ASML is the Dutch semiconductor-equipment company described as the sole supplier of EUV lithography machines used for advanced chips.
Extreme ultraviolet, or EUV, lithography uses light with a wavelength of 13.5 nanometers to print extremely small features on silicon wafers. ASML’s EUV systems are among the most complex industrial machines ever built and are used by leading chip manufacturers for advanced process nodes.
ASML does not manufacture the processors found in phones or computers. Instead, it makes the lithography equipment that companies such as TSMC, Samsung, and Intel use in semiconductor fabrication. This distinction explains why ASML can rank among the world’s most valuable companies despite selling specialized industrial systems rather than consumer products.
Nikon and Canon also produce lithography equipment, particularly for other technologies, but ASML dominates commercial EUV systems. The company’s position depends on decades of research, a global supplier network, and key technology partnerships.