ASML is the Dutch semiconductor-equipment company founded in 1984 as a joint venture involving Philips.
ASML was established in 1984 by Philips and the Dutch company ASM International. Its original name was Advanced Semiconductor Materials International Lithography, later shortened to ASML. The company is headquartered in Veldhoven, Netherlands, and its shares trade in Amsterdam and on Nasdaq under ASML.
ASML makes lithography systems used by chip manufacturers to print extremely small patterns on semiconductor wafers. Its extreme ultraviolet, or EUV, lithography machines are especially important for producing advanced chips. ASML does not generally manufacture the processors found in phones or computers; it supplies critical equipment to semiconductor manufacturers.
That distinction is a frequent source of confusion. TSMC manufactures chips, while ASML produces lithography systems used in chip fabrication. ASML’s strategic importance and high-value equipment have helped make it one of Europe’s most valuable listed companies by market capitalization.