Howard Lutnick Says Trump Administration Chip R&D Partnership With Former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger’s Startup Can ‘Fundamentally Rewrite The Limits’

On Monday, the Donald Trump administration said it has signed a preliminary, nonbinding agreement to take an equity stake in xLight.
US Eyes Breakthrough in EUV Bottleneck
EUV lithography machines — made exclusively by ASML Holdings NV (NASDAQ:ASML) — are essential for advanced chip manufacturing.
Their most complex component is the laser. xLight has proposed to build a far more energy-efficient laser using particle-accelerator technology, working with U.S. national labs to develop a prototype that could integrate with ASML’s systems or future competitors.
In a press release, the U.S. Commerce Department said the government plans to invest up to $150 million in the company.
The proposed funding would support the construction, expansion and testing of a free-electron laser prototype designed as a new light source for extreme ultraviolet lithography, with the Commerce Department set to receive $150 million in equity in xLight in return.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the partnership supports a