TRW and EUV LLC to develo¥extreme-UV light source for smaller, faster integrated circuits
TRW and EUV LLC to develo¥extreme-UV light source for smaller, faster integrated circuits
TRW (Redondo Beach, CA) signed an agreement with Extreme Ultraviolet Limited Liability Co. (EUV LLC) to begin joint development of a laser-based light source that will allow chi¥makers to continue increasing the speed of advanced microcircuits over the next 10 to 15 years. The new source, powered by TRW solid-state laser technology, will emit extreme-ultraviolet light. TRW claims this higher-resolution method of making chips will lead to microprocessor chips that are 100 times more powerful and memory chips that can store 1000 times more information than those available today. The company expects the device to provide it with $1 billion per year in business within a decade. EUV LLC is a consortium of US semiconductor manufacturers led by Intel Corp., Advanced Micro Devices, and Motorola. EUV LLC and TRW will cooperate on the project with three Department of Energy national laboratories--Lawrence Livermore, Sandia, and Lawrence Berkeley--currently working together as the Virtual National laboratory.