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U.S. Air Force Plans Semiconductor R&D Center

Published 2/18/2022
Compound Semiconductor Laboratory – Microsystem Integration Facility
Compound Semiconductor Laboratory – Microsystem Integration Facility

The U.S. Air Force will begin construction in spring of 2022 on the $279 million Compound Semiconductor Laboratory – Microsystem Integration Facility (CSL-MIF) in Lexington, Mass. Supporting the growth, fabrication, and characterization of semiconductors made of two or more different elements, the 160,000-sf structure will enable scientists and engineers to package heterogeneously integrated electronic prototypes for specialized applications. Located on Hanscom Air Force Base at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the three-story project will foster the creation of new technologies for imaging, surveillance, quantum computing, and space communications.

One floor of the building will offer 35,000 sf of cleanroom space, most of which will contain fewer than 10 particles of 0.5 microns or larger per cubic foot of air. Below this vibration-isolated level, a mechanical floor housing vacuum pumps, electrical infrastructure, and chemical supplies will enable maintenance to be performed without contamination or disruption. The floor suspended above the cleanroom will accommodate the sophisticated HVAC equipment needed to regulate the air flow in the controlled environments.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the construction manager for the project, which will be built by a joint venture of Gilbane and Exyte. Lincoln Laboratory will install and calibrate the facility’s specialized microelectronics fabrication equipment. Completion is expected in 2025.

Organization Project Role
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Construction Manager
Gilbane
Joint-Venture Contractor
Exyte
Joint-Venture Contractor