IBM and Lam's new partnership paves the way toward sub-1nm logic using High-NA EUV — Albany lab to pioneer dry resist process integration

IBM and Lam Research have partnered to develop materials and processes for scaling logic chips below 1nm using high-NA EUV lithography and Lam's Aether dry resist technology at IBM Research's NY Creates Albany NanoTech Complex. The collaboration aims to validate full process flows for nanosheet and nanostack device architectures and backside power delivery, leveraging Lam's etch platforms and deposition systems. Aether's dry resist process, which uses vapor-phase precursors and plasma-based development, absorbs more EUV light, reducing exposure dose and enabling single-print patterning at advanced nodes. The partnership signifies Lam's push towards establishing Aether as the go-to dry resist solution for high-NA EUV logic, potentially opening up new revenue streams beyond etch and deposition tools.