The Texas A&M University Cyclotron Institute has been awarded a $13 million grant from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund — a pivotal commitment toward a critical facility expansion designed to enhance Texas A&M’s capabilities in chip testing and discovery science.
The funds, announced last week by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, will be combined with a recent $11 million Missile Defense Agency grant awarded to the Cyclotron Institute and additional contributions from Texas A&M’s Office of the President, Office of the Provost, Division of Research and College of Arts and Sciences to support construction of new experimental beam lines and testing areas in the institute, as well as a new state-of-the-art spectrometer optimized for experiments with high-intensity radioactive beams. The expansion will also provide dedicated project space for commercial users who reserve time on Texas A&M’s cyclotrons for their own research projects, along with additional space for faculty and students.
“This expansion seeks to maintain and grow Texas A&M’s leadership in semiconductor testing, design and fabrication by significantly expanding radiation hardness testing for electronics at various design and manufacturing stages,” said Texas A&M Distinguished Professor and Regents Professor of Chemistry Dr. Sherry J. Yennello, an expert in nuclear chemistry who has served as director of the Cyclotron Institute since 2014. “The project supports Texas A&M’s longstanding contribution to the nation’s research, security, and defense while fully capitalizing on the expanded potential for discovery science in keeping with the Cyclotron Institute’s strong tradition of continuous infrastructure improvement that has fueled its excellence in fundamental science and applied accelerator physics for nearly six decades.”
The facility expansion, approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents in February and outlined in a Program of Requirements study funded by the Texas A&M Semiconductor Institute, will add 6,000 square feet to the west side of the Alvin R. Luedecke Cyclotron Institute Building on Texas A&M’s main campus. The overall cost of construction is estimated at $28.1 million, with an additional $12 million in equipment and upgraded security measures necessary to support the existing and new facilities.
“This investment will significantly expand the research and testing capabilities of Texas A&M’s Cyclotron Institute and its Radiation Effects Facility,” said Texas A&M Vice President for Research Dr. Angela K. Wilson. “This project will accelerate innovation that is critical for national security, space exploration and resilient infrastructure. We are grateful to the governor and state leaders for their continued commitment to research that drives both scientific discovery and real world impact.”
Core Value
The Cyclotron Institute, a U.S. Department of Energy University Facility and one of five DOE-designated Centers of Excellence, is jointly supported by the DOE and the state of Texas as a major technical and educational resource for the state, nation and world dedicated to a three-part mission of discovery science, workforce development and societal application. Internationally recognized for its research, the institute provides the primary infrastructure support for Texas A&M’s graduate programs in nuclear science.
In addition to conducting basic research critical for understanding the building blocks of matter and educating students in accelerator-based science and technology, the institute provides technical capabilities for a wide variety of applications in space science, materials science, analytical procedures and nuclear medicine. The facility is home to one of only five K500 or higher energy superconducting cyclotrons worldwide that, in combination with the original K150 cyclotron and advanced electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources, enables the institute to deliver 10,000 hours of beam annually in support of discovery science, radiation effects testing and isotope production.
“With this expansion, the Cyclotron Institute expects to attract significant funding and partnerships from federal and private sectors and empower other Texas-based industries,” said Texas A&M System Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research Dr. David A. Staack. “The project will contribute to job creation and economic growth within Texas while fostering innovation in semiconductor technologies vital for diverse sectors, including aerospace and defense, thus reinforcing Texas's and Texas A&M’s position as leaders in technological advancement and economic development.”
Enriching The Gold Standard
For more than 30 years, the Cyclotron Institute has provided high-energy heavy-ion particle testing unmatched in its ability to accurately simulate the effects of space radiation. Unlike X-ray and other testing techniques that cannot fully capture the complexities of space conditions, Texas A&M’s testing is the global gold standard for understanding the true impacts of space radiation on electronic systems and mission-critical microchips. Such testing is essential in developing control systems capable of withstanding the rigors of extended deployment — areas that include space missions and other high-radiation environments, such as nuclear reactors and the nuclear stockpile.
“Cyclotron Institute fundamental and applied research and testing contribute to multiple sectors that are critical to the success of our nation and its research, security and defense,” Yennello said. “At the same time, we’re also helping to supply its future workforce needs in these and other areas that are crucial to global innovation and advancement, ranging from exploring the limits of nuclear stability to developing potentially transformational cancer treatments.”
In the course of the past three decades, the institute’s radiation effects testing program has grown to encompass more than 4,000 hours of dedicated beam time each year, establishing Texas A&M as the premier location in not only the U.S. but also the world at which to do testing of heavy ion interactions with electronics, an important safeguard for both commercial and military satellites as well as space missions. Each year, more than 500 users representing 200 companies come to the institute for these critical studies spanning projects in aerospace and communication, national defense and security, space exploration, and autonomous vehicles in both space and terrestrial radiation environments.
“The significant existing industry user base in the defense and space sectors will greatly benefit from our additional capacity for testing services,” added accelerator physicist Dr. Henry L. Clark, who manages the institute’s Radiation Effects Facility. “This expansion will also bolster workforce development in radiation effects testing that benefits both national defense and commercial sectors, along with the growing demand for expertise in semiconductor testing and manufacturing.”
Texas-Sized Investments
In 2023, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law the Texas CHIPS Act to establish the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium and the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund, an incentive program to encourage the continued leadership of Texas in semiconductor research, design and manufacturing. These programs, administered by the Texas CHIPS Office, a division within the Governor’s Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office, are designed to leverage Texas’ investments in the semiconductor industry, encourage semiconductor-related companies to expand in the state, further develop the expertise and capacity of Texas institutions of higher education, and maintain the state’s position as the nation’s leader in semiconductor manufacturing.
Learn more about the Cyclotron Institute’s radiation effects testing or broader research program, Texas semiconductor leadership, or Texas’ statewide economic development strategic plan aimed at building a stronger Texas of Tomorrow.