News Article
imec celebrates thirty years of industry innovation
Leuven-based research institute is highlighting its most notable contributions to advancing global semiconductor, life science, wireless and energy technologies
Belgium based research institute imec has announced the celebration of its 30th anniversary.
Founded in 1984 as a non-profit organisation, imec has grown to be a multi-disciplinary expertise centre in many fields of semiconductor chips and systems. These include applications for electronics for life sciences, body area networks, energy, photovoltaics, sustainable wireless communication, image sensors and vision systems, and flexible electronics and displays.
Through innovations in nanoelectronics, imec has collaborated with numerous partners from universities, research institutes and top companies, creating solutions and developing emerging technology for a sustainable environment.
In the domain of semiconductor technologies, imec has enabled notable advancements in global semiconductor chip manufacturing in the three decades since its founding.
Launched in 2003, imec’s research platform addressed the needs of the semiconductor value chain during the crucial transition from 200mm to 300mm silicon wafers as a manufacturing standard. The platform allows companies to collaborate on advanced process module and device research, targeting technology generations two to three nodes ahead of state-of-the-art IC production.
Today, this initiative has evolved to a global collaboration platform with global industry leaders such as Intel, Samsung, TSMC, Globalfoundries, Micron, SK Hynix, Toshiba, SanDisk, Panasonic, Sony, Qualcomm, Altera, Fujitsu, nVidia, Xilinx, and others, driving semiconductor industry innovations.
Regarding compound semiconductors, imec delivered a semiconductor process technology research which it says was the world’s first 3D compound semiconductor FinFET.
The institute also contributed to manufacturability and circuit performance of advanced devices: Imec’s cleaning expertise has also resulted in wafer cleaning solutions with high particle removal efficiency and minimal chemical use.
Imec’s innovation in nanoelectronics has been a driver for developments in many other domains including healthcare, energy, photovoltaics, communications, and mobility, where the institute has applied its semiconductor technology expertise.
In 2013, imec’s life science research gained momentum by forging new R&D collaborations with Johns Hopkins University, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Pacific Biosciences, Panasonic, JSR, and others.
Such collaborations may lead to breakthroughs in healthcare with the development of the next generation of “lab on chip” concepts, powerful supercomputers for life sciences research, and sensor array tools to advance neuroscience research.
“It’s our ambition to further position imec as a unique innovation hub for Europe and the world, where disruptive technology ideas are generated and come to fruition,” states Luc Van den hove, president and chief executive officer at imec.
“We welcome scientists, researchers and engineers from companies of various fields to collaborate with us as they advance and tune their innovations. Imec has proven to be the birthplace of new discoveries, and we confidently look forward to the next 30 years of innovation that will be the backbone of the solutions that will help make the world a better, more sustainable place.”
Founded in 1984 as a non-profit organisation, imec has grown to be a multi-disciplinary expertise centre in many fields of semiconductor chips and systems. These include applications for electronics for life sciences, body area networks, energy, photovoltaics, sustainable wireless communication, image sensors and vision systems, and flexible electronics and displays.
Through innovations in nanoelectronics, imec has collaborated with numerous partners from universities, research institutes and top companies, creating solutions and developing emerging technology for a sustainable environment.
In the domain of semiconductor technologies, imec has enabled notable advancements in global semiconductor chip manufacturing in the three decades since its founding.
Launched in 2003, imec’s research platform addressed the needs of the semiconductor value chain during the crucial transition from 200mm to 300mm silicon wafers as a manufacturing standard. The platform allows companies to collaborate on advanced process module and device research, targeting technology generations two to three nodes ahead of state-of-the-art IC production.
Today, this initiative has evolved to a global collaboration platform with global industry leaders such as Intel, Samsung, TSMC, Globalfoundries, Micron, SK Hynix, Toshiba, SanDisk, Panasonic, Sony, Qualcomm, Altera, Fujitsu, nVidia, Xilinx, and others, driving semiconductor industry innovations.
Regarding compound semiconductors, imec delivered a semiconductor process technology research which it says was the world’s first 3D compound semiconductor FinFET.
The institute also contributed to manufacturability and circuit performance of advanced devices: Imec’s cleaning expertise has also resulted in wafer cleaning solutions with high particle removal efficiency and minimal chemical use.
Imec’s innovation in nanoelectronics has been a driver for developments in many other domains including healthcare, energy, photovoltaics, communications, and mobility, where the institute has applied its semiconductor technology expertise.
In 2013, imec’s life science research gained momentum by forging new R&D collaborations with Johns Hopkins University, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Pacific Biosciences, Panasonic, JSR, and others.
Such collaborations may lead to breakthroughs in healthcare with the development of the next generation of “lab on chip” concepts, powerful supercomputers for life sciences research, and sensor array tools to advance neuroscience research.
“It’s our ambition to further position imec as a unique innovation hub for Europe and the world, where disruptive technology ideas are generated and come to fruition,” states Luc Van den hove, president and chief executive officer at imec.
“We welcome scientists, researchers and engineers from companies of various fields to collaborate with us as they advance and tune their innovations. Imec has proven to be the birthplace of new discoveries, and we confidently look forward to the next 30 years of innovation that will be the backbone of the solutions that will help make the world a better, more sustainable place.”
