The Cymer/SVGL service partnership is the tip of an iceberg, and if anyone knows what is underlying this, let us know. I have a feeling it's going to rip the side out of the Nikon/Titanic, and maybe take a little wind out of JMAR's extremely puffed sails in the process.
My guess - this is a move by SVG for Intel business, i.e. a showing of solidarity that will assure Intel of expedited service on the laser component if they buy MIII's. Wouldn't we love to see those 200/steppers a year ordered and ramped up?
Even deeper, it may be a little payback to Nikon from Cymer for pushing out orders, or overordering in the first place, and helping to trash CYMI's share price a few weeks back. At any rate, it is a terrific plus for SVG, in its bid to be seen as a major player with dependable service for a larger number of steppers. And it also has to be a sign of Cymer's confidence in SVG, since they wouldn't tie themselves to SGV like this if they were worried about SVG being able to support a larger role in chip litho.
And finally, this may in some way be connected to the number of congressmen complaining about using tax dollars to support the EUV LLC, with its sizeable Japanese participation. You would have to think that Cymer couldn't much like the EUV LLC, since it earmarked some of the money for TRW to build excimer laser sources for its research. |
