The U.S. government is to become a shareholder in xLight, an American startup developing free-electron lasers.
The Department of Commerce said on Dec. 1 that it has signed a non-binding preliminary letter of intent to provide up to $150 million in federal incentives to xLight through the CHIPS and Science Act, with the government taking an equity stake in the company in return.
The department said the potential incentives would support xLight, led by former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, in developing a free-electron laser prototype that will serve as an alternative light source for extreme ultraviolet lithography. This marks the first CHIPS Act award issued during the Trump administration’s second term, as the government seeks to enhance U.S. leadership in cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing, it stated….