The semiconductor market is exciting and ever-changing. Not a day goes by without headlines about how small we can make chips (2nm!), new materials, processes, and packaging, cutting edge chips enabling AI and Quantum computing!
Amidst the headline-grabbing developments there is a lesser known but critically important part of the semiconductor ecosystem-legacy chips.
Legacy chips are built on older nodes, and in some cases have been out of production for years but are still mission critical for a host of long-cycle industries. Semiconductors are embedded in every modern platform you can think of; from airplanes to anti-lock brakes; from oil exploration sensors to espresso makers. Semiconductors are everywhere and (surprise!) they aren’t all the smallest and most cutting edge. In fact, you wouldn’t want them to be. Cutting edge means risk. When you think about anti-lock brakes you need a never-fail, tested system that relies on older technology that is the exact opposite of cutting edge. We want those technologies to be reliable and to perform the same way every single time.
This is the value of legacy semiconductors, and why we should be aware of and focused on ensuring our country has a steady supply of US-manufactured legacy chips.