On February 9, 2026, the imec research center in Leuven, Belgium, inaugurated a 2,000-square-meter cleanroom expansion, marking a significant step in the deployment of the European NanoIC pilot line. The facility is equipped with advanced tools, including ASML's High-NA EUV lithography equipment, and aims to accelerate the research and development of chip technologies below 2 nanometers. The launch ceremony was attended by European Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele, and ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet.
imec CEO Luc Van den hove stated, "Since announcing in May 2024 that imec would host the NanoIC pilot line, we have accelerated our tool procurement and hiring plans. The cleanroom inaugurated today will house state-of-the-art equipment, including ASML's next-generation High-NA EUV lithography scanner, which is scheduled to arrive in mid-March. imec researchers will collaborate with IDM manufacturers, foundries, equipment and material suppliers, system companies, startups, universities, and other European research institutions to advance semiconductor technology beyond the 2-nanometer node. The NanoIC pilot line will strengthen Europe's industrial structure in the era of artificial intelligence and foster economic growth and a secure environment for decades to come."
With support from the European, Belgian, and Flemish governments, imec plans to build a new 4,000-square-meter cleanroom at its Leuven campus to further drive the NanoIC initiative. Over the next five years, the NanoIC pilot line will integrate over one hundred new tools distributed across imec and partner sites, including CEA-Leti (France), Fraunhofer (Germany), VTT (Finland), CSSNT-UPB (Romania), and the Tyndall National Institute (Ireland).
Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele explained, "imec brings together talent, knowledge, and international collaboration. Through the NanoIC pilot line, Europe is pursuing technological excellence and strategic independence, showcasing Flanders' strength in research and innovation." ASML President and CEO Christophe Fouquet said, "The NanoIC pilot line inaugurated today, featuring ASML's High-NA EUV lithography system, is an example of collaboration among global technology leaders. Thanks to support from the European Union and the European Chips Act, this helps Europe play a more critical role in the global semiconductor ecosystem." The procurement and operation of the NanoIC pilot line are jointly funded by the Chips Joint Undertaking through the EU's Digital Europe Programme and Horizon Europe, with participating countries including Belgium, France, Germany, Finland, Ireland, and Romania.
