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ASML Holding N.V. (commonly shortened to ASML, originally standing for Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography) is a Dutch
multinational corporation A multinational company (MNC), also referred to as a multinational enterprise (MNE), a transnational enterprise (TNE), a transnational corporation (TNC), an international corporation or a stateless corporation with subtle but contrasting senses, i ...
founded in 1984. ASML specializes in the development and manufacturing of photolithography machines which are used to produce
computer chips An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit (also referred to as an IC, a chip, or a microchip) is a set of electronic circuits on one small flat piece (or "chip") of semiconductor material, usually silicon. Large numbers of tiny M ...
. it is the largest supplier for the
semiconductor industry The semiconductor industry is the aggregate of companies engaged in the design and fabrication of semiconductors and semiconductor devices, such as transistors and integrated circuits. It formed around 1960, once the fabrication of semiconduc ...
and the sole supplier in the world of
extreme ultraviolet lithography Extreme ultraviolet lithography (also known as EUV or EUVL) is an optical lithography technology used in steppers, machines that make integrated circuits (ICs) for computers and other electronic devices. It uses a range of extreme ultraviolet (EU ...
(EUV) photolithography machines used to manufacture the most advanced chips. As of 2022, ASML was the most highly valued European tech company by market capitalization with about $200 billion.


Products

ASML produces the photolithography machines used in the production of computer chips. In these machines, patterns are optically imaged onto a silicon wafer that is covered with a film of light-sensitive material ( photoresist). This procedure is repeated dozens of times on a single wafer. The photoresist is then further processed to create the actual electronic circuits on the silicon. The optical imaging that ASML's machines deal with is used in the fabrication of nearly all integrated circuits and, as of 2011, ASML had 67 percent of the worldwide sales of lithography machines. ASML's competition consisted of
Ultratech Ultratech, Inc. is an international technology company based in San Jose, California, that supplies equipment to global semiconductor fabrication plants, and also makes tools for nanotechnology applications by optical networking, data storage and ...
, Canon and Nikon, MKS Instruments, Lam Research and
Cadence Design Systems Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (stylized as cādence), headquartered in San Jose, California, is an American multinational computational software company, founded in 1988 by the merger of SDA Systems and ECAD, Inc. The company produces software, ...
.


Immersion lithography

Since
immersion lithography Immersion lithography is a photolithography resolution enhancement technique for manufacturing integrated circuits (ICs) that replaces the usual air gap between the final lens and the wafer surface with a liquid medium that has a refractive inde ...
was developed by Burn-Jeng Lin, ASML cooperated with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC). In 2004, TSMC began commercial production of
90 nanometer The 90  nm process refers to the level of MOSFET (CMOS) fabrication process technology that was commercialized by the 2003–2005 timeframe, by leading semiconductor companies like Toshiba, Sony, Samsung, IBM, Intel, Fujitsu, TSMC, El ...
semiconductor nodes using ASML immersion lithography. As of 2011, their high-end TWINSCAN NXT:1950i system was used for producing features down to 32
nanometre 330px, Different lengths as in respect to the molecular scale. The nanometre (international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: nm) or nanometer (American and British English spelling differences#-re ...
s at up to 200 wafers per hour,ASML Enhances NXT:1950i to Meet Challenging Imaging and Overlay Requirements and Provide a Cost Effective Platform for 22nm
. Press release, 12 July 2011.
using a water immersion lens and an argon fluoride laser that produces light at a wavelength of 193 nm. , an average lithography machine cost .Third quarter 2011 results
. ASML press release.


EUV lithography

ASML manufactured
extreme ultraviolet lithography Extreme ultraviolet lithography (also known as EUV or EUVL) is an optical lithography technology used in steppers, machines that make integrated circuits (ICs) for computers and other electronic devices. It uses a range of extreme ultraviolet (EU ...
machines that produce light in the 13.3–13.7 nm
wavelength In physics, the wavelength is the spatial period of a periodic wave—the distance over which the wave's shape repeats. It is the distance between consecutive corresponding points of the same phase on the wave, such as two adjacent crests, tr ...
range. when a high-energy
laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The ...
is focused on microscopic droplets of molten tin to produce a plasma, which then emits EUV light. As of 2021, their best selling product has been Twinscan NXE:3600D, using EUV at 5 and 3 nm wavelength costing €144 million, or $150 million; shipping the machine requires 40 shipping containers, 20 trucks and three Boeing 747s. The goal is to manufacture the most advanced semi-conductors at below 5 nm towards 2 nm.


DUV lithography

Deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography devices from ASML use light that penetrates the UV spectrum to print the tiny features that form the microchip's structure. In 2009, the IMEC research center in Belgium produced the world's first functional 22 nm
CMOS Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS, pronounced "sea-moss", ) is a type of metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) fabrication process that uses complementary and symmetrical pairs of p-type and n-type MOSF ...
Static random access memory Static random-access memory (static RAM or SRAM) is a type of random-access memory (RAM) that uses latching circuitry (flip-flop) to store each bit. SRAM is volatile memory; data is lost when power is removed. The term ''static'' differ ...
memory cells with a prototype EUV lithography machine. In 2011 series-produced (non-prototype) EUV machines were shipped.


Nanoimprint lithography

In addition to immersion-based lithography and EUV lithography, ASML has a substantial
intellectual property Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, co ...
portfolio covering imprint lithography.


Company

ASML's corporate headquarters is in Veldhoven,
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and the location for research, development, manufacturing and assembly. ASML employs more than 31,000 people from 120 nationalities and relies on a network of more than 4,600 tier 1 suppliers. ASML has a worldwide customer base and over sixty service points in sixteen countries. It has offices in the Netherlands, the United States, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the United Kingdom, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea. In 2020, it employed 28,000 people. The company is listed on both the AEX and
NASDAQ The Nasdaq Stock Market () (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations Stock Market) is an American stock exchange based in New York City. It is the most active stock trading venue in the US by volume, and ranked second ...
Stock Exchanges, as ASML. It is also a component of the Euro Stoxx 50 and NASDAQ-100.


History

The company, originally named ASM Lithography, is named ASML, as its official name and not an abbreviation and was founded in 1984 as a joint venture between the Dutch companies Advanced Semiconductor Materials International (ASMI) and
Philips Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters is ...
. Nowadays it is a public company. When the company became independent in 1988, it was decided that changing the name was not desirable, and the abbreviation ASML became the official company name. In 1997, ASML began studying a shift to using extreme ultraviolet and in 1999 joined a research consortium including
Intel Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It is the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the developers of the x86 ser ...
, two other U.S. chipmakers, as well as the Department of Energy. It collaborated with the Belgian Imec and Sematech and turned to
Zeiss Zeiss or Zeiß may refer to: People *Carl Zeiss (1816–1888), German optician and entrepreneur *Emil Zeiß (1833–1910), German Protestant minister and painter Companies *Carl Zeiss AG, German manufacturer of optics, industrial measurem ...
in Germany for its need of mirrors. In 2000, ASML acquired the Silicon Valley Group (SVG), a US lithography equipment manufacturer, in a bid to supply 193 nm scanners to Intel Corp. At the end of 2008, ASML experienced a large drop in sales, which led management to cut the workforce by about 1000 worldwide, mostly contract workers and to apply for support from the Dutch national unemployment fund to prevent even larger layoffs. Two and a half years later, ASML expected a record-high revenue. In July 2012,
Intel Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It is the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the developers of the x86 ser ...
announced a deal to invest $4.1 billion into ASML in exchange for 15% ownership, in order to speed up the transition from 300 mm to 450 mm wafers and further development of EUV lithography. This deal was without exclusive rights to future ASML products and, as of July 2012, ASML was offering another 10% of the shares to other companies. As part of their EUV strategy, ASML announced the acquisition of DUV and EUV sources manufacturer Cymer in October 2012. In November 2013, ASML paused development of 450 mm lithography equipment, citing uncertain timing of chipmaker demand. In 2015, ASML suffered
intellectual property theft An intellectual is a person who engages in critical thinking, research, and reflection about the reality of society, and who proposes solutions for the normative problems of society. Coming from the world of culture, either as a creator or ...
. A number of employees had been found stealing confidential data from its Silicon Valley software subsidiary that develops software for machine optimization. In June 2016, ASML announced their plans to acquire Taiwan-based Hermes Microvision Inc. for about $3.1 billion to add technology for creating smaller and more advanced
semiconductors A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way. ...
. In 2018, the
Trump administration Donald Trump's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 45th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Donald Trump, his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican Party ...
tried to block the sale of ASML technology to China, but as of 2021, the 2020–present global chip shortage as well as the "technological cold war" between the US and China has been a business opportunity for ASML. In November 2020, ASML revealed that it had acquired the German
optical glass Glass is a non- crystalline, often transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most often formed by rapid cooling (quenching) ...
making firm Berliner Glas Group in order to meet increasing need for components for its EUV systems. In July 2021, Thierry Breton European Commissioner, visited ASML and announced a goal of at least 20% of world production of semiconductors in Europe by 2030, and support via a European Alliance on semiconductors. After reporting earnings in July 2021, the company said they had a near monopoly for machines used by TSMC and
Samsung Electronics Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (, sometimes shortened to SEC and stylized as SΛMSUNG) is a South Korean multinational electronics corporation headquartered in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, South Korea. It is the pinnacle of the Samsung chaebol, acc ...
to make the advanced chips.


Finances


Shareholder


Awards

* The IEEE Spectrum Emerging Technology 2018 Award to Dutch company ASML for its Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography system. ASML is currently the top supplier of photolithography systems to the semiconductor industry. * In the category for Popular Prize, Vadim Banine received the 2018 European Inventor Award for shaping the future of microchip manufacturing. * The largest independent microelectronics research center in Europe is called IMEC (Interuniversity Micro Electronics Centre). Martin van den Brink of ASML was given the 2019 IMEC Lifetime of Innovation Award. * The Netherlands Association for Investor Relations (NEVIR), where listed companies and professionals in investor relations had the chance to be recognized for their outstanding work in the sector, presented awards to ASML in the categories: "Best Company in the field of Investor Relations" during the Dutch IR Awards 2019 annual award ceremony. * ASML received the
SEMI SEMI is an industry association comprising companies involved in the electronics design and manufacturing supply chain. They provide equipment, materials and services for the manufacture of semiconductors, photovoltaic panels, LED and flat panel ...
Americas Award at the 2020 edition of the microelectronics conference SEMICON West for its collaborative approach to
extreme ultraviolet lithography Extreme ultraviolet lithography (also known as EUV or EUVL) is an optical lithography technology used in steppers, machines that make integrated circuits (ICs) for computers and other electronic devices. It uses a range of extreme ultraviolet (EU ...
(EUV), which helped it become commercially viable and opened the door to new technological possibilities. * The Preferred Quality Supplier (PQS) Award for 2020 has been awarded to ASML, which is pleased to announce it. ASML has attained a level of performance that continuously surpasses Intel's expectations for the commitment to continual quality improvement. * The Dutch Innovation Prize 2021 was awarded to ASML, a Veldhoven-based firm that creates small silicon microchips, at the 4th National BID AVROTROS Innovation Dinner held at Kasteel Wittenburg in Wassenaar. * ASML received the first CoSta Award for the most successful and impactful innovative partnership between a corporate company and a startup.


References


External links

* – official site
"The Silicon Age: Trends in Semiconductor Devices Industry
, 2022 * {{Authority control, state=expanded Electronics companies of the Netherlands Equipment semiconductor companies Nanotechnology companies Technology companies of the Netherlands Multinational companies headquartered in the Netherlands Holding companies of the Netherlands Companies based in North Brabant Veldhoven Computer companies established in 1984 Electronics companies established in 1984 Holding companies established in 1984 Technology companies established in 1984 Dutch companies established in 1984 Companies formerly listed on Euronext Amsterdam Companies listed on Euronext Amsterdam Companies in the Euro Stoxx 50 Companies listed on the Nasdaq Dutch brands