imec’s Cédric Rolin Talks about the Sustainable Semiconductor Technologies and Systems Research Program

 Continuing our focus on sustainable semiconductor manufacturing, in this episode Françoise speaks with Cédric Rolin, project manager at imec, about its Sustainable Semiconductor Technologies & Systems (SSTS) research program. Launched by imec in 2021, the SSTS rallies stakeholders from across the semiconductor industry to help reduce the ecological impact of the IC value chain.  

In response to mounting concerns about climate change, tech companies around the world are accelerating efforts to complete carbon neutrality for their supply chains and products. The semiconductor industry recognizes its pivotal role in this endeavor. Studies show that almost 75 percent of mobile devices’ CO2 emissions can be traced back to the underlying manufacturing process – with chip production being responsible for nearly half of that footprint. Against this backdrop, the SSTS program provides detailed information on the environmental impact of choices made during semiconductor technology's definition phase. 

 To date, SSTS has 15 member partners including Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft; GlobalFoundries, TSMC, Samsung, and Rapidus; and equipment suppliers including Applied Materials, ASML, Edwards, Kurita, SCREEN, and Tokyo Electron. 

In this podcast, you’ll learn the back story of the program, how it's structured, what role these companies play, how they developed a new data tool called imec.netzero, how the program will help companies achieve Net Zero Emissions, and more.
 
 imec will be discussing this important topic further at its ITF Semicon USA, in a fireside chat with imec’s  Emily Gallagher and SEMI’s Mousumi Bhat.