Governor Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced the installation of the world’s first ever 450mm Immersion Scanner has begun at the SUNY Polytechnic Institute's Albany NanoTech Complex. Developed by Nikon Corporation, this first of its kind tool will accelerate the development of the next generation computer chips used in a variety of consumer and commercial applications.

“New York is proud to be home to some of the most sophisticated computer chip research on the planet, and with thousands of scientists and engineers from Albany to Buffalo we are growing the industry like never before," Governor Cuomo said. "These strategic investments in nanotechnology, as well as replicating the success in Albany across Upstate, have attracted global leaders like Nikon that are bringing private funding and job opportunities to New York."

A team including more than 50 engineers from the U.S. and around the world will be involved in the installation. The SUNY Polytechnic-led transition to 450mm is a technological leap for the semiconductor industry. With applications ranging from cell phones, tablet computers, defense, green energy, and many more, 450mm will produce more than double the number of chips processed on today’s 300mm wafers, leading to lower costs and far faster, more reliable computer chip technologies. The scanner can be viewed here.

New York is the first to establish this next generation of computer chip technology, which is the result of Governor Cuomo’s 2011 announcement that G450C partners, including Intel, IBM, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, TSMC and Samsung, would invest over $4.8 billion to build the world’s first 450mm wafer and equipment development environment at SUNY Poly’s NanoTech Complex.

Toshikazu Umatate, Nikon Corporation Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Semiconductor Lithography Business Unit said, “The Nikon 450mm program is progressing steadily and this exciting milestone was made possible by close collaboration with our many partners throughout the consortium. Nikon is committed to continuous lithography innovation and advancement, and supporting the industry in achieving the next generation of semiconductor manufacturing.”

Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, SUNY Polytechnic Institute President and CEO said, “The delivery of the Nikon Immersion Scanner is a victory in innovation for New York State and another major milestone in Governor Cuomo’s technology roadmap leading the global semiconductor industry to next generation computer chip development. New York State remains at the cutting edge of innovation, leveraging the expertise and resources of world class partners like Nikon as we define the future of computer chip technology while driving economic development and job creation.”

In July of 2013, Governor Cuomo announced a $350 million partnership between SUNY Polytechnic's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and Nikon to develop next generation 450mm photolithography technology. Photolithography has become the critical enabling step in the manufacturing of nanometer size transistors that are the building blocks of today's computer chips. Nikon and SUNY Poly worked tirelessly to bring the immersion lithography scanner online in less than 12 months and unveiled the world’s first fully patterned 450mm wafers in July of 2014. The Nikon immersion tool now joins existing 450mm infrastructure at SUNY Poly's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, bringing the total investment in 450mm wafer equipment at the Albany NanoTech Complex to more than $700 million.

About Nikon
Since 1980, Nikon Corporation has been revolutionizing lithography with innovative products and technologies. The company is a worldwide leader in semiconductor lithography systems for the microelectronics manufacturing industry with more than 8,000 (semiconductor) lithography systems installed worldwide. Nikon offers an extensive selection of production-class lithography systems serving the semiconductor, flat panel display (FPD) and thin-film magnetic head (TFH) industries. Nikon Precision Inc. provides service, training, applications and technical support, as well as sales and marketing for Nikon lithography systems in North America. For more information about Nikon, visit http://www.nikon.com.