ASML is the primary maker of extreme-ultraviolet lithography machines for advanced chips.
ASML’s EUV systems use 13.5-nanometer light to project extremely small circuit patterns onto semiconductor wafers. The technology supports the production of leading-edge chips, including processors used in high-performance computing and artificial intelligence. ASML is currently the only commercial supplier of EUV lithography systems.
The company was founded in 1984 as a joint venture between Philips and ASM International. Its name originally stood for Advanced Semiconductor Materials International Lithography, although ASML is now used as the corporate name. The company’s headquarters are in Veldhoven, Netherlands.
ASML does not manufacture the finished processors found in phones or servers. It makes highly complex equipment used by chip manufacturers such as TSMC, Samsung, and Intel. This distinction explains why ASML can be central to the semiconductor supply chain while not being a conventional chipmaker itself.