ASML is the world’s only manufacturer of extreme ultraviolet, or EUV, lithography machines.
ASML Holding is headquartered in Veldhoven, Netherlands, and supplies equipment used to manufacture advanced computer chips. EUV lithography uses extremely short-wavelength ultraviolet light to print very small patterns on silicon wafers, enabling leading-edge semiconductor production.
The machines are exceptionally complex and rely on an international supply chain. German optics company ZEISS supplies critical optical components, while other specialist companies provide lasers, sensors, and precision systems. ASML integrates these technologies into complete lithography platforms for chip manufacturers.
ASML is an equipment maker, not a chip foundry. That distinction matters because companies such as TSMC manufacture chips for customers, whereas ASML sells the machines that help chipmakers create them. Because advanced lithography equipment is strategically important, ASML is frequently discussed alongside the world’s most valuable semiconductor companies.