The US government has directly told ASML, the world’s sole manufacturer of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines, that it is worried China may be acquiring the company’s most advanced chip-making tools. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick raised the issue in meetings with ASML executives, according to a Bloomberg report.
ASML’s response was unequivocal: it has never shipped any EUV systems to China, and none are operating in the country.
What’s actually going on
EUV lithography machines use light with wavelengths of just 13.5 nanometers to etch circuit patterns onto silicon wafers, enabling the production of the most advanced chips on the planet. ASML is the only company in the world that makes them.
The Netherlands has already aligned its export control policies with the US, specifically preventing EUV tools from being sold to China since around 2019.
