US EditionTrump administration to inject up to $150 million into chip laser startup xLight
The U.S. government aims to enhance chipmaking efficiency by up to 40% through a $150 million equity investment in Palo Alto startup xLight under the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act.
- The U.S. Department of Commerce CHIPS Research and Development Office signed Monday a nonbinding letter of intent to inject up to $150 million into xLight, using funds from the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act.
- XLight plans to build particle-accelerator-powered free-electron lasers the size of a football field, targeting 2 nanometers as a new light source for extreme ultraviolet lithography.
- Nicholas Kelez leads xLight as CEO and Pat Gelsinger serves as executive chairman after raising $40 million from Playground Global this summer, with Commerce's award likely making the U.S. government the largest shareholder.
- Backed by federal funding, the move injects U.S. resources into a Dutch-dominated EUV industry and could challenge ASML's dominance, while critics question taxpayer-funded equity stakes amid the Trump administration's prior equity actions.
- The funding aims to produce first silicon wafers by 2028 and slot xLight's lasers into ASML machines, though industry analysts warn scaling to fab-ready units remains challenging.
34 Articles
34 Articles
Monopoly No More? ASML May Suddenly Have a New Competitor
Quick Read ASML (ASML) controls over 90% of the EUV lithography market with machines costing up to $400M each. The Trump administration is investing up to $150M in xLight to develop rival laser technology that could cut ASML wafer processing costs by 30% to 40%. ASML expects 15% growth this year but faces uncertainty in 2026 amid declining China sales. Finding the best credit card just got a lot easier. We’ve assembled a list of cards with u…
US Investing up to $150 Million in Chip Laser Startup XLight
The U.S. government is to become a shareholder in xLight, an American startup developing free-electron lasers. The Department of Commerce said on Dec. 1 that it has signed a non-binding preliminary letter of intent to provide up to $150 million in federal incentives to xLight through the CHIPS and Science Act, with the government taking an equity stake in the company in return. The department said the potential incentives would support xLight, l…
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