At last week’s IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting 2015, world-leading nano-electronics research center imec presented three novel aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN)/ gallium nitride (GaN) stacks featuring optimised low dispersion buffer designs.

At the IEEE IEDM conference, nano-electronics research centre imec demonstrates record enhancement of novel InGaAs Gate-All-Around (GAA) channel devices integrated on 300mm Silicon and explores emerging tunnel devices based on optimisation of the same III-V compound semiconductor.

At this week’s IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting 2015, nano-electronics research centerimec presented breakthrough results to increase performance and improve reliability of deeply scaled silicon CMOS logic devices.

Imec has announced the expansion of a joint development project to explore process variation issues in 7nm semiconductor technology. For over a year, the joint team has been using Coventor’s semiconductor process modeling platform, SEMulator3D, to perform predictive modeling of semiconductor fabrication processes and to proactively analyse process variation issues in 7nm semiconductor technology.

At the IEEE IEDM conference last week, imec showed the integration of high mobility InGaAs as a channel material for 3D vertical NAND memory devices formed in the plug (holes) with the diameter down to 45nm. The new channel material improves transconductance and read current which is crucial to enable further VNAND cost reduction by adding additional layers in 3D vertical architecture.

imec and Kaneka Corporation have announced that they have signed a three year framework agreement that strengthens and extends their comprehensive R&D collaboration. Next to working on next gen solar cells, under this frame agreement imec and Kaneka will explore new applications in life science and thin-film electronics.

imec and UEST, have announced that they have started the production of Zembro, a smart bracelet designed to enable the elderly to connect with their relatives immediately, anytime and anywhere. Zembro is the first commercial product from UEST. The initial set of Zembro Bracelets, which sold out immediately after the launch (April 2015), are being delivered since the beginning of November.

Imec and Ghent University present, for the first time, arrays of indium phosphide lasers monolithically integrated on 300mm silicon substrates in a CMOS pilot line. This breakthrough achievement, published in Nature Photonics, provides a path toward high-volume manufacturing of cost-effective PICs with monolithically integrated laser sources. Such laser-powered PICs will revolutionise data transfer between future logic and memory chips.

At IMAPS 2015 this week, imec and CMST (imec’s associated lab at Ghent University) present a novel technology for thermoplastically deformable electronics which enables low-cost 2.5D free-form rigid electronic objects. The technology is under evaluation in Philips LED lamp carriers, a downlight luminaire and a omnidirectional lightsource, to demonstrate the potential of this technology in innovative lighting applications.

imec and Cadence have announced that the two companies have completed the first tapeout of a 5nm test chip using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) as well as 193 immersion (193i) lithography. To produce this test chip, imec and Cadence optimised design rules, libraries and place-and-route technology to obtain optimal power, performance and area (PPA) scaling via Cadence Innovus Implementation System.

At this week’s European PV Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC), nano-electronics research centre imec will present achievements covering the broad spectrum of its comprehensive PV-related research. Imec’s scientists and researchers will present its latest results in n-PERT solar cells, perovskite solar cell technology and its emerging PV energy yield prediction modeling.

  The world’s first stretchable and conformable TFT driven LED display laminated into textiles has been demonstrated by researchers from Holst Centre (set up by TNO and imec), imec and CMST (imec’s associated lab at Ghent University).

imec, Holst Centre and the Industrial Design Engineering (IDE) faculty of Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) have announced the introduction of a wireless EEG headset that can be worn comfortably and achieves a high-quality EEG signal. The headset enables effective brain-computer interfacing and can monitor emotions and mood in daily life situations using a smartphone application.

  Nano-electronics research centre imec has announced that it is extending its Gallium Nitride-on-Silicon (GaN-on-Si) R&D programme, and is now offering joint research on GaN-on-Si 200mm epitaxy and enhancement mode device technology. 

imec and Besi have announced the joint development of an automated thermocompression solution for narrow-pitch die-to-wafer bonding, a method by which singulated dies are stacked onto bottom dies which are still part of a fully intact 300mm wafer. The solution features high accuracy and high throughput, paving the way to a manufacturable 2.5D, 3D, and 2.5D/3D hybrid technology.

At SEMICON West, imec and SPTS Technologies announced that they are jointly developing a highly accurate, short cycle-time dry silicon removal and low temperature passivation solution for through-silicon via-middle processing and thinning of the top-wafer in wafer-to-wafer bonding.

At SEMICON West, imec announced that it has demonstrated concept and feasibility for pore-sealing low-k dielectrics in advanced interconnects. The method, based on the self-assembly of an organic monolayer, paves the way to scaling interconnects beyond N5. 

Imec and Panasonic have announced that they have fabricated a 40nm TaOx-based RRAM technology with precise filament positioning and high thermal stability. This breakthrough result paves the way to realising 28nm embedded applications. The results were presented at this year’s VLSI technology symposium.

At ITF US, nano-electronics research centre imec announced a record 11.3% aperture and 11.9% active area efficiency for its thin-film perovskite PV module. The efficiency was measured over an aperture area of 16cm2. This achievement is the best conversion efficiency for perovskite modules in literature.

Imec and its partners announced that they have successfully completed a three-year programme (2012-2015) to leverage a variety of silicon photonics technologies by making them accessible for industry and academia worldwide. Within the ESSenTIAL programme, funded by the European Commission, imec has worked closely with CEA-LETI, Tyndall Institute, VTT, IHP, TNO and CMC to develop advanced multi-project-wafer services as well as packaging services ...