ASML, imec Launch Sustainable Solutions-Focused Collaboration

VELDHOVEN, Netherlands, March 12, 2025 — ASML and imec have signed a strategic partnership agreement focusing on research and sustainability. Terms of the agreement cover a five year period, as the company and R&D organization, which have been formal partners for more than 30 years, target the delivery of solutions that advance the semiconductor industry, in addition to initiatives focused on sustainable innovation.

The collaboration will focus on developing high-end nodes using ASML systems including 0.55 numerical aperture (NA) extreme-ultraviolet (EUV), 0.33 NA EUV, deep-ultraviolet (DUV) immersion, YieldStar optical metrology, and HMI single- and multi-beam technologies. These tools will be installed in imec’s pilot line and incorporated in the EU- and Flemish-funded NanoIC pilot line (announced last May), providing infrastructure for sub-2 nm R&D to the international semiconductor ecosystem.

Additional R&D focus areas will include silicon photonics, memory, and advanced packaging, offering full stack innovation for future semiconductor-based AI applications in diverse markets. A new area in the duo's collaboration consists of a significant contribution to fund ideas and activities in imec’s research funnel that bring environmental and societal benefits.

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“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,” said Luc Van den hove, president and CEO at imec. The ASML investment in the partnership is complemented with funding made available by the Chips Joint Undertaking and the Flemish government (for the realization of the EU Chips Act NanoIC pilot line), and by the Dutch government (as an Important Project of Common European Interest).

The longtime partners opened a joint lithography lab in Veldhoven last June and reported breakthrough results in August utilizing the 0.55 NA EUV scanner. Preparations for the 0.55 NA EUV scanner and associated infrastructure began in 2018.

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Published: March 2025

Glossary

lithography: Lithography is a key process used in microfabrication and semiconductor manufacturing to create intricate patterns on the surface of substrates, typically silicon wafers. It involves the transfer of a desired pattern onto a photosensitive material called a resist, which is coated onto the substrate. The resist is then selectively exposed to light or other radiation using a mask or reticle that contains the pattern of interest. The lithography process can be broadly categorized into several...
extreme ultraviolet: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) refers to a specific range of electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum. EUV radiation has wavelengths between 10 and 124 nanometers, which corresponds to frequencies in the range of approximately 2.5 petahertz to 30 exahertz. This range is shorter in wavelength and higher in frequency compared to the far-ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet regions. Key points about EUV include: Source: EUV radiation is produced by extremely hot and energized...
metrology: Metrology is the science and practice of measurement. It encompasses the theoretical and practical aspects of measurement, including the development of measurement standards, techniques, and instruments, as well as the application of measurement principles in various fields. The primary objectives of metrology are to ensure accuracy, reliability, and consistency in measurements and to establish traceability to recognized standards. Metrology plays a crucial role in science, industry,...
semiconductor: A semiconductor is a type of material that has electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. In other words, semiconductors have properties that are intermediate between metals (good conductors of electricity) and insulators (poor conductors of electricity). The conductivity of a semiconductor can be controlled and modified by factors such as temperature, impurities, or an applied electric field. The most common semiconductors are crystalline solids, and they are...

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