Applied Materials has announced Arizona State University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Stanford University as inaugural research partners for its EPIC Center in Silicon Valley. The partnerships aim to accelerate the U.S. lab-to-fab innovation pipeline by combining academic research with Applied’s commercial equipment and process expertise.
The EPIC Center gives university teams access to an industry-scale R&D environment and cutting-edge chipmaking equipment. Researchers will work with Applied scientists and engineers on advanced materials, novel process and device technologies, and chip architecture inflections. The work aims to support energy-efficient innovations for next-generation AI chips.
“The EPIC Center is designed to bring together the best minds from industry and academia in a high-velocity, manufacturing-relevant environment to dramatically accelerate the development and commercialization of next-generation semiconductor technologies that are foundational to AI computing,” remarks Gary Dickerson, President and CEO of Applied Materials. “Welcoming ASU, RPI and Stanford as research partners at EPIC strengthens the U.S. lab-to-fab innovation pipeline and creates a powerful platform for developing future semiconductor talent.”
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Applied Materials states that research universities generate valuable ideas for future semiconductor materials and processes, while access to leading-edge equipment helps researchers test whether new materials can integrate with those used by leading global manufacturers. The company adds that the EPIC Center can support rapid iteration, faster validation, and a smoother transition from discovery to deployment.
The partnerships build on Applied’s existing collaborations with engineering schools. They also aim to give students practical experience and a systems-level view of semiconductor manufacturing.
“Applied Materials has a long history of working closely with the world’s top universities, and we are excited to take our collaborations to the next level with the EPIC Center,” enthuses Dr. Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials. “We are thrilled to have ASU, RPI and Stanford as inaugural research partners at EPIC, and we look forward to bringing the best of industry and academia together in a shared environment to accelerate the discovery and commercialization of technology breakthroughs for the semiconductor industry.”
Applied’s EPIC, or Equipment and Process Innovation and Commercialization, Center represents the company’s largest-ever U.S. investment in advanced semiconductor equipment R&D. Applied Materials reports that the facility remains on track to become operational in 2026.
This article is based on a press release issued by Applied Materials.
