聯華電子與歐洲最大的獨立奈米電子研究中心 IMEC 今日 (16日) 共同宣佈，雙方將攜手將 IMEC之 Europractice IC 服務擴展至聯華電子 90 奈米製程技術。多年以來，聯華電子與 Europractice 一直致力於將聯華電子矽梭計劃－多重晶圓測試方案 (MPW) 的原型產出與製造服務，提供給歐洲的公司與學術機構。歐洲地區具有小量生產需求的公司與機構，例如大學、研究中心、新興公司與擁有利基市場的公司，將特別受惠於此項 90 奈米技術服務。

IMEC 的 Europractice IC 服務，可提供客戶 ASIC 服務以協助其快速且經濟地將產品上市。在聯華電子與 IMEC 的晶圓專工協議下，Europractice 客戶將可以輕易取得包含 0.25、0.18、0.13 微米與 90 奈米等來自聯華電子的最先進技術，以進行產品原型產出與小量生產。

針對小型研究或學生設計，Europractice 則提供了在價格上十分有吸引力的 mini@sic 原型產出方案。此方案可將小型設計之原型產出成本，降低至一般晶圓專工矽梭服務價格的 20%。

聯華電子歐洲子公司總經理胡孝權表示，“聯華電子於 2003 年 3 月首次產出 90 奈米製程晶圓，目前已同時在 12吋與 8吋晶圓廠內，量產超過 50 種邏輯與射頻產品。我們很高興能將與 Europractice 的合作關係擴展至 90 奈米製程節點。藉由 Europractice，歐洲的大學、新興公司與小型公司將得以採用這項製程技術，這將有助於強化 90 奈米製程技術成為主流技術的優勢。”

Europractice IC 服務總監 Carl Das 表示，“藉由提供此項 90 奈米製程技術服務，Europractice 實現了在提供學術機構與小型公司深次微米 ASIC 設計與製造解決方案上的一貫承諾。透過將多重晶圓原型產出測試方案的成本優勢，與成功的 mini@sic 概念相結合，學術機構的研究人員將得以用符合成本效益的方式採用 90 奈米製程技術。”

Europractice IC Service was set up in 1995 as part of a project by the European Commission to stimulate use by European industry and universities of advanced IC technologies. The Europractice service, run by a consortium headed by IMEC, offers industry and academia a fully supported, affordable route to IC design, prototyping, and small and medium volume production. Annually, about 500 designs are prototyped and 100 small volume projects are manufactured at leading IC manufacturers. For more information, please visit www.europractice.imec.be.

IMEC is heading the consortium that runs the Europractice IC Service. IMEC is a world-leading independent research center in nanoelectronics and nanotechnology. Its research focuses on the next generations of chips and systems, and on the enabling technologies for ambient intelligence. 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 of companies, universities and research institutes worldwide position IMEC as a key partner for shaping technologies for future systems. As an expansion of its wireless research, IMEC has created a legal entity in the Netherlands. Stichting IMEC Nederland runs activities at the Holst Centre, an independent R&D institute that develops generic technologies and technology platforms for autonomous wireless transducer solutions and systems-in-foil.

IMEC is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and has representatives in the US, China and Japan. Its staff of about 1400 people includes close to 500 industrial residents and guest researchers. In 2005, its revenues are estimated to be close to EUR 200 million. Further information on IMEC can be found at www.imec.be.