Intel's former CEO, Pat Gelsinger, has apparently re-entered the chip industry, as indicated by an announcement from the chip firm xLight, which states that they have received federal incentives.
xLight Intends to Bring in a Newer FEL-Based Light Source For EUV Tools, Claimed to Be More Efficient than Traditional Implementation
Ever since the Trump administration took office, the chip industry has become a much more serious matter, which is why there has been an enormous interest in this segment. We have seen the USG pushing towards large-scale investments from TSMC and other chip manufacturers, and at the same time, the government has also invested in companies like Intel to ensure the protection of American technology. Now, it appears that the Commerce Department is looking to provide support to companies that could bolster chip manufacturing domestically, which is why the startup xLight has seen $150 million in federal incentives under the CHIPS Act.
For those unaware, xLight is a chip lithography-focused company that plans to implement new light sources for EUV tools by focusing on free-electron lasers (FELs). Instead of taking the traditional route, xLight intends to utilize a particle accelerator to generate high-energy electron beams, which enable it to produce EUV photons. The technique is claimed to be far more efficient compared to Laser-Produced Plasma (LPP). One of the primary reasons this development is gaining attention is that it marks one of the first times a US-based startup has ventured into this particular segment.
Reviving Moore’s Law and restoring American leadership in light is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and with the support of the federal government, xLight will turn opportunity into reality. Building an energy-efficient EUV laser with tenfold improvements over today’s technology will drive the next era of Moore’s Law, accelerating fab productivity, while developing a critical domestic capability
- Pat Gelsinger, Executive Chairman of the Board, xLight
When it comes to lithography, there are very few entities that specialize in this business, which is why every startup emerging in this segment attracts the industry's attention. Another example is the company Substrate, which claimed to utilize shorter-wavelength X-rays for chip patterning, and the firm received backing from Peter Thiel's Founders Fund. However, in the case of xLight, the company will start work on FEL-based environments, backed by partners from the Albany Nanotech Complex.
However, not everything is optimal for xLight right now, as even if they develop FEL sources for EUV tools, they would still need to integrate them with ASML's existing products. This is not only a costly venture but could also bring about the reluctance of the Dutch chipmaker to experiment with FEL. Another important constraint to consider is that FEL sources are known to deliver research-grade performance; however, in the case of high-volume manufacturing, the technology remains uncertain.
Lithography is indeed a significant bottleneck for the US chip industry, especially since domestic manufacturing requires complete reliance on tools from ASML. It would be interesting to see whether firms like xLight and Substrate manage to achieve a breakthrough in the realm of chip lithography, as both companies appear quite optimistic on paper.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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