Cymer to Ship Laser Light Source to ASML

Cymer Inc., a San Diego supplier of excimer laser light sources used in semiconductor manufacturing, announced today it has reached an agreement to ship its new XLR 500i light source to lithography system provider ASML in the current quarter. The XLR 500i will be gradually incorporated into ASML's argon fluoride (ArF) light source, starting with the XT:1900i immersion model scanner for qualification. The XLR uses a new laser architecture that replaces the conventional power amplifier stage with a recirculating ring; it uses an optical evolution based on the XL platform, which has been widely used for volume production ArF lithography.