The semiconductor industry has become a global foundational industry, supporting a wide range of fields including information and communication, high-performance computing, automotive electronics, and energy. It operates under a highly specialized international division of labor, where regions collaborate closely across design, manufacturing, packaging, and testing processes. Among these, semiconductor manufacturing is a typical "equipment-driven" industry, with its production capacity and technological level largely determined by the manufacturing equipment employed.

As advanced process technologies continue to move toward smaller feature sizes and higher integration levels, equipment structures as well as optical and circuit designs are gradually approaching their practical limits. The potential for performance improvement through architectural optimization alone is becoming increasingly limited. Under these conditions, key materials, such as electron sources, optical and electron-optical components, and high-durability structural materials, are emerging as critical breakthrough areas for the development of next-generation semiconductor equipment.

Against this background, Lam Research and the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Japan, have established a long-term collaborative research program focusing on high-performance materials in semiconductor manufacturing systems. The project places particular emphasis on material performance and applications under extreme operating conditions, while continuously advancing related research activities. The project is led by Dr. Da Bo, Senior Researcher at NIMS.

Based on this collaboration, the initiative aims to strengthen academic exchange and collaborative research in the field of semiconductor equipment materials. On one hand, academic visits, joint research, and thematic seminars are organized to enhance researchers' understanding of material requirements from semiconductor equipment companies. On the other hand, through information dissemination and sharing of research outcomes, the initiative seeks to improve industry awareness of research progress and promote effective alignment between industrial needs and research directions.

Lam Research is a global leader in semiconductor equipment, committed to advancing key technologies in semiconductor manufacturing through long-standing collaborations with research institutions worldwide.

NIMS is one of Japan's leading national research institutes, conducting systematic fundamental and applied research in materials science, while maintaining extensive collaborations with universities and industry both domestically and internationally.