Lam Research and JSR/Inpria Join Forces on Next-Generation Semiconductor Materials and EUV Patterning

In a significant move to address the escalating demands of AI and high-performance computing chip production, two semiconductor industry heavyweights have formalized a non-exclusive cross-licensing and collaboration agreement. The partnership brings together Lam Research Corp. (Nasdaq: LRCX), renowned for its wafer fabrication equipment capabilities, with JSR Corporation and its subsidiary Inpria Corporation, a provider of advanced metal oxide photoresist solutions.

Bridging Materials Science and Equipment Innovation

The strategic alliance aims to harmonize JSR/Inpria’s expertise in semiconductor materials with Lam’s proficiency in deposition, etch, and patterning technologies. This combination is designed to tackle one of the semiconductor industry’s most pressing challenges: enabling chipmakers to scale production efficiently as they transition toward artificial intelligence applications.

Inpria Corporation’s metal oxide resist solutions represent a critical advancement for next-generation lithography systems. When integrated with Lam’s proprietary Aether dry resist equipment—a breakthrough technology that simplifies the fabrication of intricate chip patterns—the pairing could substantially reduce manufacturing complexity and costs for companies developing leading-edge processors.

Technical Roadmap and Innovation Areas

The collaboration encompasses several advanced development initiatives:

EUV Lithography Advancements: Joint work on both low-NA and high-NA extreme ultraviolet patterning, leveraging Inpria’s resist formulations and Lam’s patterning expertise. High-NA EUV represents a critical pathway for scaling semiconductor nodes beyond current capabilities.

Materials for Precision Processing: Research and development of metal oxide resists and specialized films designed for next-generation patterning applications, essential for manufacturing the densely packed circuits required in AI processors and data center hardware.

Advanced Deposition and Etch Solutions: Utilizing JSR’s recent acquisition of Yamanaka Hutech Corporation, the companies will investigate new precursor materials and processes for atomic layer deposition and etching. This exploration extends the innovation scope beyond patterning into the fundamental material processes that define modern chip fabrication.

Strategic Implications and Market Context

Lam Research, a FORTUNE 500 entity headquartered in Fremont, California, has maintained its position as a foundational supplier to semiconductor manufacturers globally. The company’s equipment now powers nearly every advanced chip in production today. By expanding partnerships with material specialists like JSR/Inpria, Lam strengthens its ecosystem approach to solving increasingly complex fabrication challenges.

JSR Corporation operates as a comprehensive technology materials provider, with its Electronic Materials Division supplying photoresists, process materials, and specialized solutions across logic and memory chip production. The Inpria acquisition in 2021 positioned JSR at the forefront of EUV metal oxide resist development—a capability that becomes increasingly valuable as the industry pushes toward higher-resolution patterning.

Litigation Settlement

As part of the agreement framework, Inpria and Lam have decided to dismiss all outstanding claims in the litigation case Inpria v. Lam Research (Case 1:22cv01359) within the District Court of Delaware, alongside all associated inter partes review proceedings. This resolution signals a shift from competitive tension to cooperative innovation.

Industry Leadership Perspectives

“By combining JSR and Inpria’s materials expertise with Lam’s strengths in deposition, etch, and dry resist technologies, we aim to accelerate solutions for EUV lithography—including high NA—and support the industry to scale efficiently for the new AI era,” stated Toru Kimura, senior officer at JSR Corporation, emphasizing the company’s commitment to advancing cutting-edge materials for demanding technology roadmaps.

Vahid Vahedi, chief technology and sustainability officer at Lam Research, highlighted how the partnership complements Lam’s established atomic layer deposition and etch capabilities, noting that the collaboration enables accelerated innovation at a critical time when semiconductor complexity continues to rise.

This partnership reflects the broader industry trend toward deep technical collaboration, as chipmakers and equipment suppliers work in tandem to overcome the fundamental physical and material science challenges inherent in scaling semiconductor production for the artificial intelligence-driven computing landscape.