Cymer Inc. of San Diego has agreed to fund research and development at TuiLaser AG in Graefelfing, Germany, to expand excimer laser technology into new applications in semiconductor, medical and industrial markets.

The effort seeks to combine TuiLaser's compact excimer laser technology with Cymer's experience in semiconductor photolithography.

Cymer's products for photolithography are large, complex excimer lasers. Company officials suggested that emerging semiconductor applications will need compact UV light sources with long life and excellent reliability. They predict that products from the joint development effort could appear in 18 to 24 months.