Imec, a research hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, has extended its strategic partnership with Tokyo Electron (TEL), a Japanese supplier of semiconductor production equipment, for an additional five years. The agreement aims to advance joint research and development in next-generation patterning, advanced logic device processing, future memory development, and 3D integration for semiconductor nodes beyond 2nm.
Pic: Imec and TEL during the signing ceremony of their extended partnership in Tokyo, Japan. Left to right: Antoine Evrard, Ambassador of Belgium to Japan; Toshiki Kawai, President and CEO of Tokyo Electron; Luc Van den hove, President and CEO of imec; Matthias Diependaele, Minister-President of Flanders.
The collaboration between imec and TEL, ongoing since 1995, has previously contributed to advancements in High NA EUV lithography, etching, wet processing, and deposition. A notable achievement includes the development of EUV resist coating track technology, which improved defectivity control and supported the adoption of EUV technology in production.
The renewed partnership will focus on co-developing tools and process technologies, including High NA patterning, optimized material systems, and defectivity control, as well as deposition and etch solutions for next-generation CFET devices. Both organizations will also continue to explore sustainable manufacturing processes for future semiconductor nodes.
Luc Van den hove, CEO of imec, stated that the partnership strengthens imec’s role in global semiconductor research and supports initiatives like the NanoIC pilot line under the European Chips Act. Toshiki Kawai, President and CEO of TEL, noted that the collaboration leverages imec’s expertise in process optimization and sustainability to deliver solutions meeting performance and environmental requirements.
