SOPRA licenses ellipsometric porosimetry (EP) technology from IMEC

Leuven, Belgium, June 16, 2004 --- SOPRA has signed an exclusive license agreement on IMEC's patented ellipsometric porosimetry technology. IMEC, Europe's largest independent microelectronics and nanotechnology research center, pioneered ellipsometric porosimetry in the mid 90's and built its own R'nD ellipsometric porosimetry (EP) tool a few years ago. It is now one of the key analysis tools of IMEC’s Advanced Interconnect Solutions R'nD Program. The R'nD EP tool was extensively benchmarked with other porosimetry technologies (e.g. PALS, SAXS, SANS) and excellent agreement was demonstrated. SOPRA will have its first commercial products using EP ready for shipping in Summer 2004.