News Article
IMEC extends partnership programme
Powerchip Semiconductor Corporation (PSC), a Taiwan-based memory semiconductor supplier offering Dynamic Random Access Memory chips (DRAMs) and Flash memory chips, has entered into a partnership with IMEC, Europe's leading independent nanoelectronics research center, to perform research and development for the sub-32nm memory process generations.
As part of the agreement, PSC will collaborate within IMEC's advanced lithography program addressing immersion, double patterning and EUV lithography challenges. From March 2008 onwards, PSC researchers will reside at IMEC to closely collaborate with IMEC's researchers in the abovementioned areas. In this way, they will build up fundamental understanding and develop robust solutions for the 32nm and beyond memory process generations.
With this agreement, IMEC further enforces the unique strength of its consortium and program towards leading memory technologies. Before that,
IMEC had already grouped the top five leading memory suppliers including Micron, Qimonda, Samsung, Elpida and Hynix, to collaborate within IMEC's
global research platform striving to scale CMOS beyond the 32nm node.
The platform also unites world leading logic IDMs and foundries, including Intel, Panasonic, TSMC, Infineon, NXP, STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments. This "leading mix" of semiconductor market segments is proving to be a unique cross-fertilization platform strengthening state-of-the-art process R&D beyond 32nm node and answering the needs of the whole semiconductor market.
Powerchip Semiconductor Chairman Dr. Frank Huang expressed, as photolithography technology approaches 32nm we encounter physical limitations while at the same time development costs are increasing. Therefore the trend of alliances and joint development will become more and more eminent in the industry. Semiconductor giants including Intel and TSMC as well as memory suppliers Samsung and Micron have already established long term development collaboration with IMEC. As PSC's continues to grow and technology continues to advance, in order to avoid being left behind on the development of next generation advanced process technology, PSC has decided to sign an agreement with IMEC to participate in its global research network, in order to accelerate the advancement of process technology and to take a step further in increasing PSC's high efficiency production.
"We are excited that PSC has joined our research platform. Their growth in the memory business is impressive, and their know-how in memory scaling will be an important asset for our global research platform," said Prof. Gilbert Declerck, President and CEO of IMEC. "PSC's joining demonstrates our ambition to further expand our program with new leading
partners, on the path to technologies below 32nm. It emphasizes the increasing strength of our memory partner network, which is unique in the world. It also illustrates our commitment to further enforce our business in Taiwan, at the time when we're opening IMEC Taiwan in the Hsinchu Science Park."
With this agreement, IMEC further enforces the unique strength of its consortium and program towards leading memory technologies. Before that,
IMEC had already grouped the top five leading memory suppliers including Micron, Qimonda, Samsung, Elpida and Hynix, to collaborate within IMEC's
global research platform striving to scale CMOS beyond the 32nm node.
The platform also unites world leading logic IDMs and foundries, including Intel, Panasonic, TSMC, Infineon, NXP, STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments. This "leading mix" of semiconductor market segments is proving to be a unique cross-fertilization platform strengthening state-of-the-art process R&D beyond 32nm node and answering the needs of the whole semiconductor market.
Powerchip Semiconductor Chairman Dr. Frank Huang expressed, as photolithography technology approaches 32nm we encounter physical limitations while at the same time development costs are increasing. Therefore the trend of alliances and joint development will become more and more eminent in the industry. Semiconductor giants including Intel and TSMC as well as memory suppliers Samsung and Micron have already established long term development collaboration with IMEC. As PSC's continues to grow and technology continues to advance, in order to avoid being left behind on the development of next generation advanced process technology, PSC has decided to sign an agreement with IMEC to participate in its global research network, in order to accelerate the advancement of process technology and to take a step further in increasing PSC's high efficiency production.
"We are excited that PSC has joined our research platform. Their growth in the memory business is impressive, and their know-how in memory scaling will be an important asset for our global research platform," said Prof. Gilbert Declerck, President and CEO of IMEC. "PSC's joining demonstrates our ambition to further expand our program with new leading
partners, on the path to technologies below 32nm. It emphasizes the increasing strength of our memory partner network, which is unique in the world. It also illustrates our commitment to further enforce our business in Taiwan, at the time when we're opening IMEC Taiwan in the Hsinchu Science Park."
