Key facts
- ASML has denied reports of shipping EUV lithography systems or components to China.
- The US expressed concern that such advanced technology may have reached China.
- ASML's EUV lithography systems weigh approximately 180 tonnes and require extensive installation.
- Chinese chipmakers are exploring alternative lithography approaches and advanced packaging due to restricted access to EUV tools.
ASML has categorically denied reports that it shipped any extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems or components specifically designed for them to China. The denial comes in response to concerns reportedly voiced by US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. Industry observers met the initial reports with skepticism, even ridicule, given the immense size and complexity of ASML's EUV machines, which weigh approximately 180 tonnes and require significant logistical support for transport and installation. The episode highlights the ongoing challenges for China's semiconductor industry in accessing advanced lithography technology. Without ASML's most advanced EUV tools, Chinese foundries are attempting to enhance deep ultraviolet (DUV) multi-patterning techniques, while domestic tool makers work on developing their own lithography systems. Other companies are exploring alternative strategies like advanced packaging and system-level optimization.