Intel and Media Lario announce investment and commercial agreements

Citation

(2004), "Intel and Media Lario announce investment and commercial agreements", Microelectronics International, Vol. 21 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/mi.2004.21821bab.007

Intel and Media Lario announce investment and commercial agreements

Intel and Media Lario announce investment and commercial agreements

Keywords: Intel, Sponsorship

Intel Corporation and Media Lario International S.A., a leading manufacturer of high accuracy optical components, have announced two agreements that aimed at the development of key optical components for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography.

The agreements include a strategic equity investment by Intel Capital and a commercial agreement that is designed to accelerate Media Lario's research and development activity for EUV. Specific terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

EUV lithography is positioned for commercialization by 2009, but several technical hurdles have to be overcome for the timely delivery of the technology. In particular, some of the most stringent technical requirements are to be addressed through the design and manufacturing of very high accuracy reflective optical components, the core capability of Media Lario.

Media Lario has a 10 year history in the manufacturing of high-accuracy optical components and systems on the basis of a proprietary process based on electroforming. The company's core technology allows high-volume production of reflective optical components of unprecedented physical quality with compelling cost of ownership. Among its many achievements, Media Lario was a key contributor to the success of the European Space Agency XMM mission, which in 1999 resulted in the launch of the most powerful X-ay telescope ever built.

"These agreements will help accelerate the development and commercialisation 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 (EUV)," commented Dr Giovanni Nocerino, President and CEO of Media Lario. "We're delighted with Intel's support of our efforts to provide enabling EUV optical mirror systems. Their highly valued sponsorship of collaborative work with Lithography and Source Suppliers will lead to the timely establishment of EUV Lithography systems."

"Developing EUV optics technology to enable affordable EUV source and lithography systems for high volume manufacturing on the 32nm node in 2009 is a key challenge at Intel," said Peter Silverman, Intel Fellow and Director of Intel's Lithography Capital Equipment Development. "These agreements will help enable Media Lario to focus on the development of EUV optics technology to meet the technology performance and cost requirements."

For more information, visit the Web site: www.media-lario.com