ASML has unveiled a major EUV light source breakthrough that could raise chip output by up to 50% by 2030, strengthening its technological dominance.
The Dutch company is the only commercial producer of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines, essential for manufacturing advanced semiconductors used by leading global chipmakers.
ASML researchers increased EUV light power from 600 watts to 1,000 watts, a milestone designed for full-scale industrial use, not short-term laboratory demonstrations.
Higher power enables faster wafer exposure, allowing chip factories to produce more semiconductors per hour while lowering manufacturing costs per unit.
Executives say next-generation systems could process 330 wafers per hour by decade’s end, up from around 220 today, significantly expanding capacity.
The innovation relies on firing 100,000 molten tin droplets per second and shaping plasma with dual laser bursts, improving efficiency and stability.
EUV machines remain geopolitically sensitive, with export restrictions to China and growing U.S. investment in domestic competitors seeking to challenge ASML.
Company technologists see a clear path toward 1,500 watts and beyond, reinforcing ASML’s leadership in the global semiconductor equipment market.
