US - China Tech Cold War

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Different Dimensions:

ASML as a lever in the Hands of USA:

ASML Holding N.V. (commonly shortened to ASML, originally standing for Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography) is a Dutch multinational corporation founded in 1984. ASML specializes in the development and manufacturing of photolithography machines which are used to produce computer chips.

As of 2022 it is the largest supplier for the semiconductor industry and the sole supplier in the world of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) photolithography machines that are required to manufacture the most advanced chips.[2] As of June 2023, ASML was the most highly valued European tech company, with a market capitalization of about US$280 billion.

In the Year 2019, USA successfully lobbied Dutch Government to block ASML from shipping EUV Photolithography Machines to China. 

Experts believe that it takes more than 10 years to China to independently Develop extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) photolithography technology. Since 2019, China is negotiating with Dutch Government to lift export restrictions of ASML Holdings to China. Bout both USA and Dutch have shown no signs of reversing their stance. 

Recently, Amid US Pressure, Netherland announced further export restrictions on Advanced Semiconductor Tools which are critical for electronic industry ( 30 – 06 – 2023 ). 

Also USA announced that it is considering tougher restrictions on export of AI chips to China ( 28 – 06 – 2023 ).

USA Further announced that it is considering imposing restrictions on Chinese companies from using cloud services from service providers like Amazon, Microsoft and Google which uses Advanced AI Chips to provide cloud services.

About Extreme ultraviolet lithography ( EUV ): 

Extreme ultraviolet lithography (also known as EUV or EUVL) is an optical lithography technology used in semiconductor device fabrication to make integrated circuits (ICs). It uses extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths near 13.5 nm, using a laser-pulsed tin (Sn) droplet plasma (Sn ions in the ionic states from Sn IX to Sn XIV give photon emission spectral peaks around 13.5 nm from 4p64dn - 4p54dn+1 + 4dn-14f ionic state transitions.[1]), to produce a pattern by using a reflective photomask to expose a substrate covered by photoresist. It is currently applied only in the most advanced semiconductor device fabrication.

As of 2023, ASML Holding is the only company who produces and sells EUV systems for chip production, targeting 5 nm and 3 nm process nodes. 

  1. ASML Holding ( Wikipedia )
  2. The New York Times
  3. CNBC
  4. Extreme ultraviolet lithography ( Wikipedia )
  5. First Post
  6. Business Insider

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