May 28, 2001, Leuven, Belgium --- IMEC, Europe's leading independent center for microelectronics and ICT R&D, has signed an exclusive research and license agreement on its unique ellipsometric porosimetry technology with XPEQT AG, a Swiss based equipment manufacturer with subsidiaries in Belgium and Bulgaria.

IMEC's ellipsometric porosimetry technology was co-developed with a Russian company Technokom. IMEC has built its own R&D ellipsometric porosimetry (EP) tool a few years ago. It is now one of the key analytical tools of IMEC's Cu & low-k Affiliation Program.  The R&D EP tool was extensively benchmarked with other porosimetry techniques (SANS, PALS) and excellent agreement was demonstrated. XPEQT and IMEC will further improve the capabilities of the tool. First commercial products will be available by Q1 2002.

Ellipsometric porosimetry (EP) allows to cost effectively monitor the porosity, pore size distribution (PSD), cumulative surface area (CSA) and pore interconnectivity in thin films deposited on top of any solid surface on a wafer-level scale. It measures the change of optical characteristics of thin films during the vapor adsorption and desorption. .

"With our porosimetry tool IMEC obtained already unique results within the selection process of appropriate low-k materials for the 130nm technology node and below," states Prof. Gilbert Declerck, President and CEO of IMEC. "The agreement with XPEQT will enable to further extend the capabilities of the tool, resulting in a commercial product that will play an important role in future research in low-k materials for next generation processes."

"IMEC has a solid background in semiconductor materials and semiconductor process development," states Dr. Ivan Daraktchiev, General Manager of XPEQT. "We are very pleased to have this agreement with IMEC which will complement XPEQT’s own expertise, in order to bring this technology to the market quickly."

---ends---

Notes to editors:

About IMEC

IMEC was founded in 1984 and today is Europe's leading independent research center for the development and licensing of microelectronics, and information and communication technologies (ICT).  IMEC is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and has a staff of more than 1000 people including more than 200 industrial residents.

Its more than $100 million revenue is derived from agreements and contracts with Flemish government, the EC, MEDEA, the European Space Agency, equipment and material suppliers and semiconductor 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 sub-0.25µm 200mm pilot line and is ISO9001 certified. News from IMEC is located at www.imec.be.

About XPEQT

XPEQT is headquartered at Bevaix. Switzerland, and is a manufacturer of a broad line of testing, handling, characterization and diagnostics equipment for the microelectronics and electronics industry. XPEQT has a staff of over 80 people of which more than half are highly qualified engineers and scientists. Besides in Switzerland the company has premises also in Belgium and Bulgaria, in both of which design, engineering and R&D activities are carried out. More about XPEQT could be learnt from its web site at www.xpeqt.com.

For more information:

Katrien Marent

Communication Manager

Public Relations and Marketing Communications

IMEC, Kapeldreef 75

B- 3001 Leuven, Belgium

Tel.: +32 16 28 18 80

Fax: +32 16 28 16 37

Email: Katrien.Marent@imec.be

Karin Janssens

XPEQT AG

Chemin de Buchaux 38

CH – 2022 Bevaix, Switzerland

Tel.:  +41 32 835 55 69

Fax: +41 32 835 55 74

E-mail:   kja@xpeqt.com