Imec and EV Group Unveil Major Breakthrough in 3D Microchip Manufacturing
Leuven, Friday 29 May 2026
Announced today, 29 May 2026, Imec achieved record-breaking sub-40-nanometre accuracy in 3D chip stacking. This critical milestone paves the way for vastly smaller, faster, and more efficient next-generation semiconductors.
The Mechanics of the 200-Nanometre Milestone
At the 2026 IEEE Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC), researchers unveiled a wafer-to-wafer hybrid bonding technology featuring a 200-nanometre copper interconnect pad pitch [1]. Utilising EV Group’s (EVG) GEMINI® FB hybrid and fusion wafer bonding system, the team achieved a post-bond overlay vector of less than 40 nanometres for 100 per cent of the dies across a 300-millimetre wafer [1]. In practical terms, this allows semiconductor manufacturers to stack microchips vertically with extraordinary precision, a critical requirement as the industry pushes against the physical limits of traditional two-dimensional chip scaling [GPT].
Scaling the CMOS 2.0 Paradigm
The successful demonstration on a test vehicle featuring four layers of routable interconnects serves as a foundational step for future high-density microchip architectures [1]. Specifically, this technology targets advanced logic-to-logic and memory-to-logic tier stacking [1]. These stacking applications are central to Imec’s CMOS 2.0 scaling paradigm, an initiative designed to manufacture microchips that are not only smaller and faster but also more affordable and sustainable [1][2]. By stacking components, data can travel shorter distances, significantly boosting processing speeds while reducing power consumption [GPT].
European Strategic Autonomy and Ecosystem Resilience
Beyond the technical specifications, this milestone represents a significant victory for European strategic autonomy within the global semiconductor value chain [GPT]. The collaboration between Imec and EVG highlights the critical importance of equipment suppliers in driving process technology advancements [1]. Paul Lindner, executive technology director at EV Group, emphasised that their partnership, spanning over three decades, exemplifies how close coordination between equipment providers and leading research organisations can strengthen the global semiconductor ecosystem [1]. This synergy is vital for the Benelux region and Europe at large, ensuring the continent remains an indispensable node in the deep-tech supply chain [GPT].