Institute for Nanolithography planned for Amsterdam

ASML, the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM), the University of Amsterdam (UvA), the VU University Amsterdam and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) have revealed their plan to establish the Institute for Nanolithography (INL). According to them, the INL will conduct fundamental and applied research in areas that are key to unlocking innovation in the global semiconductor industry.

The initial research programme of the INL will focus on physical and chemical processes that are key for future extensions of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. This technology is at the forefront of chip manufacturing and is indispensable for innovation in the global semiconductor industry. The institute is expected to make important contributions to semiconductor lithography, which is the key manufacturing technology for making the memory chips and processors in PCs, smartphones and tablets.

ASML will provide more than one third of the institute's annual budget, investing roughly EUR 30 million over 10 years. FOM and NWO will contribute about $32 million over 10 years and UvA/VU will make a contribution of nearly $16 million. The City of Amsterdam has committed EUR 5 million as start-up funding. The institute is expected to benefit from the government incentive for public-private partnerships (TKI) and plans to raise roughly $6.5 million from various other funding instruments such as European programmes. The overall initiative amounts to $130 million for 10 years.

The institute will be launched in 3Q13 under the management of the FOM Institute AMOLF. By 2015, it will become an independent institute managed by FOM in collaboration with UvA and VU, and employ about 100 highly qualified scientists and staff, including professors, postdocs, PhD students, graduate students and technicians. The institute will be located at the Science Park Amsterdam, embedding the institute among other pioneering researchers in a stimulating environment for cooperating and exchanging ideas. The institute will be linked to the education programmes of the joint science faculties of UvA and VU.