Microsoft-Backed Lace Raises $40M to Develop 0.1nm Atomic Lithography
Microsoft-backed Lace has raised $40 million in a Series A led by Atomico and M12 to develop helium atom beam lithography for advanced chipmaking. Lace’s 0.1nm beam could enable transistor features 10x smaller than current 13.5nm light-based tools, potentially boosting performance of AI processors.
1. Lace Secures $40M Series A Funding
Norway-headquartered Lace closed a $40 million Series A round led by Atomico, with Microsoft’s M12, Linse Capital, the Spanish Society for Technological Transformation and Nysnø participating to accelerate development of its advanced chipmaking equipment.
2. Helium Atom Beam Lithography Technology
Lace’s lithography system employs a helium atom beam approximately 0.1 nanometers wide, enabling feature sizes up to ten times smaller than the 13.5-nanometer light beams used by current market-leading tools.
3. Implications for AI Chip Manufacturing
By printing transistors and circuit elements at atomic resolution, Lace aims to boost performance and density of next-generation AI processors and expand the semiconductor industry’s roadmap beyond existing light-based lithography limits.