ASML is the sole manufacturer of commercial extreme ultraviolet lithography machines for advanced chips.
ASML, headquartered in Veldhoven, Netherlands, developed EUV systems in partnership with research institutions and suppliers including Carl Zeiss and Cymer. These machines use 13.5-nanometer-wavelength light to print extremely small patterns on semiconductor wafers.
EUV lithography entered high-volume manufacturing in the late 2010s and is used for leading-edge logic and memory chips. ASML does not manufacture the chips themselves; instead, companies such as TSMC, Samsung, and Intel use its equipment in their fabs.
A common mix-up is confusing ASML with chip designers or foundries. ASML makes the specialized lithography tools, while chipmakers use those tools to produce processors and other integrated circuits. Its strategic importance has helped make it one of Europe’s most valuable publicly traded companies.