ASML Acquiring Cymer for $2.5B

Semiconductor lithography systems provider !%ASML Holding NV%! of Veldhoven, Netherlands, will acquire its light source supplier, Cymer Inc. of San Diego, for €1.95 billion (about $2.5 billion) in stock. The deal is expected to accelerate the development of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) semiconductor lithography technology. The companies have collaborated for more than a year on the development of EUV technology. “Cymer will operate as an independent division and the DUV [deep-ultraviolet] and EUV light source center of ASML,” Cymer Chairman and CEO Bob Akins said. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2013.