ASML EUV Lithography
The cluster focuses on ASML's monopoly in manufacturing EUV lithography machines critical for sub-10nm semiconductor production, discussing its technology, customers like TSMC and Intel, US licensing, and geopolitical issues like exports to China.
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I learned the other day that Dutch company ASML is the only company in the world that makes the extreme ultraviolet lithography machines that the various top semiconductor foundries use in their sub 10nm processes (TSMC, Samsung, Intel, etc). Seems like a critical company in a high value niche that will have value into the future.
You might want to read the situation and history in ASML's own words:https://www.asml.com/en/news/stories/2022/making-euv-lab-to-...
I thought asml was manufacturers of EUV machines..
Is this meant to rival ASML's machines?
You are correct. The discussion about ASML is relevant in that state of the art chips cannot be produced without one of their TwinScan lithography tools. ASML is the only company that can build tools with 7nm and below capability.In the context of the EU developing the ability to fabricate state-of-the-art chips, ASML would sell them the TwinScan tools they needed, which are just one species of about 40 that are used for chip fabrication.
You forget ASML is a European company
Does ASML being EU based affects this?
EUV lithography is a strange beast. It requires extremely clean rooms and a lot of practical know-how and skills from the humans around it. Few companies are in position to actually use EUV machines to produce chips.So, in practice, ASML and the few companies are dependent on each other and probably found local optimum of coexistence. ASML does not want to push several top-level tech companies into search for alternatives and the top level tech companies do not want to waste their talent on r
Aren't Intel, TSMC and Samsung all customers (and investors) of ASML, which is actually the manufacturer and developer of the EUV (ultraviolet) machines this refers to? Basically, if at all, they might have a slight exclusivity deal, but given the owner structure you can imagine that this will not really affect anything in the long run. With the willingness of spending the money on new nodes they will have the technology too.
They cannot, ASML tech is licensed from a US government (DOE) owned company - EUV LLC under full congressional oversight. The EUV light source is made in the US because they had to buy a US company for that too.