Applied Materials on Monday unveiled two deposition systems tailored for sub-2 nanometre gate-all-around (GAA) transistor processes. The company said GAA transistor fabrication requires more than 500 process steps to build internal 3D structures, with many steps demanding near-atomic tolerances. One system uses selective bottom-up silicon nitride deposition to protect shallow trench isolation structures and reduce parasitic capacitance. The other controls metal gate stacks with atomic-level uniformity and integrates multiple metal deposition steps on one platform.

Dutch chip equipment maker BE Semiconductor Industries (BESI) has emerged as a potential acquisition target for major U.S. chip equipment companies. Lam Research and Applied Materials are reported to be considering a takeover. Reuters reported talks began in mid-2025, were paused early this year amid geopolitical tensions between the United States and the European Union over Greenland, and have recently resumed. BESI has selected Morgan Stanley as adviser and says it will remain independent.