- In March 2025, SHINKO Electric Industries Co., Ltd., a major player in electrostatic chuck technology, announced the opening of a new R&D center in Dresden, Germany, aimed at advancing wafer handling systems and electrostatic chuck designs for EUV lithography. This move supports Europe's growing semiconductor equipment ecosystem under the EU Chips Act initiative.
- In January 2025, Lam Research, a leading global semiconductor equipment supplier, expanded its presence in Villach, Austria, with investments focused on enhancing plasma etching and deposition tools. These tools integrate advanced ESC systems, which are critical for processing next-gen semiconductor wafers used in AI, automotive, and HPC applications.
- In November 2024, SEMITEC Corporation partnered with a European-based semiconductor OEM to supply ceramic-based bipolar electrostatic chucks for high-temperature plasma processing. The deal strengthens SEMITEC’s position in Europe and aligns with demand for robust ESCs compatible with SiC and GaN wafer processing.
- In October 2024, Applied Materials announced a collaboration with imec (Belgium) to co-develop next-generation electrostatic clamping technologies to support sub-3nm node semiconductor manufacturing. The partnership targets improvements in wafer flatness control and thermal uniformity, both critical to maintaining EUV lithography precision.
- In August 2024, Germany-based TRUMPF Hüttinger introduced an advanced RF power supply system optimized for electrostatic chucks used in plasma etchers and CVD equipment. The new system enhances power control and temperature stability during wafer processing, addressing challenges in high-aspect-ratio etching.
