IBM & Lam Research Partner for Next-Gen Photolithography
Published: 18 Mar 2026
Author: Precedence Research
In March 2026, IBM Corporation and Lam Research Corporation announced a new partnership to accelerate the development of next-generation semiconductor manufacturing technologies. The partnership will help to drive the development of new materials, manufacturing processes, as well as next-generation patterning solutions to support the advancement of photolithography machinery as well as other semiconductor manufacturing technologies. This is a part of the overall drive to enable advanced semiconductor scaling technologies.
Photolithography is a core component of the overall semiconductor manufacturing process. This process involves precise light-based patterning that is utilized to create the patterns on a silicon wafer. The initiatives to create extremely small transistors is the reason for increasing complexity of the lithography process. The manufacturers are looking for new process technologies as well as machinery innovations to continue the advancement of the lithography process.
Research Focus on Sub-Nanometer Semiconductor Scaling
The collaboration between the two companies will emphasize on research that will be used for future semiconductor design at extremely scaled technology nodes. This includes the development of new materials that will help improve the lithography techniques used in semiconductor fabrication. The research is expected to include advanced patterning technology, which will be used for extreme ultraviolet lithography. This will help improve the semiconductor fabrication techniques used for patterning semiconductors.
The global photolithography equipment market size was calculated at USD 13.84 billion in 2025 and is predicted to increase from USD 14.62 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 23.87 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 5.60% from 2026 to 2035 as the demand grows for advanced semiconductor fabrication techniques and high-precision microelectronics manufacturing.
Impact on Semiconductor Manufacturing Technologies
The industry is witnessing various collaborations between equipment vendors and technology developers to drive technological advancements. Companies like IBM have significant expertise in semiconductor research and development and materials science. Similarly, Lam Research has expertise in advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment. This collaboration is an attempt to address some of the challenges related to the latest semiconductor nodes.
This partnership is a step towards driving the development of upcoming semiconductor fabrication technologies for artificial intelligence systems, high-performance computing architectures and other electronic devices. As demand for advanced chips keeps growing globally, innovations in lithography techniques and manufacturing technologies will be important for the development of next generation of semiconductor devices.
A recent report by Precedence Research highlights that the photolithography equipment market is benefiting from an increase in chip demand, semiconductor miniaturization, and improvements in extreme ultraviolet lithography technology.