Many years ago, right after the dot-com bubble crash, when our AMIC director drove out of UW-Madison’s graduate apartment complex, Eagle Heights, to fly to California for a semiconductor company in Silicon Valley, she thought she was at the beginning of an incredible career adventure. Little did she know she would see six rounds of layoffs in the next six years as the Fortune 500 company moved the semiconductor business to Singapore.
Fast forward to 2022, the U.S. government signed the CHIPS and Science Act, providing $52.7 billion for American semiconductor research, development, manufacturing, and workforce development. This week, we had Mr. David Tyler, VP of operations from Chicago-based MicroLink Devices, present at our AMIC lunch with industry seminar, and he covered the following:
- MicroLink Devices’ MOCVD reactors, wafer fabrication fabs, assembly lines, and test labs
- Innovative technology Epitaxial Liftoff (ELO)
- The company’s unique position as a federal supplier for High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) aircraft and satellite solar array applications
- MicroLink’s expansion plan
- Jobs opportunities @ MicroLink
Specifically, more than 50 attendees learned about the ELO technology in designing and manufacturing III-V epitaxial material used for various applications, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), spacecraft, and terrestrial collectors. Microlink Devices’ expansion into Wisconsin is particularly encouraging. For instance, its partnership with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) aims to establish a facility in Wisconsin in 2024. Microlink plans to recruit many operators, technicians, and process engineers willing to support our engineering college’s curriculum innovation to develop more students for this growing industry.
Thank you to everyone who contributed, including our AMIC members, speakers, participants, and dedicated AMIC team! Specifically, we appreciate the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) for sponsoring this series. And please check out our events on the AMIC website, and see you at our last Spring 2023 seminar with shipbuilding company Fincantieri!