News Article
Imec Implores Europe To Set Up A 450mm Silicon R&D Pilot Line
The development of MEMS and other ultra advanced CMOS technologies on 300mm and 450mm wafers will be vital to enable Europe to provide superior products on a global scale
R&D institute imec has published its results for 2011. Despite a challenging economic climate, the imec board concluded at its annual general assembly, that imec realised a 5% positive growth in revenue to hit the €300 million mark.
In 2011, several existing partnerships in imec's broad research offering were renewed. Important new collaboration agreements were signed with leading companies worldwide.
In particular, many new contracts were signed with fabless and fablite companies. To remain competitive, these companies need to get early insight in the most advanced CMOS technologies to develop their next-generation smart systems. Therefore, imec has extended its advanced CMOS facilities, answering the needs of the product design community in IDMs, fabless, fablite and system-design companies.
"I'm looking back to a challenging but positive year" says Luc Van den hove, President and CEO of imec. "Our growing global partner network is a confirmation of the relevance of imec's R&D offering to the industry. Imec's business model of open innovation has always been imec's strength. Given the growing complexity of the challenges that need to be tackled, open innovation will become ever more important as it allows efficient cost sharing and risk mitigation, and accelerates research."
Together with its partners, imec says it's scientists and engineers achieved excellent results in various domains. These included advanced CMOS scaling, smart systems, biomedical electronics, organic electronics, low-power wireless communication and energy.
Over 1,750 publications came out of this work and 41 prizes were awarded to imec researchers. What's more, in 2011, 132 patents were granted and 133 patent applications were submitted.
Imec says its R&D offering reaches out far beyond the borders of the semiconductor community and that such a multidisciplinary approach secures imec's future growth. It also enables innovation at the borderline of disciplines, indispensible to find technology solutions for the grand challenges the world is facing such as the sustainable use of energy.
Also in 2011, a positive evaluation of imec resulted in the signing of a new 5-year agreement with the Flemish Government. When meeting the strategic and operational objectives of the contract, imec will, until 2016, receive a yearly grant of more than €48 million coupled to the health index.
According to imec, European collaboration is now becoming ever more important. In 2011, imec started working on new European research programs.
Luc Van den hove, president and CEO at imec comments, "We have many strengths in Europe including world-leading R&D institutes, world-leading equipment and material suppliers, and many high-end system companies. By joining forces, Europe can change into an innovation engine, offering the world innovative advanced technology."
He concludes, "To drive Europe's innovative power on the longer term, Europe will need to stay ahead of advanced technologies. Above CMOS technologies such as MEMS on top of CMOS using 300mm wafers and the most advanced CMOS on 450mm wafers will be imperative. Therefore, I endeavour that Europe joins forces to set up a 450mm R&D pilot line. This 450mm facility will support the entire European eco system (including equipment and material suppliers, fabless and system houses), and it will enable Europe to keep on delivering the most advanced material, technology and device research to the world."
