Philips and IMEC agree to extend research

Royal Philips Electronics and IMEC have signed an agreement that extends Philips' access to IMEC's advanced research facilities and expertise until the end of 2008. The agreement, which follows Philips' decision last year to become a core partner in IMEC's sub-45nm CMOS research program, will allow Philips through its Research Leuven organisation to further extend joint research with IMEC of specialised semiconductor processes. "It is thanks to our previous collaboration with IMEC that important differentiators, such as our world-beating RF BiCMOS processes, our highly effective non-volatile embedded memory solutions and our best-in-class TrenchMOS devices, have been made possible," said Theo Claasen, executive vice president Technology and Strategy, Philips Semiconductors. "This new agreement with IMEC therefore represents an important part of our strategy to keep Philips in a highly competitive position at the forefront of the semiconductor industry." The agreement, which will run for five years, replaces an existing agreement that was scheduled to finish by mid 2005. It also allows Philips to use state-of-the-art equipment within IMEC's existing and newly built cleanroom facilities.

Tel: +31 40 272 2091 marijke.sas@philips.com