Bich-Yen Nguyen

2024
IEEE FREDERIK PHILIPS AWARD

Sponsored by the IEEE Frederik Philips Award Fund

“For leadership in the research, development, and commercialization of innovative silicon-on-insulator substrates, process technologies, and devices.”

Bich-Yen Nguyen has had a transformational impact on the semiconductor industry and, in turn, on global society. Throughout her career, she has recognized breakthrough technologies at their earliest stages and diligently helped bring them into production. She pioneered high-k/Dual metal-gates gate-stack, strained engineering, 3D-IC, and substrate engineering ahead of many. She saw the potential of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology 35 years ago and used her intuition to propel the growth of SOI wafers in the market. SOI chips are now present in all smartphones, and will continue to be more pervasive in our cars and homes. Nguyen is one of few women who have impacted the history of microelectronics development and her innovations have changed the world for the better.

An IEEE Fellow, Nguyen is a Senior Fellow, Soitec, Austin, Texas, USA.