Semiconductor development ASML and imec enter strategic partnership for research and sustainability

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The Dutch semiconductor manufacturing equipment manufacturer ASML and the Belgian research institute imec have entered into a strategic partnership. Over the next five years, they aim to develop solutions for the European semiconductor industry to advance initiatives for sustainable innovation.

The collaboration encompasses ASML's entire product portfolio, with a focus on the development of high-end nodes. In particular, ASML systems such as 0.55 NA EUV, 0.33 NA EUV, DUV immersion, YieldStar optical metrology, and HMI single and multi-beam technologies will be utilized.

These tools will be installed in imec's state-of-the-art semiconductor pilot line and integrated into the NanoIC pilot line funded by the EU and Flanders. This is intended to provide the international semiconductor ecosystem with the most advanced infrastructure for research and development that exists in the sub-2-nm range.

The research and development will also focus on silicon photonics, memory, and advanced packaging. The aim is to enable comprehensive innovations for future semiconductor-based AI applications in various markets.

The collaboration between ASML and imec is also expected to make a significant contribution to financing innovative ideas and activities that benefit the environment and society. This particularly advances funding and start-up support initiatives such as imec.xpand.

"This agreement marks the next step in the long-standing collaboration between ASML and imec," commented Christophe Fouquet, President and CEO of ASML. "It signals our shared ambitions to develop solutions for the semiconductor industry and aligns with our strategy to invest in technology and innovation that will benefit society as a whole."

"We are pleased to continue our long-standing unique partnership with ASML and provide the industry with access to the most advanced patterning solutions for over 30 years," explains Luc Van den hove, President and CEO of imec. "By incorporating ASML's entire product portfolio, we can expand and further enhance the capabilities of our pilot line and provide the entire semiconductor ecosystem with the most advanced research and development to address the challenges of AI-driven technological advancement. With imec placing a strong emphasis on sustainable innovation, it is a great addition that this has been explicitly incorporated into our partnership."

ASML's investment in the partnership is supplemented by funds provided by the Chips Joint Undertaking and the Flemish government (for the realization of the EU Chips Act NanoIC pilot line), as well as by the Dutch government (as an important project of common European interest). The acquisition and operation of the NanoIC pilot line are jointly financed by the Chips Joint Undertaking through the European Union's "Digital Europe" (101183266) and "Horizon Europe" (101183277) programs as well as by the participating states Belgium (Flanders), France, Germany, Finland, Ireland, and Romania.

The deployment of the 0.55-NA technology at imec was part of the Next Gen-7A project (IPCEI22201), which was funded as an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) by the Dutch government. (sg)