ASML Confirms China Semiconductors Restriction Agreement
“Steps have been taken to reach an agreement between governments which, to the best of our knowledge, will focus on next-generation chip technologies, including but not limited to lithography. enhanced version,” an ASML spokesman said Jan. 27.
The moves will not have a material impact on the company’s 2023 financial guidance, the sources said. The Dutch semiconductor group emphasizes that the requirements must be specified and legally anchored before they come into force. “This will take time,” added an ASML spokesperson.
ASML directives come after that Bloomberg Officials in Japan, the Netherlands and the United States are in talks to limit China’s access to advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the official said.
Optical light paths in the ASML semiconductor lithography system. Picture: Reuters
Also subscribe Bloombergthe results of the negotiations were not made public. However, multiple sources said the content of the meeting included tightening restrictions on ASML, which prevented the Dutch company from selling certain devices such as chip lithography machines, including ultrasonic ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, to China.
EUV is considered to be a very important tool in the manufacture of a number of high-end chips. Without this machine, trying to set up a production line would be impossible. ASML currently plays a near monopolistic role and has been compared to a bottleneck as it accounts for 80-85% share of the global lithography market. With EUV, this value is even 100%.
US pressure on the Netherlands regarding ASML reportedly began in 2018 under former President Donald Trump. 2020 acc Reuters, the Netherlands revoked the ASML license for exporting EUV engines to China. This comes after the US government lobbied and raised concerns that the country’s chipmakers would be able to produce products with more power, applications, artificial intelligence and military purposes if ASML shipped machines to China.
In mid-January, Dutch Trade Minister Lie Schreinemacher said he would not accept a US proposal to restrict exports of chipmaking technology and equipment to China. In accordance CNBC, currently there is no EUV system in China. Meanwhile, an ASML spokesman confirmed that it was not possible to import EUV vehicles to China in 2019 due to export restrictions from the Netherlands.
According to the report, the Japanese side will also set similar limits for Tokyo Electron. It is the largest microchip maker in the Land of the Rising Sun and has a number of proprietary semiconductor manufacturing technologies.
Bao Lam