Nearfield Instruments raises $380 million for AI chip tools

Nearfield Instruments raised $380 million in a new funding round, valuing the Netherlands-based chipmaking tool firm at $1.6 billion. The capital injection comes as the company scales production of atomic force microscopes used to measure features on advanced semiconductors. This expansion targets the growing demand for precision metrology tools essential for high-end AI chip manufacturing.

### Scaling Atomic-Level Precision Nearfield Instruments produces specialized devices that measure chip features only a few atoms tall. These tools use a probe to scan surfaces, ensuring manufacturing accuracy throughout the hundreds of steps required to produce a modern processor. This field, known as semiconductor metrology, is currently dominated by KLA CORP.