Gandhinagar, February 27 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate Micron Technology’s advanced semiconductor facility in Sanand, Gujarat, on Saturday. This facility boasts one of the world’s largest cleanrooms for chip manufacturing.
This facility represents a significant step in strengthening India’s semiconductor manufacturing capabilities.
The Phase-1 cleanroom at the Sanand plant covers an area of five lakh square feet.
Speaking ahead of the inauguration, Sanjay Mehrotra, Chairman, President and Chief Executive of Micron Technology, said: “The cleanroom required three and a half times the steel used in the Eiffel Tower, and concrete equivalent to that in 100 Olympic-sized swimming pools.”
Cleanrooms are crucial for semiconductor manufacturing, where precision is paramount. Even a single airborne particle or a minor temperature fluctuation can disrupt operations.
“A cleanroom is even cleaner than an operating theatre. Even a single strand of hair can damage a chip, making the highest level of cleanliness essential,” explained the Micron team.
To achieve this, filtered air flows vertically from the ceiling to the floor in a uniform and symmetrical manner.
The floor is slightly raised to allow air circulation beneath it while ensuring uninterrupted cooling, power supply, and data operations.
Temperature and humidity are maintained with precise control, as even a one-degree Celsius variation can affect the functioning of memory tester machines, which generate significant heat during operation.
Comprehensive backup systems for power, cooling, and air circulation ensure seamless operations if any primary system fails. Mehrotra acknowledged the support provided by the government.
“The Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, has provided strong support and introduced policies encouraging greater investment. The Sanand project has emerged as a flagship initiative, and we are proud to partner with both the Central and Gujarat Governments in advancing it,” he said.
Designed in India to meet Micron’s global standards, the Sanand plant reinforces India’s position in the semiconductor sector.
Micron has been operating in India since 2019, with research and development centers in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, employing around 24,000 people.
India-based teams have played a key role in global innovation, including the design of advanced DRAM memory products in collaboration with teams in the United States.