Following up on our Make America Make Again post on manufacturing, what about learning to make microchips?…

Online

Purdue Semiconductor 101 — free online course…a bunch of videos, but includes a VR fabrication lab simulator (VFabLab)
- Feeds into their Online MS in Microelectronics and Semiconductors program, which runs $43K.
Zero to ASIC course — roughly $1000. learn process development kit and design (and actually get fabricated) a digital circuit. There’s also an analog ASIC sequel. This is the game if your goal of making microchips is to be a Fabless cat.
U Albany has online/hybrid grad certificate courses in Semiconductor Manufacturing, Semiconductor Metrology, and Semiconductor Patterning & Processing. Generally about 3 courses each, so roughly $6K for New York State residents

In-Person (USA)

Maricopa Community College (in Arizona) has a 10-day semiconductor technician quickstart course. (roughly $400)
NNCI (National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure) is an NSF-funded network of 16 open-access nanofabrication user facilities at universities across the country. Good way to find a real cleanroom near you.

NY Creates — based in Albany has a series of workforce development programs around semiconductor manufacture. (I’ve put my name on the Faculty Technical Development Workshop mailing list for a few months, but haven’t heard anything)
NORDTECH (Northeast Regional Defense Technology Hub) is, despite its name, focused on microelectronics rather than exothermic reactions. Consortium of universities and industry (and BNL) facilities, mostly in New York.
Cornell CNF (Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility) is part of NNCI and accepts ~50% external users. Their Technology and Characterization at the Nanoscale short course runs twice yearly: a virtual January edition ($120 flat) and an in-person June edition in Ithaca ($425 academic rate, free for non-Cornell US grad students via NSF subsidy).

CUNY ASCR Nanofab has gadgets, but training is unclear to me. Maybe through one of the MS in Nanoscience lab courses?

Having watched a bunch of these videos, it is truly amazing. There is a pinnacle of humanity’s achievements in chemistry, optics, and physics that is required.
Sam Zeloof made working ICs in his parents’ garage in NJ — a PMOS differential amplifier in 2018, then a 1200-transistor chip in 2022 — using repurposed 1970s equipment and extensively documented everything.