Zygo Corp. announced Wednesday it will buy ASML US Inc.'s optics facility in Richmond, Calif., for as much as $10 million. Zygo will expand its optical manufacturing capabilities considerably with the addition of high precision optical machining and polishing equipment, aspheric lens manufacturing and diamond tuning assets, the company said. It also expects to hire key management and employees of ASML Optics Richmond, a 60,000-sq-ft facility. The Richmond operation will provide highly synergistic capabilities that can address immediately new applications in semiconductor, defense and the life sciences markets, Zygo said. The expected purchase price is between $7 million and $10 million, including current work-in-process inventory. The acquisition, subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close by mid-November. Zygo supplies optical metrology instruments, precision optics and electro-optical design and manufacturing services for customers in the semiconductor capital equipment, biomedical, scientific and industrial markets. For more information, visit: www.zygo.com