Imec Opens Florida Design Center for PICs, Expands Foundry Services

Nanoelectronics research center imec has opened imec Florida, a design center focusing on photonics and high-speed electronics integrated circuit (IC) design.

The organization said it has signed a collaboration agreement with the University of Central Florida, Osceola County and the International Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research (ICAMR), to establish fabrication facilities for the development and production of III-V-on-silicon devices for a range of applications including terahertz and lidar sensors, high-speed electronics and photonic devices.

Through imec Florida, imec’s design, prototyping and low-volume production service — imec IC-link — will provide the U.S. market low-cost access to advanced foundry services, helping entrepreneurs design and bring products to market.

Funding for imec Florida will come from Osceola County and the University of Central Florida; the County said the project represents a five-year, $15 million investment.

Imec, headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, performs research in nanoelectronics and photovoltaics. Its staff of about 2,500 people includes about 740 industrial residents and guest researchers. In 2015, imec’s revenue (profit and loss) totaled €415 million.