Research Area

Sustainability assessment and life-cycle analysis for advanced semiconductor and quantum technologies.

Research Overview

Dr Le Yu is a Lecturer and researcher in the School of Chemical Engineering at Adelaide University, specialising in life-cycle assessment (LCA), techno-economic assessment (TEA), and sustainability evaluation of emerging advanced manufacturing systems. Her research focuses on integrating environmental systems analysis with semiconductor and quantum technologies to support cleaner production, resource efficiency, and low-carbon innovation.

Within QuTech, Dr Yu’s research investigates the environmental sustainability of quantum and semiconductor manufacturing systems, including fabrication processes, cleanroom operations, energy-intensive infrastructure, and advanced materials. Her work aims to develop decision-oriented sustainability frameworks that support the transition toward scalable and environmentally responsible quantum technologies.

The Problem

Quantum and semiconductor technologies rely on highly energy- and resource-intensive manufacturing systems, including cleanroom infrastructure, cryogenic operation, ultrapure water production, specialty chemicals, and advanced materials processing. Despite rapid technological progress, there remains limited understanding of the full environmental impacts associated with quantum-device fabrication and operation. Existing sustainability assessments are often difficult to compare due to inconsistent system boundaries, limited inventory transparency, and rapidly evolving technologies.

As Australia expands capability in quantum technologies and advanced semiconductor manufacturing, there is increasing need for robust sustainability assessment frameworks that can guide cleaner production, responsible scale-up, and environmentally informed decision-making across the sector.

The Solution

Dr Yu’s research applies life-cycle assessment, techno-economic assessment, and systems-based sustainability frameworks to evaluate the environmental performance of semiconductor and quantum manufacturing systems. Her work focuses on identifying environmental hotspots, improving inventory transparency, and developing decision-oriented frameworks for cleaner and more sustainable technology development.

Current research activities include sustainability assessment of semiconductor fabrication processes, quantum-device manufacturing systems, cleanroom operations, advanced materials processing, and low-carbon manufacturing pathways. The research also investigates strategies for reducing environmental burdens through energy optimisation, low-carbon electricity integration, water circularity, process efficiency, and improved manufacturing transparency.