The Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory has entered into a cooperative research and development agreement, or CRADA, with semiconductor manufacturer xLight.

Fermilab said Thursday that the aim of the CRADA is to develop key components that would enhance the manufacturing of semiconductors in the U.S.

Part of the effort involves the development of an extreme ultraviolet light source, which would make the process of making advanced chips require less energy.

The partnership was formally launched on April 4 during a meeting between Fermilab Director Lia Merminga and xLight CEO Nicholas Kelez.

Merminga said the partnership “represents a unique opportunity to transition the technologies that Fermilab develops for our science mission to commercial applications.”

For his part, Kelez expressed his organization’s “deep appreciation for Fermilab’s excellent work and leadership in particle accelerator technologies.”