Semiconductors and thin-film growth

Ideas about semiconductor materials and devices, epitaxy and thin-film growth, microelectronics and photonics.

Who funds this idea

4 calls from 4 funders currently fund work on this idea. Most calls: NIST (1), FFG – Austrian Research Promotion Agency (1), European Commission (Horizon Europe) (1), NSF (1).

1 call for this idea welcome industry or international partners

Open now (3)

CHIPS Incentives Program – Facilities for Semiconductor Materials and Manufacturing Equipment

National Institute of Standards and Technology · United States

Deadline: 01 Nov 2026 (10 days)

Award: Typically 10% of project capital expenditure (20–30% in rare cases); projects under $20M capex unlikely to qualify

Checked 22 Oct 2026

materialsindustry / SME

FFG Schlüsseltechnologien im produktionsnahen Umfeld 2026 (Advanced Materials, Robotics, Photonics/Quantum)

FFG – Austrian Research Promotion Agency · Austria

Deadline: 28 Jan 2027 (98 days)

Award: EUR 100,000–1,500,000 per cooperative project (max 85%); total budget EUR 10.6M

Checked 16 Oct 2026

materialsestablished / PI

MPS Materials Research Programs (MPS Materials)

U.S. National Science Foundation · United States

Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline

Total budget (all awards): Total program funding $100,000,000; award size: see call

Checked 22 Oct 2026

chemistrymaterialsestablished / PI

Opening soon (1)

Space critical EEE components for EU non-dependence

European Commission – Horizon Europe · EU Member States & Horizon Europe associated countries

Opening soon: not yet open

Deadline: 20 Jan 2028 (455 days)

Award: EUR 3,000,000–4,000,000 per project

Checked 22 Oct 2026

chemistryestablished / PI

Recently funded work on this idea

43 awards from NSF and NIH in our sample of the last 24 months match this idea. Latest examples:

Award (official page)	Institution	Amount	Start date
EPMD: Overcoming Multiscale Heterogeneity of Printed Halide Perovskites with Self-Leveling Inks and Targeted Passivation U.S. National Science Foundation · EPMQD: Electronic, Photonic, M	Dartmouth College	$450,000 (estimated total award)	15 Oct 2026
Collaborative Research: DMREF: NSF-DFG: AI-Driven Platform for 2D Materials Synthesis and Discovery U.S. National Science Foundation · DMREF, GVF - Global Venture Fund, OFFICE OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY AC	Pennsylvania State Univ University Park	$1,440,000 (estimated total award)	01 Oct 2026
Collaborative Research: DMREF: NSF-DFG: AI-Driven Platform for 2D Materials Synthesis and Discovery U.S. National Science Foundation · DMREF	Kenyon College	$160,000 (estimated total award)	01 Oct 2026
I-Corps: Translation Potential of a Silicon-Native Light Source Platform Enabled by Momentum-Engineered Photonic States U.S. National Science Foundation · I-Corps	University of California-Irvine	$50,000 (estimated total award)	01 Sep 2026