Applied Materials unveiled its Sunnyvale semiconductor research center, with capital expenditure expected to expand toward $5 billion as customer projects begin.

Applied Materials unveiled its Equipment and Process Innovation and Commercialization (EPIC) Center in Sunnyvale, California. The facility covers 600,000 square feet and includes nearly four acres of advanced cleanroom space, according to the supplied report.

Founding chip-manufacturer partners include TSMC, Intel, Samsung Electronics, Micron, and SK hynix. Innovation partners include Broadcom, Advantest, SCREEN, Kioxia, and Besi.

University research partners include Arizona State University, Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the University of California, Los Angeles. The center is described as supporting semiconductor process-technology development for the AI era.

Although the report characterizes EPIC as a $5 billion facility, it also states that capital expenditure is expected to expand gradually toward approximately $5 billion as customer projects start. Consequently, that amount should not be treated as confirmed expenditure already incurred.