Virginia’s new Virtual Fabrication Access Bridge, powered by the Virginia Alliance for Semiconductor Technology (VAST), is a first-of-its-kind online platform that connects more than 170 advanced semiconductor tools across five universities.
The single, unified access system will provide researchers, students, and start-ups with streamlined access to equipment that typically costs millions of dollars to own, reshaping the commonwealth’s microelectronics innovation landscape.
Virginia Tech contributes two key facilities to the platform: the Micron Center in Blacksburg, focused on chip fabrication and nanocharacterization, and the Center for Power Electronics Systems and Power Electronics and Packaging Laboratories in Arlington, specializing in semiconductor packaging.
“Virginia Tech has been a foundational partner and key driver of this ecosystem from its inception,” said Dan Sui, the university’s senior vice president for research and innovation. “Our most significant contribution is the sheer scale of our research enterprise and talent pipeline.”
The university enrolls a majority of the 600-plus students studying semiconductor-related topics in Virginia and leads the curriculum development for the Fast Track to Semiconductor Careers Certificate Program, which trains veterans and adult learners for high-demand jobs in the field.
The Virtual Fabrication Access Bridge addresses a critical challenge identified by federal agencies: the lack of broad access to fabrication infrastructure for education, research, and industry. Before its launch, researchers often relied on informal connections to access equipment at other institutions.
“We are proud to celebrate a major milestone with the launch of the Virtual Fabrication Access Bridge — a groundbreaking statewide platform that exemplifies VAST’s mission to build a collaborative, innovation-driven semiconductor ecosystem in Virginia,” said Masoud Agah, VAST’s executive director. “It stands as a powerful example of how VAST turns shared vision into real, scalable infrastructure.”
Breaking down barriers in microelectronics access
The Virtual Fabrication Access Bridge (VFAB) connects fabrication and characterization tools across five universities: Virginia Tech, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Norfolk State University, and George Mason University. Each university’s cleanroom and instrumentation facilities are searchable and reservable through the centralized, cloud-based portal.
“Before VFAB, if we needed access to a tool not available in our lab, we had to cold-email professors and hope for a collaboration,” said Xiaoting Jia, professor in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
The platform operates through single sign-on access, allowing users from any participating institution to reserve tools and track usage across the network. It serves internal university users as well as external academic researchers, start-ups, and commercial partners.
“As a land-grant institution, Virginia Tech has a long history of serving the Commonwealth of Virginia by leading statewide efforts in critical technology and training areas,” said Sui.
A strategic asset for national competitiveness
VFAB supports Virginia’s position in the national semiconductor resurgence driven by the CHIPS and Science Act, which has prompted historic federal investment in domestic semiconductor capacity.
Currently, the system supports more than 100 active users and spans over 65,000 square feet of laboratory space across participating institutions. Future priorities include expanding access programs for startups and offering micro-credentials and hybrid training programs.
The platform already supports over 100 active users, a 1:6 staff-to-equipment ratio, and more than 65,000 square feet of lab space — positioning it as a scalable node in the national innovation ecosystem.