IMEC

Coordinates: 50°51′55.5″N 4°40′46.5″E / 50.865417°N 4.679583°E / 50.865417; 4.679583

Imec is an international renowned research institute that performs research in different fields of nanoelectronics. Imec is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and has offices in the Netherlands, Taiwan, USA, China, India and Japan. Its staff counts more than 2,200 people including industrial residents and guest researchers. Recent numbers on budget, staff, publications etc. are published every year in April in a press release. Research results are published every month in imec magazine.

History

In 1982 the Flemish Government set up a program in the field of microelectronics with the goal to strengthen the microelectronics industry in Flanders. The decision was inspired by the strategic importance of microelectronics for the industry, and by the major investments required to keep up with developments in this field.

This program included setting up a laboratory for advanced research in microelectronics (imec), a semiconductor foundry (former Alcatel Microelectronics, now STMicroelectronics and AMI Semiconductor), and a training program for VLSI design engineers. The latter is now fully integrated in the imec activities.