A team of 30 scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has submitted an ambitious proposal to the government for developing ‘angstrom-scale’ semiconductor chips, which would be significantly smaller than the current market offerings. The team’s focus is on a new class of materials known as 2D Materials, which they believe could enable the production of chips up to ten times smaller than today’s smallest, potentially positioning India as a global leader in semiconductor technology.

The IISc team first submitted a detailed project report (DPR) to the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) in April 2022. After revisions, a new version was resubmitted in October 2024 and shared with the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY). This proposal aims to create angstrom-scale chips, which would drastically reduce the size of current nanometer-scale technologies.

Currently, the smallest chips in production measure just 3 nanometers, manufactured by companies like Samsung and MediaTek. The IISc’s proposal, which aims to replace silicon in semiconductor tech, is part of a broader push to reduce India’s dependency on foreign semiconductor manufacturers.

MeitY officials have confirmed ongoing discussions regarding the proposal and expressed a positive outlook. The ministry recognizes the collaborative nature of the initiative, which would require concerted effort and diligence throughout its development.

Unlike the Rs 91,000 crore Tata Electronics and PSMC project, which is backed by the India Semiconductor Mission, IISc’s proposal seeks a relatively modest Rs 500 crore over five years to develop next-gen semiconductors and ensure self-sustainability.

With global investments pouring into 2D materials—Europe alone has invested over USD 1 billion—the urgency for India to act is growing. The 2D material research could be crucial for future technological advancements, and experts warn that India must take swift action or risk falling behind as other countries push forward into a post-silicon era.

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