Diagnostics

The challenge

Positive healthcare outcomes rely on fast, accurate diagnoses. Imec helps you leverage state-of-the-art semiconductor chip technology to broaden the possibilities of your assay. We help you exploit silicon processes to get more data faster, while improving usability and accuracy.

The value of silicon chip technology

Silicon chip technology has the potential to transform expensive bench-top diagnostic equipment into affordable, disposable, lab-on-chip solutions that deliver highly specific and accurate assay results faster. This is accomplished by allowing you to integrate microfluidic, photonic and electronic components on-chip, further reducing testing times, system size and costs for liquid biopsies. You can transfer all kinds of diagnostic tests to silicon – single-cell assays, toxicity assays, immuno-assays, genetic assays – and create closed disposable systems for high-content testing.

For example, our silicon flow cytometry platform uses a microfluidic bubble switch, lens-free microscopy and photonic waveguides to sort, image and count 5000 cells per second per channel, replacing a large piece of operator heavy lab equipment with a chip-scale device. Similarly, our PCR on silicon reduces cycle time from 40 mins to just 3 minutes.

By leveraging our IP, world-class infrastructure, design and validation skills and global ecosystem of diverse partners, we can support you with your next generation diagnostic solution and tailor chip technologies to your specific needs. Our state-of-the-art 200 mm and 300-mm chip manufacturing fabs are the ideal environment for developing new concepts, chip based process flows and low-volume production, to help you realize reliable, high-yield products and bring them faster to the market.

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