Speaker
Emily Gallagher
Program Director Sustainable Semiconductors Technologies and Systems - imec
Biography
Emily Gallagher is a director of the SSTS (Sustainable Semiconductor Technologies and Systems) program at imec, focusing on sustainability in semiconductor manufacturing processes. Emily earned her PhD in physics from Dartmouth College where she studied free electron lasers. After graduation, she joined IBM and became immersed in semiconductor technology. She held many roles at IBM from functional IC chip characterization to wafer process integration, to leading the EUV photomask development effort. She joined imec in 2014 to continue EUV development work. Emily has authored over 120 technical papers, holds ~30 patents, is an SPIE Fellow, cochairs the Scientific Advisory Board of the Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography (ARCNL) and is active in international organizations like SEMI's Semiconductor Climate Consortium and the PFAS Consortium.
Talk(s)
Enviromentally aware IC chip manufacturing
Imec’s approach to embedding sustainability into semiconductor R&D is shared. imec has developed the imec.netzero platform to quantify environmental impacts at fab, technology and process levels, enabling data-driven decisions throughout the IC manufacturing value chain. More recently, imec introduced the e-score metric to enable simple communication of environmental impact without demanding a background in LCA (Life Cycle Analysis) or the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) framework for evaluating a company's performance beyond traditional financial metrics. The e-score methodology will be used to illustrate how imec’s SSTS program prioritizes development activities in the fab. Starting with the identification of technology hotspots, examples of work on high impact processes, and the quantification of potential impact reduction will be described. Finally, the benefits of sustainable development beyond the environment will be described.
Panel - Securing Europe’s future: Pilot lines at the heart of innovation
To help Europe maintain its leadership in semiconductor technology, the Chips for Europe initiative has launched a series of pilot lines. These pilot lines are instrumental in supporting Europe’s ambition to drive innovation across transformative domains such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, healthcare, and automotive, among others, each reshaping the future of semiconductor design and manufacturing.
This high-level panel will highlight the strategic importance of pilot lines in enhancing competitiveness across key sectors, including health, automotive, and security, while aligning with European priorities and ensuring the effective use of public investment.
Representatives from Chips JU, imec, Leti, and Fraunhofer will share key developments from Europe’s three flagship pilot lines, with a focus on enhancing accessibility, fostering cross-border collaboration, and increasing industry engagement. The discussion will also explore the broader innovation ecosystem, highlighting efforts in talent development, the role of competence centers, and the contributions of the EU project aCCCes to bridge Europe’s skills gap.
This session brings together leading voices from research, industry, and policy to explore how pilot lines accelerate breakthrough technologies and serve as a cornerstone for Europe’s long-term technological sovereignty and global competitiveness.