AlixLabs starts six-month APS technology evaluation in NanoIC pilot line

Lund, 1 October 2026. AlixLabs AB, a Swedish semiconductor equipment company developing Atomic Layer Etch Pitch Splitting (APS™), has started a six-month evaluation project to assess the potential of its APS™ technology for advanced semiconductor patterning within the NanoIC pilot line, coordinated by imec.

The project will evaluate the technology in an advanced pilot manufacturing environment. It will combine AlixLabs' atomic layer etch-based pitch splitting process with imec's advanced lithography, process integration and metrology capabilities, made available through the infrastructure of the NanoIC pilot line.

APS™ is a pitch-splitting process in which pre-patterned structures are selectively divided to create two lines from one original feature, doubling pattern density. The process uses atomic layer etching to provide highly controlled material removal and is intended to reduce the number of process steps compared with conventional multiple-patterning approaches such as litho-etch-litho-etch, self-aligned double patterning and self-aligned quadruple patterning.

For the evaluation, imec will prepare line-and-space structures with feature sizes comparable to some of the most advanced semiconductor processes in production today. The structures will be characterized before being sent to AlixLabs for APS™ process development. AlixLabs will initially develop and assess the process on coupons before transferring selected process conditions to full wafers.

"This evaluation gives AlixLabs the opportunity to assess APS TM in a highly relevant and rigorous semiconductor pilot line environment," said Jonas Sundqvist, CEO of AlixLabs. "The strategic value for us is the ability to generate data using imec's established expertise, metrology and process methodology."

Source: AlixLabs AB news