MARCH 11–LEUVEN Belgium–Royal Philips Electronics NV has signed an agreement to provide its researchers inside and outside the semi-conductor division with access to research facilities and expertise at the Interuniversities MicroElectronics Center (IMEC) through to 2008.

Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

Philips has worked as a lead semiconductor partner with IMEC since the sale and break up of the previous lead partner Alcatel Microelectronics in April 2002.

Since then, Philips has opened an outpost of Philips Research Laboratories in Leuven. The company also has a representative on IMEC’s board of directors and is a contributor to discussion on the future direction of semiconductor research at IMEC.

The latest agreement is also related to Philips’ decision to become a core partner in IMEC’s sub-45nm CMOS research program.

The five-year agreement replaces an existing deal that was scheduled to run until mid-2005. The new agreement provides Philips with privileged access to IMEC’s research scientists and allows Philips to use IMEC’s existing and newly built cleanroom facilities to develop process steps on both 200 mm and 300 mm wafers.