Imec will work with three major chipmakers as part of its SSTS program to enable sustainable microchips.

It Sustainable semiconductor technologies and systems (SSTS) program from imec has three important new participants. The Leuven research center announces that TSMC, Samsung Electronics and GlobalFoundries are joining the project. TSMC and Samsung are two of the world’s leading chipmakers, and GlobalFoundries is another big name in the industry.

The aim of Imec’s SSTS initiative is to reduce the ecological footprint of the entire value chain of the global chip industry. Imec started the project back in 2021 and has already got several big names on board. For example, Apple was one of the first to join the initiative. Google, Microsoft, Amazon and, even closer to home, ASML are also participating.

Impartial

As a renowned and impartial research institute, imec is in an interesting position to look at the entire microchip value chain. According to the organization, the production of chips is responsible for half of the CO2 emissions from the production of mobile devices such as smartphones and laptops. A more environmentally friendly production of the chips has a major impact.

Imec develops models to limit the consumption of energy, water and minerals. This already happens when decisions are made in the design phase of new chips. The SSTS program now has important partners on board who are active along the entire microchip production chain. For example, Apple draws designs, TSMC produces those designs, and ASML builds the machines that are on TSMC’s production lines.