With an eye toward customizing computer chips, Lucent Technologies Inc. bought a minority stake in Santa Clara, Calif.-based Chip Express Corp. The deal is worth $10 million.
Chip Express' laser technology burns connections on a chip that change its function, saving the step of redesigning another chip. The technique will allow Lucent, based in Murray Hill, N.J., to manufacture its chips more quickly and efficiently.
As part of the agreement, Chip Express will have access to Lucent's technology for 0.25-µm components. The two companies also plan to develop a laser programming system for 0.25-µm chips, enabling circuit manufacturers to fit more than four times the information on similar chips based on 0.35-µm technology.