YOKOHAMA National University (President: Izuru Umehara) has been selected for a research and development project under “Theme 2: 3D Integration Technology” in the “Research and Development Program for Next-Generation Edge AI Semiconductors” solicited by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).

[Project Overview]
?Project Title: Developing Ultra-High-Performance Chips for an Edge AI Society via Circular-Economy 3D Semiconductor Manufacturing Innovation and Formation of Research Hubs
?Investigator: Fumihiro Inoue, Vice Director, Semiconductor and Quantum Integrated Electronics Research Center, Institute of Multidisciplinary Sciences, YOKOHAMA National University
?Partner Research Institutions: Resonac Corporation, Institute of Science Tokyo, Waseda University，Keio University

This project is a national initiative aimed at resolving the global challenge of increasing power consumption in cloud computing and realizing innovative AI semiconductors that enable advanced information processing at the edge. The selected research project targets both miniaturization and high integration essential for a future Edge AI society, together with circular-economy manufacturing innovation that addresses global environmental concerns. The project particularly focuses on the following four technical challenges, aiming to establish Japan's competitive advantage in the rapidly expanding Edge AI market.

1. Establishing Environmentally Sustainable Circular Manufacturing Technology: The project will accelerate the introduction of circular-economy manufacturing processes that increase resource efficiency and minimize waste, driving Green Transformation (GX) in semiconductor manufacturing.

2. Establishing Advanced Testing Technology Essential for Chiplets: To ensure the quality and reliability of complex 3D integrated structures, the project will pursue advanced testing technologies capable of detecting and evaluating defects across multiple layers with high precision and efficiency, thereby creating high-volume manufacturing process technologies for next-generation 3D semiconductors.

3. Developing Innovative Cooling Technology: To address increased heat generation due to high integration, the project will pursue research on highly energy-efficient water-cooling and microchannel-based cooling technologies, in order to enable further improvements in AI semiconductor performance.

4. Establishing an Open Innovation Hub: To accelerate the real-world implementation of research results, the project will work in close collaboration with partner organizations, including Resonac Corporation, Institute of Science Tokyo, Waseda University, and Keio University, to establish an open innovation hub for industry–academia–government collaboration. This will further strengthen the international competitiveness of the semiconductor industry and promote the development of next-generation global talent through practical education.