CLA-2-84:OT:RR:NC:1:104
Mr. Edward F. Juliano, Jr.
Attorney at Law
303 Wyman Street
Suite 300
Waltham, MA 02451
RE: The tariff classification of RF Power Amplifiers from Germany
Dear Mr. Juliano:
In your letter dated April 7, 2014, on behalf of your client, Cymer LLC, you requested a tariff classification ruling.
The RF Power Amplifiers are components of an Extreme Ultraviolet (“EUV”) Scanner designed for semiconductor lithography. The EUV Scanners are used in high volume semiconductor manufacturing plants to produce microprocessors, memory devices, and other semiconductor components. The EUV Scanner uses light which is created by converting microscopic droplets of molten tin into a plasma which emits EUV light at 13.5 nanometers. Pulses of amplified infrared (“IR”) light are introduced into the scanner’s vacuum chamber and are focused upon a selected number of the tin droplets. This action creates the plasma and EUV light. The EUV light emitted from the plasma is then directed to expose EUV sensitive photoresist patterns on silicon wafers within the Scanner.
The RF Power Amplifiers are specially designed and manufactured for use exclusively in the EUV Scanner. There are no other applications. The RF Power Amplifiers may be imported individually, or as part of a larger module which contains four amplifiers. When the RF Power Amplifiers are imported as a modular assembly, it will contain a metal base and sheet metal housing. The RF Power Amplifiers operate by taking light generated by a separate “seed laser” (not included in this ruling request) module and use radio frequency (“RF”) energy to amplify the power of the light to a significantly higher wattage. The RF Power Amplifiers do not contain output couplers. Light energy passes successively through each RF Power Amplifier. The power (wattage) of the light is increased by each RF Power Amplifier.
The applicable subheading for the RF Power Amplifiers described above will be 8486.90.0000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for Machines and apparatus of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture of semiconductor boules or wafers, semiconductor devices, electronic integrated circuits or flat panel displays; machines and apparatus specified in Note 9 (C) to this chapter; parts and accessories: Parts and accessories. The rate of duty will be free.
Duty rates are provided for your convenience and are subject to change. The text of the most recent HTSUS and the accompanying duty rates are provided on World Wide Web at http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/.
This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).
A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Patricia O’Donnell at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Gwenn Klein Kirschner
Acting Director
National Commodity Specialist Division