IBM and Lam Research have announced a five-year research collaboration to develop the materials and fabrication processes needed to scale logic chips beyond 1nm using high-NA EUV lithography and Lam's Aether dry resist technology. The work will take place at IBM Research's NY Creates Albany NanoTech Complex in New York, with Lam's Aether dry resist technology at the center of the effort alongside its Kiyo and Akara etch platforms and Striker and ALTUS Halo deposition systems.
The two companies have collaborated for over a decade on 7nm process development, nanosheet transistor architecture, and early EUV process integration. Notably, IBM unveiled what it described as the world's first 2nm node chip in 2021, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership.