Chennai: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has deepened its strategic partnership with Applied Materials India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Applied Materials, Inc., to advance semiconductor research, innovation, and skill development.

As part of the collaboration, IIT Madras has deployed the foundational software of AppliedTwin™, a digital twin framework developed by Applied Materials to model and optimise semiconductor manufacturing processes. The initiative aims to strengthen India's semiconductor R&D ecosystem and build an industry-ready workforce.

A hands-on workshop on the AppliedTwin™ platform was held at IIT Madras on Thursday, drawing participation from over 150 students and faculty members. The event coincides with IIT Madras' efforts to establish a semiconductor fabrication (FAB) facility in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu government, featuring integrated reliability and packaging capabilities.

IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti said the deployment will help faculty and students accelerate concept creation, prototyping, and process exploration virtually, cutting R&D time and costs. He added that integrating digital twin technologies into academic and research programmes aligns with India's semiconductor mission.

Applied Materials India Country President Avi Avula said the collaboration underscores the company's commitment to developing a robust semiconductor ecosystem and nurturing future engineers.

The AppliedTwin™ suite—comprising ACE+, a multi-physics modelling software, and TOPO+, a topography simulator—will allow IIT Madras researchers to simulate semiconductor workflows virtually. The software will also be made available to students across institutions and MSMEs via the IIT Madras Swayam Plus platform.