ITRI and NPL partner on semiconductor standards
Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) have signed a cooperation agreement for semiconductor measurement standards.
This follows the establishment of ITRI’s UK Office in May 2025 and its partnership with the Catapult Network, Taiwan-UK relations deepened further with a cooperation agreement between ITRI and the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL).
The agreement will enable joint research, personnel exchanges, and co-development of emerging technologies in semiconductor measurement standards, aiming to secure Taiwan-UK leadership in international standards while reducing industry costs and enhancing competitiveness.
ITRI President Edwin Liu emphasised that the UK’s leadership in fundamental science, green economy, and digital transformation complements Taiwan’s strengths in semiconductors, ICT, and applied technology commercialisation.
“Building on existing collaborations with Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult (CSA Catapult) and Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE Catapult) in compound semiconductors and energy, the new partnership with NPL will advance pre-standardisation research in semiconductors, advanced materials, and key measurement technologies,” he said.
“The collaboration will promote global measurement standard consistency through technical exchanges, inter-laboratory comparisons, standard setting, and personnel training, connecting Taiwan-UK research resources to help industries jointly explore global markets.”
Deputy director-general June-Chieh Lai of the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, noted that ITRI operates Taiwan’s National Measurement Laboratory (NML), which maintains the nation’s highest measurement standards. Over the years, ITRI and NPL have collaborated closely to harmonise their national quality systems with international standards. Looking ahead, this renewed partnership is set to drive fresh momentum in industrial innovation.
Lai indicated that both NML and NPL are signatories to the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement, which allows calibrations performed in one country to be recognised globally. This framework helps industries reduce duplicate testing costs for exports, lower technical trade barriers, and enhance product competitiveness in international markets. The ITRI-NPL collaboration in semiconductors, AI, and advanced materials will accelerate standardisation in emerging industries and the commercialisation of new semiconductor technologies, strengthening Taiwan’s leading position in the global high-tech supply chain.
NPL is a world-class metrology and applied physics research institution that maintains the UK’s national measurement standards and is deeply involved in establishing international metrology systems. It has achieved many important international results, including the development of the world’s ultra-high-precision atomic clocks, the establishment of international nanoscale measurement standards, and its designation as an international benchmark in climate monitoring and medical imaging metrology, thereby playing a key role in the development of the global metrology field.
UK National Technology adviser Dave Smith stated that the semiconductor industry is at the core of global progress, and Taiwan and the UK already have a solid foundation of scientific research cooperation. This collaboration in semiconductor metrology will enable both sides to leverage their respective advantages to become key developers of international semiconductor measurement standards, establishing a successful model of cross-border cooperation and jointly shaping the future of global technology.
