IBM and Lam Research have announced a five-year collaboration to develop new processes and materials for sub-1 nm logic scaling. Building on their decade-long partnership, the companies will focus on joint development of novel materials, fabrication processes, and High-NA EUV lithography to advance IBM's logic scaling roadmap.

This partnership has already enabled early generations of 7 nm, nanosheet, and EUV process technologies. Under the new agreement, IBM and Lam intend to extend logic scaling to the sub-1 nm node, developing new materials and advanced etch and deposition capabilities for increasingly complex device architectures. The collaboration will leverage IBM's advanced research capabilities at the NY Creates Albany NanoTech Complex and Lam's end-to-end process tools and innovations.

Using technologies like Aether dry resist, Kiyo and Akara etch platforms, and Striker and ALTUS Halo deposition systems, the teams will build and validate full process flows for nanosheet and nanostack devices. This work aims to enable High-NA EUV patterns to be reliably transferred into real device layers with high yield, allowing continued scaling, improved performance, and viable paths to production for future logic devices. The collaboration represents a significant step toward enabling the next generation of AI-driven computing.