Eindhoven/Leuven – Philips Research and IMEC today announced the intention to enhance their collaboration on the research, development and integration of future process technologies. A Philips Research department will be established in IMEC and the IMEC clean room will be used for the processing of the semiconductor wafers.

The innovation speed and complexity of IC process technology is strongly increasing. To further expand its technology competitiveness, Philips Research has been looking for a solution to combine its own expertise with that of another top institute in this area.

Philips and IMEC have been partners for a long time already on several European projects, such as MEDEA and ESPRIT, and Philips is a member in IMEC’s Industrial Affiliation Programs on Lithography and Ultra Clean processing.

As part of the agreement, Philips will enter all process-oriented Industrial Affiliation Programs of IMEC and will use part of IMEC's pilot line for its own process research.

As a partner, IMEC offers the strength and suitable infrastructure for sub-100 nm process technologies with which Philips can cover the total silicon research activity. IMEC has built up a high level of experience with semiconductor companies worldwide. The intended agreement with Philips will extend this industrial interaction and guarantees IMEC’s position as an independent center of excellence.

Martin Schuurmans, Managing Director of Philips Research in Eindhoven, emphasizes the value of IMEC’s expertise to Philips: “We have had the opportunity to cooperate with IMEC for years already on several European projects, which has been a strong preparation for this important step.” IMEC’s President Gilbert Declerck says:”This collaboration with Philips as a major partner, will strengthen our position as leading R&D center in Europe”

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe’s largest, with sales of US$ 33.9 billion in 1998. It is a global leader in colour television sets, lighting, electric shavers, colour picture tubes for televisions and monitors, and one-chip TV products. Its 230.700 employees in more than 60 countries are active in the areas of lighting, consumer electronics, domestic appliances, components, semiconductors, medical systems, business electronics, and IT services (Origin). Philips is quoted on the NYSE, London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other stock exchanges.

News from Philips is located at www.news.philips.com

Philips Research, part of Royal Philips Electronics, comprises research centers in six countries. Besides the main laboratory in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, there are research centers in France, Germany, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (collectively some 3,000 people). Philips Research concentrates on investigating promising options for innovations, which are turned into products of the Philips product divisions. About 0.9% of sales of Philips is spent on these corporate research activities, while total R&D efforts amount to approximately 6% of sales. News from Philips Research is located at www.research.philips.com

IMEC (Inter University Micro Electronics Center) was founded in 1984 and today is Europe's leading independent research center for the development and licensing of state-of-the-art microelectronic technologies.  IMEC is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and employs about 850 people, of whom 75 percent are highly qualified scientists and engineers.  Its $88 million revenue is derived from agreements and contracts with government agencies, aerospace and semiconductor industry companies worldwide. IMEC's activities concentrate on design of integrated information and communication systems; silicon process technology; silicon technology and device integration; microsystems, components and packaging; advanced training in microelectronics. IMEC has a 4800 m2 200-mm pilot line and is ISO 9001 certificated. News from IMEC is located at www.imec.be

For more information please contact

Ellen de Vries                                                                          Marianne van den Broeck

Manager Philips Research PR department                                PR Manager IMEC

tel: +31-40-274 23 21                                                              tel: +32-16-28 14 91