In this episode of Micro Journeys, host Daniel Marrujo sits down with Raj Jammy, a seasoned leader whose career spans semiconductor research, manufacturing, and critical public-private initiatives shaping the future of microelectronics. From growing up in India, dismantling toys to understand how they worked, to spearheading pivotal semiconductor R&D partnerships in the U.S., Raj shares the personal stories and global experiences that forged his passion for technology and innovation.

The conversation dives deep into Raj’s journey across major institutions like IBM, SEMATECH, and IMEC, exploring how each stop helped him tackle complex challenges in microelectronics. They discuss the foundational role of public-private partnerships in driving breakthroughs, how the semiconductor ecosystem evolved from vertically integrated giants to today’s distributed, hyper-specialized landscape, and why Section 9906 of the CHIPS Act is a critical blueprint for ensuring U.S. leadership in semiconductor innovation and manufacturing.

Raj highlights how future success hinges on collaborative ecosystems that move discoveries from lab to fab, balancing academic curiosity with manufacturability to ensure cutting-edge research that actually transforms into deployable, production-ready technologies.

What You’ll Discover in This Episode

• [1:22] How Raj’s early curiosity—taking apart radios and VCRs in India—sparked a lifelong passion for engineering.
• [8:20] Lessons from IBM: working on DRAM and high-k metal gates, and how even 10 extra minutes in a process could derail global manufacturing timelines.
• [13:53] The impact of SEMATECH’s pioneering public-private partnership model and why it still serves as a template for addressing today’s semiconductor challenges.
• [21:24] World of process characterization and learnings at Zeiss and their focus on scientific excellence
• [32:43] The creation of the CHIPS Act R&D blueprint: coordinating hundreds of companies and universities to build a sustainable national semiconductor strategy.
• [42:50] How IMEC is connecting regional centers like Indiana, Florida, Michigan and Massachusetts into a global hub-and-spoke model to accelerate advanced packaging, automotive, and life science applications.
• [49:28] Why the future of microelectronics depends on layered collaborations—academic labs, specialized R&D fabs, and industry leaders—all working together to move innovations to production.

Let’s Connect:

• Daniel Marrujo
• Raj Jammy
• TSS Website

Learn more about TSS: https://tss.llc/micro-journeys-podcast/

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