IMEC, Europe's leading independent nanoelectronics research institute, and Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), a leading developer and innovator of advanced wireless technologies and data solutions, today announced that Qualcomm is the first fabless integrated circuit company to participate in IMEC's industrial affiliation program (IIAP) on three-dimensional (3D) integration. Qualcomm and IMEC researchers in the program will collaborate to understand and develop solutions for the use of 3D technologies in future wireless products.
“Now that Qualcomm, the world's leading fabless integrated circuit provider, has joined the 3D integration program, we have all the major supply chain players working together,” said Luc Van den hove, chief operation officer at IMEC. “We are confident that strong industry collaboration among foundries, IDMs, packaging and assembly companies, and equipment suppliers at IMEC will push the development of innovative 3D products forward.”
IMEC's 3D integration program explores three-dimensional technology and design for application in various domains. The technology research program focuses on 3D wafer-level packaging and 3D stacked-ICs to find innovative solutions for the cost-effective use of 3D interconnects at different levels of the wiring hierarchy. The 3D system-on-chip design research program provides insights to its benefits, costs, challenges and solutions. The program will also include the development and demonstration of the IP and tools necessary for designing in three dimensions.
“Three-dimensional design will allow Qualcomm to offer superior features and performance in our products,” said Jim Clifford, senior vice president and general manager, Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. “We are collaborating with IMEC because their research and technology expertise will help us to accelerate the implementation of 3D design in our products.”
Other partners in IMEC's 3D integration program are Amkor, Infineon, Intel, Micron, NEC, NXP, Panasonic, Qimonda, Samsung, ST Microelectronics, Texas Instruments and TSMC.
About Qualcomm
Qualcomm Incorporated (www.qualcomm.com) is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on CDMA and other advanced technologies. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., Qualcomm is included in the S&P 500 Index and is a 2008 FORTUNE 500® company traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market® under the ticker symbol QCOM.
About IMEC
IMEC is a world-leading independent research center in nanoelectronics and nanotechnology. IMEC vzw is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium and has a sister company in the Netherlands, IMEC-NL, offices in the US, China and Taiwan, and representatives in Japan. Its staff of more than 1,600 people includes more than 500 industrial residents and guest researchers. In 2007, its revenue (P&L) was EUR 244.5 million.
IMEC's More than Moore research aims at semiconductor scaling towards sub-32nm nodes. With its More than Moore research, IMEC looks into technologies for nomadic embedded systems, wireless autonomous transducer solutions, biomedical electronics, photovoltaics, organic electronics and GaN power electronics.
IMEC's research bridges the gap between fundamental research at universities and technology development in industry. Its unique balance of processing and system know-how, intellectual property portfolio, state-of-the-art infrastructure and its strong network worldwide position IMEC as a key partner for shaping technologies for future systems. Further information on IMEC can be found at www.imec.be.
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