DOE Backs Chip Lithography Pilot With Brookhaven
A Department of Energy Office of Science pilot program will give chip manufacturers easier access to lab facilities focused on lithography and metrology research.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Semiconductors
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Brookhaven National Laboratory is carrying out the pilot with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and NY Creates, a New York nonprofit whose Albany NanoTech Complex hosted the program's launch in September. Under the pilot, chip manufacturers gain easier entry to Office of Science user facilities at both labs.
Why it matters
The effort aims to move laboratory findings into commercial chips sooner by pairing industry with lab tools and staff. New York's Albany research base is positioned to play a central role in this work.
The $179 million DOE commitment from January 2025 funds the wider microelectronics research network this pilot draws on, while New York's $10 billion partnership underpins the Albany lithography work. The pilot's specific funding and results timeline have not been disclosed.
The players
Brookhaven National Laboratory
A U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory on Long Island that conducts research across physics, chemistry, and energy science.
NY Creates
A New York nonprofit that operates the Albany NanoTech Complex and a semiconductor research and development facility with low-NA EUV capabilities.
The details
Participating companies and lab staff will develop experiments aimed at getting laboratory findings into commercial chips sooner. Workshops and technical exchanges will help match industry problems with relevant lab tools, and the partners expect to shorten the time needed to analyze results.
Timeline
September: Pilot program launch hosted at the Albany NanoTech Complex.
November 5, 2026: Brookhaven announced the pilot effort.
The Tech Race
The pilot extends the DOE Office of Science user facilities model into commercial semiconductor work, putting New York's Albany lithography base alongside national lab capacity. It positions the state to compete in the high-NA EUV race that the $10 billion partnership launched in December 2023.
Chip manufacturers gain easier entry to Office of Science user facilities at Brookhaven and Berkeley under the pilot. The program's goal is shorter development cycles for lab-tested chip technologies that reach consumer devices.
The takeaway
Faster paths from lab research to commercial chips could shorten the time before new semiconductor technologies reach everyday devices. Tracking the pilot's first published results will show whether shared lab access delivers on that promise.
Further reading
For more on the state's chip research base, see Semiconductors coverage across New York.
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