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(NAS Colloquium) Science, Technology and the Economy (1996) / Chapter Skim
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Sematech: Purpose and Performance
Pages 85-88

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From page 85...
... As a result, the government's Sematech contributions might be less effective in stimulating research than, for example, R&D tax credits. The Purpose of Sematech The semiconductor industry is one of the largest hightechnology industries in the United States and provides inputs to other high-technology industries such as electronic computing equipment and telecommunications equipment.
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From page 86...
... The Semiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984 enhanced protection of intellectual property, and the National Cooperative Research Act of 1984 loosened antitrust restrictions on R&D joint ventures. Partly as a result of this legislation, Sematech was incorporated in August of 1987 with 14 founding members (AT&T Microelectronics, Advanced Micro Devices, International Business Machines, Digital Equipment, Harris Semiconductor, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, LSI Logic, Micron Technology, Motorola, NCR, National Semiconductor, Rockwell International, and Texas Instruments)
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From page 87...
... Since semiconductor firms slide down related learning curves whether they produce memory chips or microprocessors, efficiency gains can be leaped from joint ventures. With this in mind, Sematech was formed in 1987.
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From page 88...
... Federal Research: Sematech's Efforts to Develop and Transfer Manufacturing Technology (U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC)
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Key Terms

  • production knowledge
  • joint ventures
  • semiconductor research
  • semiconductor industry
  • commitment hypothesis

  • manufacturing technology
  • semiconductor production
  • semiconductor manufacturing
  • social return
  • private return

  • justify government
  • government funding
  • steep learning
  • equipment manufacturers
  • learning curve

  • sharing hypothesis
  • domestic semiconductor
  • semiconductor sales
  • cypress semiconductor
  • semiconductor equipment

  • sales revenue
  • research act
  • minimum contribution
  • public funds
  • knowledge remains

  • production technology
  • antitrust prosecution
  • form joint
  • micron technology
  • previous work


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