression and decrease clean-water utilization.

Proposals are solicited for co-design approaches, particularly simultaneous and synergistic supplies analysis and gadget analysis, for superior, power environment friendly computing and communication techniques.
Proposals that emphasize exploration of latest supplies utilizing a holistic strategy that mixes experiments with idea and/or modeling are solicited.
Scalable supplies synthesis and processing, sustainable and energy-efficient manufacturing processes utilizing earth-abundant and chemical compounds/supplies, minimizing water utilization, growing new recyclable strategies, and striving for zero waste, and/or supplies property (e.g., electrical, optical, mechanical, and thermal) measurements in functioning digital gadgets are prioritized.
Demonstration of supplies properties inside an precise software or comparable prototyping is welcomed.

Potential areas of curiosity are (however should not restricted to):

Novel supplies, or progressive mixtures of supplies, enabling novel, energy-efficient logic and/or reminiscence features, together with non-von-Neumann logic, comparable to brain-inspired/neuro-morphic computing.
Novel supplies, or progressive mixtures of supplies, for next-generation interconnect, heterogeneous integration in gadgets and packaging on the related dimensions (e.g., ultrahigh electrical conductivity, excessive thermal conductivity, and ultra-low dielectrics). Integration of these supplies and management of their interfaces must be thought-about, as applicable.
Supplies to allow patterning with the following technology of maximum ultraviolet (EUV) and high-numerical-aperture EUV lithography photo-resists, in addition to novel bottom-up patterning approaches, comparable to directed self-assembly.
Growth of latest characterization strategies and/or high-resolution imaging applied sciences for the characterization of supplies on the electronic-device or chip degree (e.g., electrical or thermal transport, or defect mapping on the atomic/molecular degree in a functioning digital gadget).

FuSe2 proposals should describe the present cutting-edge within the related software space and the particular challenges that might be addressed by the proposed analysis. Proposals should current a compelling rationale and convincing technical strategy for co-design to handle these challenges. Proposals should clearly clarify how the supplies improvement will in the end enhance present gadgets or result in new gadget designs, gadgets or system capabilities that aren’t presently out there. Proposals must be multidisciplinary and embody applicable metrics for, e.g., materials efficiency and resultant gadget/system, power utilization, in addition to schooling and workforce improvement needed for fostering co-design semiconductor ideas. Whereas not a requirement, proposals that embody a possible path for manufacturing scale-up, comparable to prototyping, and translation into business are fascinating. Proposals ought to explicitly tackle the potential advantages and challenges of co-design throughout the software space to the economic system, atmosphere, and to society.

B. ROLE OF INDUSTRY FUNDING PARTNERS

The businesses particularly listed on this solicitation (Ericsson, Intel, Micron, and Samsung) have dedicated to offering annual contributions to NSF for the aim of funding proposals awarded beneath this solicitation. The reference to “Trade Funding Companions” on this part refers particularly to those 4 entities and their function as funding companions on this solicitation. The contributions from these Companions have been agreed upon primarily based on a shared perception within the significance of constructing progress within the analysis, schooling and workforce improvement objectives recognized on this program.

After completion of the benefit overview course of, NSF might share with representatives of the Trade Funding Companions the subset of proposals that are into consideration for funding by NSF, together with corresponding unattributed critiques and panel summaries. Proprietary or privileged data supplied by the PI within the separate “Single Copy Paperwork” part of the proposal won’t be shared with reviewers or Trade Funding Companion representatives. NSF will think about the enter of all Trade Funding Companions prior to creating last funding selections however will retain last authority for making all award selections.

NSF will administer awards beneath the Program in accordance with normal NSF insurance policies and procedures. All awards might be topic to plain NSF phrases and circumstances. Trade Funding Companions won’t oversee the actions or use of funds by grantees beneath this Program however might have interaction with grantees as outlined beneath. Particularly, post-award, Trade Funding Companions might make out there direct contributions of assets together with, however not restricted to, fabrication services, software program (prototypes or merchandise), information units, and/or different computing infrastructure. No recipient might be required to make use of any Trade Funding Companion’s supplied contributions.

After an award, an Trade Funding Companion may prepare to fund its personal personnel as researchers to instantly take part, part-time or full-time, with recipient mission personnel. These preparations might be non-compulsory and upon the mutual consent of the Trade Funding Companion and respective recipient establishments. No recipient might be required to simply accept an Trade Funding Companion researcher.

NSF will share annual mission stories and, on the completion of the award, a last mission report and a mission outcomes report with Trade Funding Companions after these stories have been reviewed and accepted by the cognizant NSF Program Officer.

The award phrases and circumstances will state that recipients shall grant to the sponsoring events (NSF and all of the Trade Funding Companions named within the award letter) a non-exclusive, worldwide, paid-up, non-transferable, irrevocable royalty-free license to all mental property rights in any innovations conceived or first decreased to apply within the efficiency of the Program work beneath the funding settlement. [Note: the Bayh-Dole Act provides similar rights to the U.S. Government for patents on inventions made under federal funding.] The license to every Trade Funding Companion will embody its subsidiaries and contractors, at its discretion, to the extent that such use is particularly in reference to the Trade Funding Companion’s merchandise and/or providers. recipients shall grant the license to every Trade Funding Companion named within the award letter except the Trade Funding Companion opts to say no the license. Such license shall not lengthen to recipients’ background mental property; nevertheless, particular person recipients and Trade Funding Companions might negotiate, voluntarily, in good religion, a mutually acceptable decision to background mental property, if desired, although NSF shall neither implement nor take part in any such negotiations between recipients and Trade Funding Companions, nor will any funds supplied by NSF to the recipient be contingent upon such negotiations. Based mostly on the contributions from the Trade Funding Companions, Intel, Micron, and Samsung might be named as sponsoring events for all awards, and Ericsson might be named as sponsoring events in a partial set. Recipients might delay the publishing of information and software program describing innovations to first allow the submitting of patent functions. That stated, NSF phrases and circumstances would require that recipients promptly publish all outcomes, information, and software program generated in efficiency of the analysis.

Proposals to this program might not record or describe any sort of agreed or assumed association to make use of the contributions described above or some other collaborative association with this solicitation’s Trade Funding Companions, past what’s described within the eligibility part of this solicitation. Proposals that embody such preparations or collaborations with these companions might be returned with out overview. Exception: Proposers should not restricted from making use of the broadly accessible services or products of Trade Funding Companions.

Proposers to this program shouldn’t instantly contact business companions with questions pertaining to their firm’s participation on this solicitation. All questions must be directed to the NSF program factors of contact listed within the solicitation.

1 Decadal Plan for Semiconductors – SRC

III. AWARD INFORMATION

Roughly 20 awards are anticipated, every as much as $2,000,000 whole and as much as 3 years in period, topic to the provision of funds and high quality of proposals acquired.

The finances must be commensurate with the scope of the proposed analysis. Estimated program finances, variety of awards and common award dimension/period are topic to the provision of funds.

IV. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Who Could Submit Proposals:

Proposals might solely be submitted by the next:

Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Impartial museums, observatories, analysis laboratories, skilled societies and comparable organizations situated within the U.S. which can be instantly related to academic or analysis actions.
Establishments of Larger Schooling (IHEs) – Two- and four-year IHEs (together with group faculties) accredited in, and having a campus situated within the US, performing on behalf of their college members.
Tribal Nations: An American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or group that the Secretary of the Inside acknowledges as a federally acknowledged tribe pursuant to the Federally Acknowledged Indian Tribe Checklist Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5130-5131.

Who Could Function PI:

By the submission deadline, any PI, co-PI, or different senior mission personnel should maintain both:

a tenured or tenure-track place, or
a main, full-time, paid appointment in a analysis or instructing place with exceptions granted for household or medical go away, as decided by the submitting establishment.

People with main appointments at for-profit non-academic organizations, or at abroad department campuses of U.S. IHEs should not eligible.

Researchers from international tutorial establishments who contribute important experience to the mission might take part as senior personnel or collaborators however might not obtain NSF assist.

An investigator who’s a PI or co-PI of a FuSe award primarily based on a proposal submitted in response to the earlier FuSe solicitation, NSF 23-552, can’t be a PI or co-PI for this FuSe2 solicitation, however might function Senior Personnel. Proposals violating this limitation might be returned with out overview.

Restrict on Variety of Proposals per Group:

There aren’t any restrictions or limits.

Restrict on Variety of Proposals per PI or co-PI: 1

Every FuSe2 mission requires a minimal of 1 PI and one co-PI.

An investigator might function a PI, co-PI or Senior Personnel on solely ONE proposal, together with subawardees, submitted in response to this solicitation. If an investigator exceeds this restrict, proposals acquired throughout the restrict might be accepted primarily based on earliest date and time of proposal submission. The rest might be returned with out overview. This limitation contains proposals submitted by a lead group and any subaward included as a part of a proposal involving a number of organizations.

Further Eligibility Information:

Proposals Involving A number of Organizations:

If a number of organizations are concerned in a proposal, it have to be submitted as a single proposal with subawards. Collaborative proposals organized as separate submissions from a number of organizations won’t be accepted for this solicitation. PAPPG Chapter II.D.3 supplies extra data on collaborative proposals.

Tips for the Participation of Companion Firms and Affiliated People in Proposals:

Tips for Companion Firms:

A associate firm will not be permitted to take part in proposals to this system.

Tips for People Affiliated with Companion Firms:

People affiliated with a associate firm might take part in proposals to this system topic to sure limitations and allowances. These limitations and allowances apply to people who’re presently employed by, consulting for, or on an lively settlement to offer providers for the corporate. Particularly:

Such people might not take part of their capability with the corporate.
Such people might take part in the event that they (i) maintain a main appointment at one other group not partnered on this system (e.g., a main tutorial appointment at an establishment of upper schooling), as relevant to and outlined by that group, and (ii) achieve this strictly of their capability at that different group.

Proposals that violate the above restrictions could also be returned with out overview.

V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

A. Proposal Preparation Directions

Full Proposal Preparation Directions: Proposers might choose to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation through Analysis.gov or Grants.gov.

Full Proposals submitted through Analysis.gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation must be ready and submitted in accordance with the final pointers contained within the NSF Proposal and Award Insurance policies and Procedures Information (PAPPG). The entire textual content of the PAPPG is obtainable electronically on the NSF web site at: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg. Paper copies of the PAPPG could also be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, phone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from [email protected]. The Put together New Proposal setup will immediate you for this system solicitation quantity.
Full proposals submitted through Grants.gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation through Grants.gov must be ready and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants.gov Software Information: A Information for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Purposes through Grants.gov. The entire textual content of the NSF Grants.gov Software Information is obtainable on the Grants.gov web site and on the NSF web site at: (https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide). To acquire copies of the Software Information and Software Varieties Bundle, click on on the Apply tab on the Grants.gov website, then click on on the Apply Step 1: Obtain a Grant Software Bundle and Software Directions hyperlink and enter the funding alternative quantity, (this system solicitation quantity with out the NSF prefix) and press the Obtain Bundle button. Paper copies of the Grants.gov Software Information additionally could also be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, phone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from [email protected].

See PAPPG Chapter II.D.2 for steering on the required sections of a full analysis proposal submitted to NSF. Please word that the proposal preparation directions supplied on this program solicitation might deviate from the PAPPG directions.

Collaborative Proposals:

If a number of organizations are concerned in a proposal, it have to be submitted as a single proposal with subawards. Collaborative proposals organized as separate submissions from a number of organizations won’t be accepted for this solicitation. PAPPG Chapter II.D.3 supplies extra data on collaborative proposals.

Title:

Proposal titles ought to start with “FuSe2 Subject X:” (X = 1, 2, or 3, as a main subject) then the title.

Challenge Abstract:

Initially of the overview part of the Challenge Abstract, state the primary subject or subjects being addressed, plus the related areas throughout the know-how stack. At the very least two areas amongst supplies, gadgets, and computing are required for every FuSe2 proposal. For instance, “This mission focuses on Subjects 3 and a couple of, contemplating co-design throughout supplies and gadgets.”

Challenge Description:

Along with the content material specified within the PAPPG, together with the requirement for a separate part labeled “Broader Impacts”, the Challenge Description should include extra sections with the next titles, as described above in Sections I and II:

1. Schooling and Workforce Growth Plan (as a part of Broader Impacts)

2. Challenge Administration and Collaboration Plan

The “Schooling and Workforce Growth Plan” part should describe the proposed actions and their anticipated impression in growing a next-generation semiconductor workforce. The “Challenge Administration and Collaboration Plan” part should describe why the mission crew is suitable to comprehend the mission’s objectives and the way the crew will guarantee efficient collaboration within the co-design course of. A compelling rationale have to be introduced for a multi-organization construction.

Letters of Collaboration:

Letters of collaboration ought to observe the format specified within the PAPPG Chapter II.D.2. Proposers should not embody letters of collaboration from any of the collaborating Trade Funding Companions listed on this solicitation. Any proposal that deviates from these pointers might be returned with out overview.

Single Copy Paperwork (if relevant):

Proposers might want to embody proprietary or privileged data as a part of their proposals. Per PAPPG Chapter II.E.1, NSF defines such data as “patentable concepts, commerce secrets and techniques, privileged or confidential industrial or monetary data, disclosure of which can hurt the proposer”. Whereas offering this data will not be required, a proposer to the FuSe program who needs to incorporate proprietary or privileged data should present all such data within the proposal as a Single-Copy Doc. That’s, this data shall not seem in different elements of the proposal. In step with NSF’s apply, the Single Copy Doc won’t be shared with reviewers or Trade Funding Companions.

Whereas NSF will make each effort to forestall unauthorized entry to such materials, the Basis will not be accountable or in any approach chargeable for the discharge of such materials.

Observe: As a result of proprietary or privileged data might solely be specified within the Single Copy Doc, PIs shouldn’t examine the “Proprietary or Privileged Info” field on the Cowl Sheet; that field applies solely to such content material showing within the physique of a proposal.

B. Budgetary Info

Price Sharing:

Inclusion of voluntary dedicated value sharing is prohibited.

C. Due Dates

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter’s native time):

     March 14, 2024

D. Analysis.gov/Grants.gov Necessities

For Proposals Submitted Through Analysis.gov:

To organize and submit a proposal through Analysis.gov, see detailed technical directions out there at: https://www.analysis.gov/research-portal/appmanager/base/desktop?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=research_node_display&_nodePath=/researchGov/Service/Desktop/ProposalPreparationandSubmission.html. For Analysis.gov consumer assist, name the Analysis.gov Assist Desk at 1-800-381-1532 or e-mail [email protected]. The Analysis.gov Assist Desk solutions normal technical questions associated to the usage of the Analysis.gov system. Particular questions associated to this program solicitation must be referred to the NSF program employees contact(s) listed in Part VIII of this funding alternative.

For Proposals Submitted Through Grants.gov:

Earlier than utilizing Grants.gov for the primary time, every group should register to create an institutional profile. As soon as registered, the applicant’s group can then apply for any federal grant on the Grants.gov web site. Complete details about utilizing Grants.gov is obtainable on the Grants.gov Applicant Sources webpage: https://www.grants.gov/net/grants/candidates.html. As well as, the NSF Grants.gov Software Information (see hyperlink in Part V.A) supplies directions concerning the technical preparation of proposals through Grants.gov. For Grants.gov consumer assist, contact the Grants.gov Contact Heart at 1-800-518-4726 or by electronic mail: [email protected]. The Grants.gov Contact Heart solutions normal technical questions associated to the usage of Grants.gov. Particular questions associated to this program solicitation must be referred to the NSF program employees contact(s) listed in Part VIII of this solicitation.

Submitting the Proposal: As soon as all paperwork have been accomplished, the Approved Organizational Consultant (AOR) should submit the applying to Grants.gov and confirm the specified funding alternative and company to which the applying is submitted. The AOR should then signal and submit the applying to Grants.gov. The finished software might be transferred to Analysis.gov for additional processing.

The NSF Grants.gov Proposal Processing in Analysis.gov informational web page supplies submission steering to candidates and hyperlinks to useful assets together with the NSF Grants.gov Software Information, Grants.gov Proposal Processing in Analysis.gov how-to information, and Grants.gov Submitted Proposals Ceaselessly Requested Questions. Grants.gov proposals should go all NSF pre-check and post-check validations with a view to be accepted by Analysis.gov at NSF.

When submitting through Grants.gov, NSF strongly recommends candidates provoke proposal submission at the least 5 enterprise days upfront of a deadline to permit enough time to handle NSF compliance errors and resubmissions by 5:00 p.m. submitting group’s native time on the deadline. Please word that some errors can’t be corrected in Grants.gov. As soon as a proposal passes pre-checks however fails any post-check, an applicant can solely appropriate and submit the in-progress proposal in Analysis.gov.

Proposers that submitted through Analysis.gov might use Analysis.gov to confirm the standing of their submission to NSF. For proposers that submitted through Grants.gov, till an software has been acquired and validated by NSF, the Approved Organizational Consultant might examine the standing of an software on Grants.gov. After proposers have acquired an e-mail notification from NSF, Analysis.gov must be used to examine the standing of an software.

VI. NSF PROPOSAL PROCESSING AND REVIEW PROCEDURES

Proposals acquired by NSF are assigned to the suitable NSF program for acknowledgement and, in the event that they meet NSF necessities, for overview. All proposals are fastidiously reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or educator serving as an NSF Program Officer, and normally by three to 10 different individuals outdoors NSF both as advert hoc reviewers, panelists, or each, who’re consultants within the explicit fields represented by the proposal. These reviewers are chosen by Program Officers charged with oversight of the overview course of. Proposers are invited to recommend names of individuals they consider are particularly effectively certified to overview the proposal and/or individuals they would like not overview the proposal. These solutions might function one supply within the reviewer choice course of on the Program Officer’s discretion. Submission of such names, nevertheless, is non-compulsory. Care is taken to make sure that reviewers haven’t any conflicts of curiosity with the proposal. As well as, Program Officers might acquire feedback from website visits earlier than recommending last motion on proposals. Senior NSF employees additional overview suggestions for awards. A flowchart that depicts your complete NSF proposal and award course of (and related timeline) is included in PAPPG Exhibit III-1.

A complete description of the Basis’s benefit overview course of is obtainable on the NSF web site at: https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/coverage/merit_review/.

Proposers also needs to concentrate on core methods which can be important to the success of NSF’s mission, as articulated in Main the World in Discovery and Innovation, STEM Expertise Growth and the Supply of Advantages from Analysis – NSF Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2022 – 2026. These methods are built-in in this system planning and implementation course of, of which proposal overview is one half. NSF’s mission is especially well-implemented by means of the mixing of analysis and schooling and broadening participation in NSF applications, initiatives, and actions.

One of many strategic goals in assist of NSF’s mission is to foster integration of analysis and schooling by means of the applications, initiatives, and actions it helps at tutorial and analysis establishments. These establishments should recruit, prepare, and put together a various STEM workforce to advance the frontiers of science and take part within the U.S. technology-based economic system. NSF’s contribution to the nationwide innovation ecosystem is to offer cutting-edge analysis beneath the steering of the Nation’s most artistic scientists and engineers. NSF additionally helps improvement of a robust science, know-how, engineering, and arithmetic (STEM) workforce by investing in constructing the information that informs enhancements in STEM instructing and studying.

NSF’s mission requires the broadening of alternatives and increasing participation of teams, establishments, and geographic areas which can be underrepresented in STEM disciplines, which is important to the well being and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is dedicated to this precept of range and deems it central to the applications, initiatives, and actions it considers and helps.

A. Benefit Evaluation Ideas and Standards

The Nationwide Science Basis strives to spend money on a sturdy and numerous portfolio of initiatives that creates new information and allows breakthroughs in understanding throughout all areas of science and engineering analysis and schooling. To establish which initiatives to assist, NSF depends on a benefit overview course of that comes with consideration of each the technical features of a proposed mission and its potential to contribute extra broadly to advancing NSF’s mission “to advertise the progress of science; to advance the nationwide well being, prosperity, and welfare; to safe the nationwide protection; and for different functions.” NSF makes each effort to conduct a good, aggressive, clear benefit overview course of for the number of initiatives.

1. Benefit Evaluation Ideas

These ideas are to be given due diligence by PIs and organizations when getting ready proposals and managing initiatives, by reviewers when studying and evaluating proposals, and by NSF program employees when figuring out whether or not or to not suggest proposals for funding and whereas overseeing awards. Provided that NSF is the first federal company charged with nurturing and supporting excellence in fundamental analysis and schooling, the next three ideas apply:

All NSF initiatives must be of the very best high quality and have the potential to advance, if not remodel, the frontiers of information.
NSF initiatives, within the mixture, ought to contribute extra broadly to reaching societal objectives. These “Broader Impacts” could also be achieved by means of the analysis itself, by means of actions which can be instantly associated to particular analysis initiatives, or by means of actions which can be supported by, however are complementary to, the mission. The mission actions could also be primarily based on beforehand established and/or progressive strategies and approaches, however in both case have to be effectively justified.
Significant evaluation and analysis of NSF funded initiatives must be primarily based on applicable metrics, maintaining in thoughts the doubtless correlation between the impact of broader impacts and the assets supplied to implement initiatives. If the dimensions of the exercise is restricted, analysis of that exercise in isolation will not be prone to be significant. Thus, assessing the effectiveness of those actions might greatest be performed at the next, extra aggregated, degree than the person mission.

With respect to the third precept, even when evaluation of Broader Impacts outcomes for explicit initiatives is finished at an aggregated degree, PIs are anticipated to be accountable for finishing up the actions described within the funded mission. Thus, particular person initiatives ought to embody clearly said objectives, particular descriptions of the actions that the PI intends to do, and a plan in place to doc the outputs of these actions.

These three benefit overview ideas present the premise for the benefit overview standards, in addition to a context inside which the customers of the standards can higher perceive their intent.

2. Benefit Evaluation Standards

All NSF proposals are evaluated by means of use of the 2 Nationwide Science Board authorised benefit overview standards. In some situations, nevertheless, NSF will make use of extra standards as required to focus on the particular goals of sure applications and actions.

The 2 benefit overview standards are listed beneath. Each standards are to be given full consideration through the overview and decision-making processes; every criterion is critical however neither, by itself, is adequate. Subsequently, proposers should totally tackle each standards. (PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.d(i). accommodates extra data to be used by proposers in improvement of the Challenge Description part of the proposal). Reviewers are strongly inspired to overview the standards, together with PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.d(i), previous to the overview of a proposal.

When evaluating NSF proposals, reviewers might be requested to contemplate what the proposers need to do, why they need to do it, how they plan to do it, how they are going to know in the event that they succeed, and what advantages may accrue if the mission is profitable. These points apply each to the technical features of the proposal and the way in which through which the mission might make broader contributions. To that finish, reviewers might be requested to judge all proposals in opposition to two standards:

Mental Benefit: The Mental Benefit criterion encompasses the potential to advance information; and
Broader Impacts: The Broader Impacts criterion encompasses the potential to learn society and contribute to the achievement of particular, desired societal outcomes.

The next parts must be thought-about within the overview for each standards:

What’s the potential for the proposed exercise to
Advance information and understanding inside its personal subject or throughout completely different fields (Mental Benefit); and
Profit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?

To what extent do the proposed actions recommend and discover artistic, unique, or probably transformative ideas?
Is the plan for finishing up the proposed actions well-reasoned, well-organized, and primarily based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to evaluate success?
How effectively certified is the person, crew, or group to conduct the proposed actions?
Are there enough assets out there to the PI (both on the house group or by means of collaborations) to hold out the proposed actions?

Broader impacts could also be achieved by means of the analysis itself, by means of the actions which can be instantly associated to particular analysis initiatives, or by means of actions which can be supported by, however are complementary to, the mission. NSF values the development of scientific information and actions that contribute to achievement of societally related outcomes. Such outcomes embody, however should not restricted to: full participation of ladies, individuals with disabilities, and different underrepresented teams in science, know-how, engineering, and arithmetic (STEM); improved STEM schooling and educator improvement at any degree; elevated public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and know-how; improved well-being of people in society; improvement of a various, globally aggressive STEM workforce; elevated partnerships between academia, business, and others; improved nationwide safety; elevated financial competitiveness of the US; and enhanced infrastructure for analysis and schooling.

Proposers are reminded that reviewers can even be requested to overview the Knowledge Administration Plan and the Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan, as applicable.

Further Solicitation Particular Evaluation Standards

Solicitation particular overview standards are supplied within the FuSe solicitation as embellishments of the NSF Mental Benefit and Broader Impacts standards. These extra standards will assist focus consideration on components that improve the affect on the broader business, and likewise spotlight concerns distinctive to the objectives of this system:

Does the mission establish an overarching foundational downside which requires a co-design strategy?
Are energy-efficient, sustainable gadget manufacturing processes utilizing earth-abundant and unhazardous supplies, minimizing water utilization, and striving for zero waste emphasised?
Does the proposal establish an built-in multi-disciplinary analysis agenda that defines the roles of all individuals? Is the composition of the multi-disciplinary crew applicable for the scope of the proposed actions?
How are the analysis duties synergistically built-in throughout the recognized analysis focus space? Does the proposal tackle the related analysis dangers and current mitigation plans?
How successfully does the proposal current a compelling argument that the proposed academic actions will equip college students and different workforce individuals with the abilities to have interaction within the evolving semiconductor business and broaden participation by constructing on greatest practices and evidence-based approaches?

B. Evaluation and Choice Course of

Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation might be reviewed by Advert hoc Evaluation and/or Panel Evaluation.

Reviewers might be requested to judge proposals utilizing two Nationwide Science Board authorised benefit overview standards and, if relevant, extra program particular standards. A abstract score and accompanying narrative will typically be accomplished and submitted by every reviewer and/or panel. The Program Officer assigned to handle the proposal’s overview will take into account the recommendation of reviewers and can formulate a advice.

After scientific, technical and programmatic overview and consideration of applicable components, the NSF Program Officer recommends to the cognizant Division Director whether or not the proposal must be declined or really helpful for award. NSF strives to have the ability to inform proposers whether or not their proposals have been declined or really helpful for funding inside six months. Massive or significantly complicated proposals or proposals from new recipients might require extra overview and processing time. The time interval begins on the deadline or goal date, or receipt date, whichever is later. The interval ends when the Division Director acts upon the Program Officer’s advice.

After programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals really helpful for funding might be forwarded to the Division of Grants and Agreements or the Division of Acquisition and Cooperative Assist for overview of enterprise, monetary, and coverage implications. After an administrative overview has occurred, Grants and Agreements Officers carry out the processing and issuance of a grant or different settlement. Proposers are cautioned that solely a Grants and Agreements Officer might make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of funds. No dedication on the a part of NSF must be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A Principal Investigator or group that makes monetary or personnel commitments within the absence of a grant or cooperative settlement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer does so at their very own threat.

As soon as an award or declination resolution has been made, Principal Investigators are supplied suggestions about their proposals. In all circumstances, critiques are handled as confidential paperwork. Verbatim copies of critiques, excluding the names of the reviewers or any reviewer-identifying data, are despatched to the Principal Investigator/Challenge Director by the Program Officer. As well as, the proposer will obtain an evidence of the choice to award or decline funding.

VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Notification of the Award

Notification of the award is made to the submitting group by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer. Organizations whose proposals are declined might be suggested as promptly as attainable by the cognizant NSF Program administering this system. Verbatim copies of critiques, not together with the id of the reviewer, might be supplied robotically to the Principal Investigator. (See Part VI.B. for extra data on the overview course of.)

B. Award Situations

An NSF award consists of: (1) the award discover, which incorporates any particular provisions relevant to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2) the finances, which signifies the quantities, by classes of expense, on which NSF has primarily based its assist (or in any other case communicates any particular approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced within the award discover; (4) the relevant award circumstances, comparable to Grant Normal Situations (GC-1)*; or Analysis Phrases and Situations* and (5) any announcement or different NSF issuance that could be integrated by reference within the award discover. Cooperative agreements are also administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Settlement Monetary and Administrative Phrases and Situations (CA-FATC) and the relevant Programmatic Phrases and Situations. NSF awards are electronically signed by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer and transmitted electronically to the group through e-mail.

*These paperwork could also be accessed electronically on NSF’s Web site at https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/award_conditions.jsp?org=NSF. Paper copies could also be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, phone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from [email protected].

Extra complete data on NSF Award Situations and different essential data on the administration of NSF awards is contained within the NSF Proposal & Award Insurance policies & Procedures Information (PAPPG) Chapter VII, out there electronically on the NSF Web site at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg.

Administrative and Nationwide Coverage Necessities

Construct America, Purchase America

As expressed in Govt Order 14005, Guaranteeing the Future is Made in All of America by All of America’s Employees (86 FR 7475), it’s the coverage of the manager department to make use of phrases and circumstances of Federal monetary help awards to maximise, in line with regulation, the usage of items, merchandise, and supplies produced in, and providers supplied in, the US.

In step with the necessities of the Construct America, Purchase America Act (Pub. L. 117-58, Division G, Title IX, Subtitle A, November 15, 2021), no funding made out there by means of this funding alternative could also be obligated for an award except all iron, metal, manufactured merchandise, and building supplies used within the mission are produced in the US. For extra data, go to NSF’s Construct America, Purchase America webpage.

Particular Award Situations:

Acknowledgement of Assist:

Recipients might be required to incorporate applicable acknowledgment of NSF and Trade Funding Companions assist in stories and/or publications on work carried out beneath an award. An instance of such an acknowledgement can be: “This materials is predicated upon work supported by the Nationwide Science Basis beneath grant no. (NSF grant quantity) and is supported partly by funds from federal company and Trade Funding Companions as specified within the Way forward for Semiconductors (FuSe) program.”

Trade Funding Companion Engagement with Program Recipients:

As soon as the Program awards have been issued, every of the business companions might have interaction with the recipients within the following approach:

Attend annual PI conferences.
Present software program (prototypes or merchandise), {hardware} (prototypes or merchandise), semiconductor design collateral, information units, different computing infrastructure, and/or different such assist to all recipients, though recipients won’t be required to make use of these supplied contributions.
Present assets (e.g., fabrication and/or packaging of analysis prototypes, entry to check and/or instrumentation services) and alternatives (e.g., seminars, internships) to all recipients, though recipients won’t be required to make use of these supplied contributions.
NSF requires recipients to submit annual mission stories and, on the completion of the award, a last mission report and a mission outcomes report. NSF will share these stories with the business companions after they’ve been reviewed and accepted by the cognizant NSF Program Officer. The economic associate might choose to say no to obtain these stories. Additional, industrial companions agree to not disclose any personal data to any establishment of upper schooling or group outdoors of the corporate.
An business associate may prepare to fund its personal personnel as researchers to instantly take part, part-time or full-time, with recipients mission personnel. These preparations might be non-compulsory and upon the mutual consent of the business associate and respective recipient establishments. No recipient might be required to simply accept an business associate researcher.

Moreover, proposers must be ready for NSF or an NSF-funded coordination entity to facilitate engagement between NSF, companions, and recipients, together with on analysis dissemination, workshops, collaborative engagements, and different actions that assist nurturing and rising the FuSe group. Recipients should have interaction with NSF and/or the coordination entity on these actions all through the period of the grant.

Mental Property:

Recipients shall grant to business companions named within the award letter, a non-exclusive, worldwide, paid-up, non-transferable, irrevocable royalty-free license to all mental property rights in any innovations conceived or first decreased to apply within the efficiency of the Program work beneath the funding settlement. [Note: the Bayh-Dole Act provides similar rights to the U.S. Government for patents on inventions made under federal funding.] The license to every business associate will embody its subsidiaries and contractors, at its discretion, to the extent that such use is particularly in reference to the business associate’s merchandise and/or providers. Recipients shall grant the license to every business associate named within the award letter except the business associate opts to say no the license. Such license shall not lengthen to recipients’ background mental property; nevertheless, particular person recipients and business companions might negotiate, voluntarily, in good religion, a mutually acceptable decision to background mental property, if desired, although NSF shall neither implement nor take part in any such negotiations between recipients and business companions, nor will any funds supplied by NSF to the recipients be contingent upon such negotiations. No rights or licenses are granted by the business companions. Recipients might delay the publishing of information and software program describing innovations to first allow the submitting of patent functions. That stated, NSF phrases and circumstances would require that recipients promptly publish all outcomes, information, and software program generated in efficiency of the analysis.

For primarily analysis initiatives funded by the FuSe Program, recipients of this system will conform to distribute all last supply code that has been authored whereas engaged on a FuSe program award beneath a Berkeley Software program Distribution (BSD), Apache, or different equal open-source license. Software program licenses that require as a situation of use, modification and/or distribution that the software program or different software program integrated into, derived from, or distributed with the software program be licensed by the consumer to 3rd events for the aim of constructing and/or distributing spinoff works should not permitted. Licenses that aren’t applicable embody any model of GNU’s Normal Public License (GPL) or Lesser/Library GPL (LGPL), the Creative License (e.g., PERL), or the Mozilla Public License. Exceptions to this coverage could also be granted by NSF and the commercial individuals to handle the issue of participation in established open-source objects or requirements already licensed beneath GPL, LGPL, or different copyright open-source licenses.

C. Reporting Necessities

For all multi-year grants (together with each normal and persevering with grants), the Principal Investigator should submit an annual mission report back to the cognizant Program Officer no later than 90 days previous to the top of the present finances interval. (Some applications or awards require submission of extra frequent mission stories). No later than 120 days following expiration of a grant, the PI is also required to submit a last mission report, and a mission outcomes report for most of the people.

Failure to offer the required annual or last mission stories, or the mission outcomes report, will delay NSF overview and processing of any future funding increments in addition to any pending proposals for all recognized PIs and co-PIs on a given award. PIs ought to look at the codecs of the required stories upfront to guarantee availability of required information.

PIs are required to make use of NSF’s digital project-reporting system, out there by means of Analysis.gov, for preparation and submission of annual and last mission stories. Such stories present data on accomplishments, mission individuals (particular person and organizational), publications, and different particular merchandise and impacts of the mission. Submission of the report through Analysis.gov constitutes certification by the PI that the contents of the report are correct and full. The mission outcomes report additionally have to be ready and submitted utilizing Analysis.gov. This report serves as a short abstract, ready particularly for the general public, of the character and outcomes of the mission. This report might be posted on the NSF web site precisely as it’s submitted by the PI.

Extra complete data on NSF Reporting Necessities and different essential data on the administration of NSF awards is contained within the NSF Proposal & Award Insurance policies & Procedures Information (PAPPG) Chapter VII, out there electronically on the NSF Web site at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg.

VIII. AGENCY CONTACTS

Please word that this system contact data is present on the time of publishing. See program web site for any updates to the factors of contact.

Normal inquiries concerning this program must be made to:

Nadia A. El-Masry, phone: (703) 292-4975, electronic mail: [email protected]
Z. C. Ying, phone: (703) 292-8428, electronic mail: [email protected]
Geoffrey Brown, phone: (703) 292-4979, electronic mail: [email protected]
Jason Hallstrom, phone: 703-292-2997, electronic mail: [email protected]
Sankar Basu, phone: (703) 292-7843, electronic mail: [email protected]
Premjeet Chahal, phone: (703) 292-7264, electronic mail: [email protected]
Rosa Lukaszew, phone: (703) 292-8103, electronic mail: [email protected]
Paul A. Lane, phone: (703) 292-2453, electronic mail: [email protected]
Colby A. Foss, phone: (703) 292-5327, electronic mail: [email protected]
Xiaobo S. Hu, phone: (703) 292-8910, electronic mail: [email protected]
Sumanta Acharya, phone: (703) 292-4509, electronic mail: [email protected]
Vinod Okay. Lohani, phone: (703) 292-2330, electronic mail: [email protected]
Eleanor Sayre, phone: (703) 292-2997, electronic mail: [email protected]

For questions associated to the usage of NSF techniques contact:

NSF Assist Desk: 1-800-381-1532
Analysis.gov Assist Desk e-mail: [email protected]

For questions regarding Grants.gov contact:

Grants.gov Contact Heart: If the Approved Organizational Representatives (AOR) has not acquired a affirmation message from Grants.gov inside 48 hours of submission of software, please contact through phone: 1-800-518-4726; e-mail: [email protected].

IX. OTHER INFORMATION

The NSF web site supplies essentially the most complete supply of knowledge on NSF Directorates (together with contact data), applications and funding alternatives. Use of this web site by potential proposers is strongly inspired. As well as, “NSF Replace” is an information-delivery system designed to maintain potential proposers and different events apprised of latest NSF funding alternatives and publications, essential modifications in proposal and award insurance policies and procedures, and upcoming NSF Grants Conferences. Subscribers are knowledgeable by means of e-mail or the consumer’s Net browser every time new publications are issued that match their recognized pursuits. “NSF Replace” additionally is obtainable on NSF’s web site.

Grants.gov supplies an extra digital functionality to seek for Federal government-wide grant alternatives. NSF funding alternatives could also be accessed through this mechanism. Additional data on Grants.gov could also be obtained at https://www.grants.gov.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

The Nationwide Science Basis (NSF) is an impartial Federal company created by the Nationwide Science Basis Act of 1950, as amended (42 USC 1861-75). The Act states the aim of the NSF is “to advertise the progress of science; [and] to advance the nationwide well being, prosperity, and welfare by supporting analysis and schooling in all fields of science and engineering.”

NSF funds analysis and schooling in most fields of science and engineering. It does this by means of grants and cooperative agreements to greater than 2,000 faculties, universities, Okay-12 college techniques, companies, casual science organizations and different analysis organizations all through the US. The Basis accounts for about one-fourth of Federal assist to tutorial establishments for fundamental analysis.

NSF receives roughly 55,000 proposals every year for analysis, schooling and coaching initiatives, of which roughly 11,000 are funded. As well as, the Basis receives a number of thousand functions for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The company operates no laboratories itself however does assist Nationwide Analysis Facilities, consumer services, sure oceanographic vessels and Arctic and Antarctic analysis stations. The Basis additionally helps cooperative analysis between universities and business, US participation in worldwide scientific and engineering efforts, and academic actions at each tutorial degree.

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) present funding for particular help or gear to allow individuals with disabilities to work on NSF-supported initiatives. See the NSF Proposal & Award Insurance policies & Procedures Information Chapter II.F.7 for directions concerning preparation of some of these proposals.

The Nationwide Science Basis has Telephonic Gadget for the Deaf (TDD) and Federal Info Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that allow people with listening to impairments to speak with the Basis about NSF applications, employment or normal data. TDD could also be accessed at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800) 877-8339.

The Nationwide Science Basis Info Heart could also be reached at (703) 292-5111.

The Nationwide Science Basis promotes and advances scientific progress in the US by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for analysis and schooling within the sciences, arithmetic, and engineering.

To get the newest details about program deadlines, to obtain copies of NSF publications, and to entry abstracts of awards, go to the NSF Web site at https://www.nsf.gov

2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314

For Normal Info(NSF Info Heart):

(703) 292-5111

TDD (for the hearing-impaired):

(703) 292-5090

To Order Publications or Varieties:


 

Ship an e-mail to:

[email protected]

or phone:

(703) 292-8134

(703) 292-5111

PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS

The data requested on proposal types and mission stories is solicited beneath the authority of the Nationwide Science Basis Act of 1950, as amended. The data on proposal types might be utilized in reference to the number of certified proposals; and mission stories submitted by proposers might be used for program analysis and reporting throughout the Govt Department and to Congress. The data requested could also be disclosed to certified reviewers and employees assistants as a part of the proposal overview course of; to proposer establishments/grantees to offer or acquire information concerning the proposal overview course of, award selections, or the administration of awards; to authorities contractors, consultants, volunteers and researchers and educators as needed to finish assigned work; to different authorities companies or different entities needing data concerning proposers or nominees as a part of a joint software overview course of, or with a view to coordinate applications or coverage; and to a different Federal company, court docket, or get together in a court docket or Federal administrative continuing if the federal government is a celebration. Details about Principal Investigators could also be added to the Reviewer file and used to pick out potential candidates to function peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See System of Document Notices, NSF-50, “Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Related Information,” and NSF-51, “Reviewer/Proposal File and Related Information.” Submission of the knowledge is voluntary. Failure to offer full and full data, nevertheless, might cut back the potential of receiving an award.

An company might not conduct or sponsor, and an individual will not be required to reply to, an data assortment except it shows a sound Workplace of Administration and Funds (OMB) management quantity. The OMB management quantity for this assortment is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this assortment of knowledge is estimated to common 120 hours per response, together with the time for reviewing directions. Ship feedback concerning the burden estimate and some other facet of this assortment of knowledge, together with solutions for decreasing this burden, to:

Suzanne H. Plimpton
Stories Clearance Officer
Coverage Workplace, Division of Establishment and Award Assist
Workplace of Funds, Finance, and Award Administration
Nationwide Science Basis
Alexandria, VA 22314