ASML, FOM/NWO and UvA/VU plan to establish Institute for Nanolithography

The initial research programme of the INL will focus on physical and chemical processes that are vital for future extensions of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. This technology is at the forefront of chip manufacturing and is indispensable for innovation in the global semiconductor industry. The institute is expected to make important contributions to semiconductor lithography, which is the key manufacturing technology for making the memory chips and processors in PCs, smartphones and tablets. Initially, the institute will focus on the physics of EUV light, infrared-laser physics, (surface) physics of clusters and radicals and nanophotochemistry.

ASML will provide more than one third of the institute's annual budget, investing roughly 30 million euros over a period of ten years. FOM and NWO will contribute 25 million euros over ten years and UvA/VU will make a contribution of 12.5 million euros. The City of Amsterdam has committed 5 million euros as start-up funding. The institute is expected to benefit from the government incentive for public-private partnerships (TKI) and plans to raise 25 million euros from various other funding instruments such as European programmes. The overall initiative amounts to 100 million euros over a period of 10 years.

The institute will be launched in the third quarter of 2013 under the management of the FOM Institute AMOLF. By 2015, it will have become an independent institute managed by FOM in collaboration with UvA and VU, and will employ about 100 highly qualified scientists and staff, including professors, postdocs, PhD students, graduate students and technicians. The institute will be located at the Science Park Amsterdam. This will embed the institute among other pioneering researchers in an ideal environment for cooperation and the exchange of  ideas. The institute will be linked to the education programmes of the joint science faculties of UvA and VU.

"Beyond our existing cooperation with universities and research institutes, ASML sees a need for long-term, fundamental research in nanolithography, which focuses not on making a concrete product, but on exploring technology options. This institute, with its broad research agenda, will expand the nanolithography knowledge network, contributing to innovation in the semiconductor industry," said Ir. Martin van den Brink, ASML Executive Vice President and Chief Product and Technology Officer. 

"The cooperation between entrepreneurs and researchers is crucial to stay at the top," said Henk Kamp, Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs . "With this institute, ASML can take on the growing competition and further strengthen its global market position."

"With this institute we will give an important new impetus to the top sector policy in the Netherlands, aimed at increasing the impact of science on our technology base and economy. The brainstorm sessions scientists organised when preparing their proposals for this institute have already identified various research avenues, which have the potential to lead to new technology options. I am confident the institute will set an example for achieving a win-win situation for science and industry alike," said Dr.ir. Wim van Saarloos, director of FOM.

Prof.dr. Jos Engelen, chairman of the Governing Board of NWO, adds: "This initiative complies with the ambition of NWO to engage in more longer-term public private partnerships and to encourage private industry to increase its contribution to the funding of scientific research in our country. We are proud that ASML has sought this partnership with FOM/NWO."

Prof.dr. Albert Polman, director of FOM Institute AMOLF: "The mission of AMOLF is to initiate new research directions that are important for science and industry in the Netherlands. Our initiative to lead the Amsterdam bid for the INL is a prime example of this and AMOLF is strongly committed to make the new institute a success."

"This new institute further strengthens the Amsterdam and Dutch economy", said Amsterdam vice mayor Carolien Gehrels, responsible for Economic Affairs. "We are honoured that ASML acknowledges the position of Amsterdam as a city of commerce, culture and science."

The establishment of the new institute is conditional on contract negotiations between the partners.

Update 27 June 2013
On 27 June it was announced that both he Governing Board of FOM and the Governing Board of NWO have approved this plan. If the negotiations are successfully completed then the centre will be set up and operated.

About ASML
ASML is one of the world's leading providers of lithography systems for the semiconductor industry, manufacturing complex machines that are critical to the production of integrated circuits or chips. Headquartered in Veldhoven, the Netherlands, ASML is traded on Euronext Amsterdam and NASDAQ under the symbol ASML. ASML has 8,625 employees on payroll (expressed in full time equivalents), serving chip manufacturers in more than 55 locations in 16 countries. More information about the company, products and technology, and career opportunities is available on the website: www.asml.com

About FOM/AMOLF
The Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM) promotes, co-ordinates and finances fundamental physics research in the Netherlands, and is part of the physics division of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO, www.nwo.nl). FOM’s annual budget is 99 million euros. AMOLF (www.amolf.nl) is one of the three research institutes of FOM, located in Science Park Amsterdam, and carries out research in the field of nano/bioscience and nanotechnology. AMOLF is renowned for its ability to identify and initiate novel research areas of strategic importance for Dutch science and industry. The institute employs about 200 people including more than 100 PhD students and postdocs. The Amsterdam bid for the INL was led and coordinated by AMOLF.

About NWO
The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) is the national research council in the Netherlands. NWO promotes quality and innovation in science by selecting and funding the best research. NWO manages research institutes of national and international importance, contributes to strategic programming of scientific research and brings science and society closer together. Research proposals are reviewed and selected by researchers of international repute. More than 5000 scientists can carry out research thanks to funding from NWO.

About UvA/VU
The University of Amsterdam (UvA) and VU University Amsterdam (VU) are leading international research universities. In 2012, they jointly established the Amsterdam Academic Alliance (AAA) and initiated the process to create an integrated Science Faculty. This joint Faculty will be situated at two major campus locations (Science Park, Zuidas) and will comprise more than 900 scientific staff and 10.000 students. The annual budget of the joint VU and UvA Science Faculty is 250 million euros. It will bring recognition to Amsterdam as one of the premier science cities in continental Europe. 

More information
Representatives of ASML, AMOLF and FOM are available for interviews. To arrange an interview, please contact:
ASML: Corporate Communications, Lucas van Grinsven +31 (0)40 268 39 49 or Niclas Mika +31 (0)40 268 96 70 or Investor Relations, Frank D'Hoore, +31 (0)40 268 64 94  
AMOLF: prof.dr. Albert Polman (director AMOLF, representing the INL), +31 (0)20 754 74 02
FOM: dr.ir. Wim van Saarloos (director FOM), +31 (0)30 600 12 26