ASML is the leading manufacturer of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines used to produce the most advanced computer chips.
The Dutch company was founded in 1984 as a joint venture between Philips and ASM International. Its name originally stood for Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography. ASML later became independent and developed increasingly sophisticated machines that project circuit patterns onto silicon wafers.
EUV lithography uses light with a wavelength of 13.5 nanometers, enabling chipmakers to print extremely small features. ASML’s EUV systems are extraordinarily complex and depend on a global supply chain, including key optical components from Germany’s Carl Zeiss SMT.
ASML does not fabricate finished processors such as CPUs or GPUs. It supplies lithography equipment to chip manufacturers, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Samsung Electronics, and Intel.