ASML completes Brion acquisition

AROMAS, Calif. — Lithography giant ASML Holding NV announced Thursday (March 8) that it has completed its acquisition of Brion Technologies, a provider of lithography verification and optical proximity correction (OPC) tools. The acquisition had been expected to close in the first quarter of 2007.

ASML announced in December its intent to acquire the privately-held Brion Technologies for $270 million in cash. The move places ASML in the IC design for manufacturability (DFM) market, where it will compete with EDA vendors, including Synopsys and Mentor Graphics, who offer OPC solutions.

Founded in 2002, Brion (Santa Clara, Calif.) is a player in the growing field of computational lithography. The company's Tachyon line offers hardware-assisted lithography verification and OPC. Last month Brion rolled out Tachyon 2.0, which claims the accuracy and throughput required for OPC in designs at 45 nanometers and below.

Brion will continue to operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of ASML and will support its current product line. Eric Chen will remain CEO of Brion.

"We are pleased to welcome Brion into our company," said Eric Meurice, president and CEO of ASML, in a statement. "Brion's products and technology will complement and reinforce ASML's core lithography business, while ASML will help to accelerate Brion's growth into the growing market for verification, reticle enhancement technology, and OPC, by providing key lithography know-how."