March 12, 2007 – Independent nanotechnology research center IMEC has announced that the Flemish Minister of Science and Innovation, Fientje Moerman, signed a new frame agreement between IMEC and the Government of Flanders for the period 2007-2011.

As part of the agreement, IMEC’s annual research grant will increase 11% to €38.909 million. The grant will increase by another €4.375 million on January 1, 2008, resulting in a total increase by 20% compared to 2006.

An external evaluation by independent consultants and peer reviewers of the new frame agreement was very positive, IMEC says, pointing out that the institution remains “a top-class independent research center in a difficult, volatile, and dynamic market.” According to the evaluators, the center’s success is based on strategic decisions that were made over time, such as decisions regarding and fast deployment of the 300mm research infrastructure.

Last year’s decision to strengthen IMEC’s multidisciplinary research also was seen as a critical factor for future success. IMEC is anticipating the changing semiconductor market with an increased interest in technologies that allow increasing the functionality of systems without necessarily scaling transistor dimensions.

To this end, IMEC says it is extending its R&D by combining conventional CMOS base processes (130nm/90nm) of the 200mm pilot line with the integration of additional process modules and devices, and by developing application-specific demonstrators as proof-of-concept. This will result in more intensive collaborations with industry in the fields of advanced packaging and interconnection technologies, biomedical electronics, GaN power devices, large-area organic electronics, and others.