Imec on Monday unveiled NanoIC, a 2.5 billion euro pilot production line intended to accelerate Europe’s capabilities in cutting-edge semiconductor development under the European Union’s Chips Act.
The new NanoIC facility in Belgium is aimed at providing a shared environment where firms and laboratories can test and prototype process steps and integration for semiconductors beyond the 2-nanometre threshold. Rather than immediately constructing a full-scale commercial fab, the project adopts a collaborative research model that lets users evaluate advanced process technology before making the large investments required for volume manufacturing.
Europe hosts leading makers of chipmaking equipment, including ASML in the Netherlands, yet the continent currently designs and manufactures only a small portion of the most advanced chips. Those limitations have left Europe with a lesser role in the recent surge of demand driven by artificial intelligence workloads in the United States and parts of Asia. The NanoIC pilot line is intended to help narrow that gap by offering access to state-of-the-art tools and shared development capabilities.
By the numbers
- 2.5 billion euros - Total investment for the NanoIC pilot line.
- 1.4 billion euros - Public funding from the EU’s Chips Joint Undertaking and the Flemish government.
- 1.1 billion euros - Private contributions from industry participants, with ASML the largest private contributor.
Imec confirmed NanoIC will host ASML’s most advanced lithography machine, the High NA EUV tool, along with the full complement of supporting equipment required for advanced process development. ASML’s chief executive Christophe Fouquet said in a statement: "We are all very proud and thankful that this is happening at the heart of Europe and will allow Europe to play an even more critical role in the global semiconductor ecosystem".
Imec chief executive Luc Van den hove added: "The NanoIC pilot line will play a crucial role in strengthening Europe’s industrial fabric in the AI era".
The European Chips Act, first revealed in 2022, sets an objective of increasing the EU’s share of global semiconductor production to 20% by 2030. NanoIC is positioned as a component of that strategy by providing an advanced prototyping environment to support industry and research teams in Europe.
Looking ahead, imec expects delivery of ASML’s High NA EUV tool in March. ($1 = 0.8483 euros)