Scalable Memory Architecture Program (SMAP)
The goal of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) Scalable Memory Architecture Program (SMAP) is to address the growing disparity between processor speed and memory bandwidth, commonly known as the “memory wall.” By developing scalable, workload-driven architectural solutions that leverage new memory technologies and advanced packaging techniques, SMAP aims to provide NSTC Members with the data, tools, and technology assessment capabilities needed to optimize performance, reduce latency, and improve energy efficiency in high computing data center systems and energy-constrained edge systems.
The Challenge
Modern high-performance computing systems are increasingly reliant on System on Chips (SoCs) comprised of specialized compute accelerators (e.g., GPUs, TPUs, FPGAs) working alongside CPUs in a heterogeneous compute system to handle massive workloads efficiently. Modern computing systems are predominantly processor-centric, designed to move data to computation, which exacerbates several key trends in computing that create performance, scalability, and energy bottlenecks.
Over the past 20 years, the scaling of compute, memory, and interconnect technologies have revealed a disparity: peak server hardware FLOPS has been scaling at 3.0× every 2 years, outpacing the growth of DRAM and interconnect bandwidth, which have only scaled at 1.6x and 1.4x times every 2 years, respectively. This disparity has made memory, rather than compute, the primary bottleneck in AI applications. Despite remarkable progress in developing specialized compute units, there has been a comparative lack of advancement in harnessing new memory technologies and architectures to address the same workload-specific optimizations.
The Opportunity
The SMAP research initiative aims to tackle the memory wall challenge by developing scalable, workload-driven architectural solutions using new memory technologies beyond traditional memories (such as SRAM, DRAM Flash) and advanced packaging technologies.
The program plans to fund multiple research teams to explore two Focus Areas:
- Data center compute systems
- Edge compute systems
Within each Focus Area, the teams will explore three specific Technology Areas:
- New memory technologies
- Advanced packaging technologies
- Programming models
This program seeks optimal performance and energy efficiency solutions for industry-relevant workloads, targeting significant improvements in system speed, energy consumption, and computational capabilities.
By integrating multiple layers of the system stack, the SMAP program aims to foster a cohesive approach to enhancing system performance. It encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, introducing new paradigms for memory technology mapping and development that are tailored to specific workload characteristics and employing advanced packaging to integrate disparate technologies. By synergizing hardware and software considerations, the program aims to lower barriers to industry adoption, ensuring practical and effective implementation of new technologies. The program deliverables are designed to benefit a wide range of stakeholders, including logic and memory companies, system companies, and fabless semiconductor firms, promoting widespread industry innovation.
Funding Opportunity
Total program funding is up to $33.5M with 8-14 awards anticipated with duration not exceeding 30 months. Individual awards are expected to range from $2M to $5M, depending on the project scope.
General Eligibility
Eligible applicants include domestic for-profit organizations, non-profit organizations, and accredited institutions of higher education.
While entities are not required to be NSTC members at the time of application, Natcast will work with each awardee so they can become an NSTC member at the time of Award. Learn more about the benefits of becoming an NSTC member and apply here.
More information is available in the official Call for Proposals (CFP) linked below.
Application Timeline
| Milestone | Target Date |
|---|---|
| Call for Proposals Released | April 14, 2025 |
| SMAP Proposers' Day | April 29, 2025 |
| Concept Paper Due | May 6, 2025 |
| Question Submission Deadline | May 28, 2025 (5 p.m. PT) |
| Full Proposal Due | June 17, 2025 (5 p.m. PT) |
| Project Start | Dec. 2025 |
Questions?
Questions can be submitted to [email protected]. Responses to frequently asked questions will be posted to this SMAP website page.