Arradiance buys Lotus Applied Technology to scale up chip-coating tech

What's the deal? Arradiance has acquired Lotus Applied TechnologyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, adding patented high-speed atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology as it pushes from research-grade systems into production-scale manufacturing. Financial terms were not disclosed.

What's the endgame? Arradiance builds research-grade ALD, plasma-enhanced ALD, and molecular layer deposition (MLD) equipment, including its GEMStar and PRIME platforms, with hundreds of systems deployed across commercial, academic, and government research bodies. Lotus AT brings intellectual property in rapid spatial and roll-to-roll ALD, plus expertise in phosphors, dielectrics, and ultra-thin barrier coatings.

Why the tech matters: Lotus AT's technology has shown precursor utilization rates above 95%, cutting material consumption in high-volume manufacturing. Arradiance says that will let it offer production-scale systems for applications conventional deposition tools struggle with.

Chief executive officer Michael Trotter said the deal extends Arradiance's ability to support customers moving "from laboratory-scale research to commercial manufacturing."

What changes? Lotus AT will keep its brand and operate as an Arradiance company from its Hillsboro, Oregon, facility, with its workforce, equipment, and in-house deposition capabilities unchanged. The combined company will hold facilities on both coasts, widening its reach across North America.

Arradiance also noted the recent death of Lotus AT founder and president Eric Dickey, and said it will continue advancing the spatial ALD technologies developed under his leadership.

The signal: The acquisition reflects continued consolidation in the advanced semiconductor equipment sector, where manufacturers are pairing research expertise with scalable production technologies to meet rising demand for precision coatings in chip fabrication.

Read more: citybiz