JSR Corporation, a Japanese materials technology company and parent of metal oxide photoresist provider Inpria Corporation, and Lam Research Corp. (Nasdaq: LRCX), a global supplier of semiconductor fabrication equipment, announced a non-exclusive cross-licensing and collaboration agreement to support next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.
The partnership aims to accelerate the industry’s adoption of advanced patterning technologies, including dry resist solutions for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, and to develop materials for atomic layer etching and deposition. JSR/Inpria will contribute expertise in metal oxide photoresists and advanced films, while Lam brings its capabilities in deposition, etch, and Aether® dry resist technology.
The agreement will enable the companies to integrate JSR/Inpria’s patterning resists and films with Lam’s etch and dry resist deposition systems, supporting chipmakers in scaling production for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) applications. Collaborative efforts will focus on metal oxide resists, high numerical aperture (NA) EUV patterning, and other advanced materials.
Leveraging JSR’s recent acquisition of Yamanaka Hutech Corporation, the collaboration will also explore new precursor materials and processes for atomic layer deposition and etch solutions, aiming to improve efficiency and reduce manufacturing complexity.
“At JSR, we are committed to advancing materials that meet our customers’ most demanding technology requirements,” said Toru Kimura, senior officer, JSR Corporation. “Combining JSR and Inpria’s materials expertise with Lam’s deposition, etch, and dry resist technologies will help accelerate solutions for EUV lithography and support industry scaling in the AI era.”
Vahid Vahedi, chief technology and sustainability officer at Lam Research, added, “This collaboration complements Lam’s deposition and etch capabilities with JSR’s advanced patterning materials, enabling accelerated innovation. It includes new low-NA and high-NA EUV materials, metal oxide resists, and broader access to Aether dry resist technology.”
The agreement also resolves prior legal disputes. Inpria and Lam have agreed to dismiss all claims in the litigation Inpria v. Lam Research (Case 1:22cv01359) in the U.S. District Court of Delaware, along with related inter partes review proceedings.
