The first pieces of a cutting-edge ASML chipmaking machine made their way to New York state’s Albany NanoTech Complex on Tuesday, according to the governor’s office.
Once fully assembled, the tool will be used at the NanoTech complex to carry out research and development focused on the next generation of chip design and manufacturing techniques.
NY Creates Director Dave Anderson noted that the Albany facility stands alone in North America as the only operation of its kind, drawing comparisons to Europe’s Imec, which is based in Belgium.
“It really is transformative for the future of our scope of activities as well as U.S.-based R&D, and really, we’re kind of at the epicenter of that next generation of technology development,” Anderson said.
NY Creates, the organization that manages the facility, has formed partnerships with IBM, memory chip manufacturer Micron, and Japanese equipment company Tokyo Electron.
The ASML machine — known as a high numerical aperture (High NA) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) tool — works by printing tiny circuit patterns onto silicon wafers. Each unit carries a price tag of approximately $400 million.
Industry experts consider these machines essential for producing the advanced processors that future technology will demand, as chipmakers work to shrink components down to atomic-scale sizes.
The parts that arrived Tuesday make up the foundation of the machine’s mainframe. Additional components are expected to be delivered over the coming weeks as assembly continues on-site. Anderson said he anticipates the tool will be up and running by the close of this year.
