Imec And Rapidus Sign Up For 2nm

Imec and Rapidus, the Japanese government-backed semiconductor startup targeting 2nm processing, agreed a technology collaboration at a signing ceremony earlier this month in Tokyo.

Pictured are: Jan Jambon, president of Flanders, Luc van den Hove, CEO Imec, Rapidus CEO Atsuyoshi Koike, Japan trade minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, and Rapidus  chairman Tetsuo Higashi.

Rapidus plans to mass-produce 2nm chips in Japan in the latter half of this decade.

Imec intends to support Rapidus in developing EUV process technology and collaborating with Japan’s Leading-edge Semiconductor Technology Center (LSTC) which will serve as a research and development hub for beyond 2nm technologies in Japan.

“Imec is pleased to be able to further intensify its collaboration with the Japan-based R&D ecosystem, the foundation of which was laid years ago,” says Imec CEO Luc Van den hove, “we are excited that Rapidus intends to join our core program and engage in bilateral projects on semiconductor device integration, on key enabling process technologies (such as advanced lithography) as well as system application-oriented projects.  Building on our years of expertise in advanced chip technologies and on our global ecosystem of partners including the entire value chain of the semiconductor industry, we will support Rapidus in their intention to mass-produce chips with state-of-the-art 2-nanometer technology in Japan.”