ASML and imec sign strategic partnership agreement, empowering the NanoIC pilot line

ASML and imec have signed a new five-year strategic partnership agreement focusing on advancing semiconductor innovation and sustainability. A central pillar of this collaboration is the integration of ASML’s lithography and metrology technologies into the NanoIC pilot line, an extension of imec’s pilot line, providing the most advanced infrastructure for sub-2nm R&D.

The collaboration incorporates ASML’s whole product portfolio, with a focus on developing high-end nodes, using ASML systems including:

• 0.55 NA EUV
• 0.33 NA EUV
• DUV immersion
• YieldStar optical metrology  
• HMI single- and multi-beam technologies

Focus areas for R&D will also include silicon photonics, memory and advanced packaging, offering full stack innovation for future semiconductor-based AI applications in diverse markets.

Or as stated by Luc Van den hove, President and CEO at imec, “We are excited to continue our longstanding unique partnership with ASML, offering the industry access to the most advanced patterning solutions for over 30 years. The inclusion of ASML’s full product portfolio will allow us to expand and further mature the capabilities of our pilot line, providing the entire semiconductor ecosystem with the most advanced R&D to tackle the challenges of AI-driven technological advancements.”

Want to know more about this strategic partnership?

Read the imec press release