SAN DIEGO, August 1 -- JMAR Technologies Inc. has received nearly $7.8 million to continue the financing of its x-ray lithography (XRL) program from the US Army Robert Morris Acquisition Center in Adelphi, Md., sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The funds will be used to construct an engineering prototype of an integrated x-ray-powered lithography system designed to cost-effectively produce advanced high-speed semiconductors for the optical networking and high-performance military and commercial wireless telecommunications markets. "Specifically, this added financing will enable us to complete several key incrementally-funded contract tasks that were initially awarded to JMAR over the past three years," said John S. Martinez, CEO of JMAR. "They include the detailed engineering analysis of a lithography stepper test-stand by SAL Inc. in South Burlington, Vt.; continued development of an advanced large-field x-ray beam collimator to replace the second-generation collimator used in JMAR's current x-ray source; further upgrading of the power output of JMAR's modular x-ray source to a minimum of 45 watts; and completion of the initial integration phase of JMAR's laser plasma x-ray source into the SAL model 5 stepper in preparation for installing a fully-integrated XRL system at a gallium arsenide (GaAs) wafer processing facility that has yet to be designated. Before the end of 2001, we expect DARPA will award a separate new contract to JMAR to complete the purchase of a model 5 stepper from SAL, install JMAR's x-ray source into the stepper and perform the final installation and checkout of the fully-integrated XRL system."