REDONDO BEACH, Calif., April 13 -- TRW and the Extreme Ultraviolet Limited Liability Co. (EUV LLC), a consortium of semiconductor chip makers, have expanded the scope of a joint development agreement to develop and produce laser-based light sources for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. The new EUV light source enables chip makers to continue increasing the speed of advanced chips for more than 10 years.
    Under the expanded agreement, TRW and the EUV LLC are making investments that will allow TRW to accelerate the development of laser and related technologies required to make light sources available to lithography equipment manufacturers in 2003. The expanded agreement also provides for development of EUV light sources with higher powers, increased efficiencies and higher throughput.
    "With this agreement, TRW has once again demonstrated its commitment to meeting the needs of the semiconductor industry and is moving forward at the pace needed to support our schedule for introducing EUV lithography tools," said Chuck Gwyn, the program manager at EUV LLC.