Samsung Electronics has signed an agreement with Dutch chipmaker ASML to invest €779m in the latter’s Customer Co-Investment Program that aims to develop new chip making technology.
The programme will accelerate the development of new semiconductor manufacturing technologies, which include extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology and 450-millimeter lithography tools.
As part of the deal, Samsung will invest €503m in ASML to acquire 3% of its equity and has committed €276m for ASML’s research and development programmes over next five years.
ASML said it has now completed the R&D funding programme and doesn’t plan to solicit the participation of additional customers.
Intel was the first company to invest in ASML which agreed to take a 15% stake in ASML for €2.5bn and provide €830m of R&D funding in July 2012.
Earlier in August 2102, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing agreed to invest €276m to develop new technology and acquire a 5% stake for €838m.
As part of the programme Intel, TSMC and Samsung will each acquire ASML shares, equal to an aggregate 23% minority equity stake in ASML for €3.85bn.
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The introduction of 450mm silicon wafers, a 50% jump from the current 300mm standard will boost scalability.
The introduction of EUV lithography in high-volume manufacturing means that several processing steps can be eliminated, resulting in substantial manufacturing productivity gains, power and performance enhancements, combined with lower capex.
