Chips Act invests billions in Camas semiconductor industry

CAMAS, Wash. (KPTV) - The Chips and Science Act, passed in Washington D.C., will invest billions of dollars into Clark County’s semi-conductor industry, an industry that provides thousands of jobs in the area.

The nLIGHT semi-conductor manufacturing facility in Camas is one of the facilities that uses a high-power semiconductor and fiber laser technologies to create chips. Those chips are used to power cars, ships, and even military equipment. Officials with nLIGHT said the technology used on the Mars Rover was created in Camas.

Now, with the passing of the Chips and Science Act, $250 Billion will be allocated toward Clark County’s semiconductor and electronics manufacturing companies. With nearly 3000 jobs in Clark County coming from the semi-conductor industry, officials with nLIGHT said the grant money will keep the competitive industry thriving in Washington and in the U.S.

“The competitiveness and relevance for this Chips Act on American manufacturing on Semi-conductor devices is critical to maintain leadership,” said nLIGHT CTO Robert Martinsen, “which we should really be taking back from the offshoring of this technology of the past 20 years.”

nLIGHT said the money will go toward the development of semiconductor physics. The company is working on new lasers for surgery, national defense and 3D printing of metal parts.

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