Imec has inaugurated a 2,000m² cleanroom expansion at its headquarters in Leuven, advancing the deployment of Europe’s NanoIC pilot line for sub-2nm systems-on-chip development. The inauguration ceremony was attended by European Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele, ASML President and CEO Christophe Fouquet, as well as representatives from European industry, startups, the NanoIC consortium, and policymakers from the EU, Belgium, and Flanders.
The expansion brings imec’s total cleanroom area to over 12,000m². The new facility will host advanced tools, including ASML’s next-generation High NA EUV scanner, scheduled to arrive in mid-March.
Luc Van den hove, CEO of imec, stated: “Since announcing in May 2024 that imec would host the NanoIC pilot line, we’ve moved at full speed – accelerating tool acquisition and launching a comprehensive recruitment program. Today, that effort culminates in the inauguration of a 2,000m² cleanroom extension at the imec premises. It will house a best-in-class toolset, including ASML’s next-generation High NA EUV scanner that is scheduled to arrive mid-March.”
He added that imec researchers are collaborating with integrated device manufacturers, foundries, equipment and materials suppliers, system companies, startups, universities, and other European research and technology organizations to advance semiconductor technologies beyond the 2nm node.
Construction of an additional 4,000m² cleanroom at the Leuven campus is set to begin soon. Over the next five years, the NanoIC pilot line will integrate more than 100 new tools across imec and partner sites, including CEA-Leti in France, Fraunhofer in Germany, VTT in Finland, CSSNT-UPB in Romania, and Tyndall National Institute in Ireland.
Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele commented: “We don’t have the luxury of being the biggest or the strongest, but we do have the choice to be the best. Imec brings together talent, knowledge, and international collaboration. With the NanoIC pilot line, Europe is making that choice a reality: for technological excellence and strategic independence.”
ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet said: “Today we are making a step forward in strengthening the chip technology ecosystem in Europe to serve our customers, the world’s chipmakers. Through our 40 years partnership at imec, together we have have been driving faster innovation, fostering stronger collaboration, and supporting the development of regional talent... We are today inaugurating the NanoIC pilot line, that includes ASML’s High NA EUV system... Thanks to the strong support of EU President Von der Leyen and the European Chips Act, we are all very proud and thankful that this is happening at the heart of Europe and will allow Europe to play an even more critical role in the global semiconductor ecosystem.”
The NanoIC pilot line is funded by the Chips Joint Undertaking through the European Union’s Digital Europe (101183266) and Horizon Europe (101183277) programs, as well as by Belgium (Flanders), France, Germany, Finland, Ireland, and Romania.
Further details are available at nanoic-project.eu.
