If these targets are to be achieved, IMEC considers that early investigation and evaluation of specific process modules and the development of innovative device and process integration concepts are urgently required.

IMEC is therefore calling for industry collaboration in a major R&D effort to develop the 100 nm  generation node, where major technological bottlenecks are expected. “By pooling resources,” notes Ludo Deferm, IMEC’s Associate Vice President, Silicon Technology and Device  Integration Division, “the consortium will  reduce risk and gain early process knowledge at a lower cost than through individually-funded R&D work.”  

IMEC’s 100 nm CMOS technology project will concentrate on:

·         Optical lithography, including advanced illumination techniques (OPC, phase shifting…) and the development and evaluation of 193nm wavelength lithography.

·         Advanced etching techniques to allow the scaling down of the current technologies to the dimensions required by 100nm CMOS.

·         New gate stacks, including the introduction of high-k gate dielectrics and the use of metallic gate electrodes.

·         Ultra-shallow junction formation, including the development of new junction architectures and the integration of the silicide module.

·         Transistor architecture improvements aimed at the achievement of high performance at reduced supply voltage.

·         Back-end architecture, including the further development of copper and low-k technologies for 100nm CMOS.

·         Study of the technological limits in terms of reliability.

Participation in the project is available through the IMEC Industrial Affiliation Program or via bilateral contracts for the development of specific process modules or of overall process integration and device architecture concepts. 

IMEC is also forming a European consortium to address aspects of the activity, for which it has requested funding support from the European Commission.

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Notes to editors

ABOUT IMEC

IMEC was founded in 1984 and is today Europe’s leading independent research center for the development and licensing of state-of-the-art microelectronic technologies.  IMEC is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium and employs about 850 people, of whom 75 % are highly qualified scientists and engineers. Its $88 million revenue is derived from agreements and contracts with government agencies, aerospace and semiconductor industry companies world-wide.

IMEC’s activities  concentrate on: design of integrated information and communication systems (System on Chip, MPEG-4, Broadband wireless modems); silicon process technology (lithography, Cu & low k back end, salicides, clean, dry etch, pilot line); silicon technology and device integration (deep submicron CMOS, BICMOS, NVM, reliability, analysis); microsystems, components and packaging (packaging, optoelectronic components, imagers, smart sensors and integrated microsystems, solar cells); training center for advanced training in microelectronics (including IC design, process technology and packaging).

For further information please contact:

Marianne Van den Broeck

Head of Public Relations

IMEC, Kapeldreef 75

B- 3001 Leuven, Belgium

http://www.imec.be

Tel +32 16 28 14 91

Fax +32 16 28 16 37

Email: Marianne.vandenbroeck@imec.be