ASML/Micronic team up on maskless litho
Maskless lithography provides a method for manufacturing semiconductors without using photomasks. It is particularly suited to the production of small series of chips. Under the deal, Micronic will receive royalty payments from ASML for sales of maskless lithography systems based on Micronic's patents.
It will also be given royalty free rights to use any advances ASML makes in the SLM technology for photomask applications. The deal also guarantees Micronic an advance for future royalties amounting to 20 million. Micronic president and CEO Sven Lofquist said that the agreement would help the company develop furt her its maskless lithography products.
"Part of our strategy is to develop the value of our patent portfolio by broadening are as of applications. For Micronic this license agreement means, apart from future royalty incomes, also major synergies when it comes to the development of next generation SLM technology."
