America’s Big Chipmaking Blunder
Bloomberg Originals・8 minutes read
EUV machines are essential for semiconductor production, with the US government ensuring they are not sold to China, and ASML's technology playing a crucial role in creating advanced semiconductors, impacting the global economy.
Insights
- Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machines, crucial for creating advanced semiconductors, are produced by ASML and play a significant role in technological advancements such as iPhones and AI chatbots.
- The US government's support of EUV research in the 1980s, in collaboration with key industry players like Intel, AMD, and Motorola, was pivotal in ASML's commercial readiness by 2006, showcasing the importance of public-private partnerships in driving technological innovation.
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Recent questions
What are EUV machines?
Advanced lithography tools for semiconductor production.
How do EUV machines work?
By firing lasers at tin droplets to create extreme ultraviolet light.
Why are EUV machines important?
They enable the production of advanced semiconductors.
Who produces EUV machines?
Dutch firm ASML.
How did the US government support EUV research?
By forming alliances with key companies in the semiconductor industry.
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Summary
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ASML's EUV Machines: Semiconductor Industry Game-Changer
- Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machines are crucial for the global economy, costing $200 million each, with only a few in the US, and the US government ensuring none are sold to China.
- EUV machines, produced by Dutch firm ASML, are vital for creating advanced semiconductors, enabling technologies like iPhones and AI chatbots.
- Lithography, engraving circuit patterns onto chips, is a key step in semiconductor production, with EUV machines etching patterns at a nanometer scale.
- ASML's EUV process involves firing a laser at tin droplets to create extreme ultraviolet light, reflected by mirrors coated in layers of materials to etch patterns onto silicon wafers.
- The US government supported EUV research in the 1980s, forming alliances with companies like Intel, AMD, and Motorola, leading to ASML's commercial readiness by 2006.
- ASML's persistence and investments from companies like TSMC, Samsung, and Intel led to the successful production of EUV technology, impacting the semiconductor industry and global economy.
