Intel invests in Media Lario for EUV components
By Mark LaPedus
Silicon Strategies
02/25/2004, 1:10 PM ET
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--Making its latest move in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography space, Intel Corp. here today (February 25, 2004) announced an equity and development deal with Italy's Media Lario International S.A., a supplier of optical components for EUV and other applications.
Under the terms, Intel Capital will make an undisclosed investment in Media Lario, based just north of Milan. The agreement is also designed to accelerate Media Lario's research and development activity for EUV components. EUV is a next-generation lithography technology, which is geared for the 32-nm node.
Media Lario specializes in high-accuracy, reflective optical components, which will be used in EUV applications. The company was a key contributor to the success of the European Space Agency XMM mission, which resulted in the launch in 1999 of the most powerful X-Ray telescope ever built.
"These agreements will help accelerate the development, and commercialization, of high accuracy reflective mirrors and mirror systems to meet the ever-stringent optical performance and cost of the current and next generation lithography equipment," said Giovanni Nocerino, president and CEO of Media Lario, in a statement.
"Developing EUV optics technology to enable affordable EUV source and lithography systems for high-volume manufacturing on the 32-nm node in 2009 is a key challenge at Intel," said Peter Silverman, Intel Fellow and director of Intel's Lithography Capital Equipment Development, in a statement. "These agreements will help enable Media Lario to focus on the development of EUV optics technology to meet the technology performance and cost requirements."
The move represents the latest investment by Intel in the EUV arena. Last month, Cymer Inc. signed a $20 million development agreement with Intel to accelerate its development of production-worthy EUV lithography light sources. Intel's move to invest $20 million in Cymer Inc. is part of a major effort to maintain the chip giant's previously stated goal of bringing EUV lithography tools into production for the 32-nm node by 2009. (see January 27 story).
At the same time, ASML, Canon, and Nikon are developing EUV tools, it was noted. |
