What next for ASML after high-NA lithography?
In an Interview with Third Bridge Forum, the specialist told us that ASML has a roadmap for the next 10 years but after this point its plans are unclear. They told us they were not surprised by AMSL CTO Martin van den Brink’s comment that high-NA (numerical aperture) lithography machines could be the last economically viable to hit the market. Whilst hyper-NA is a logical follow-up to high-NA machines, the specialist said there are other methods for process node shrinking. These include working with wavelengths to more “science-fiction like ideas” related to particle accelerators.
The specialist said China should have been a growth market for ASML. However, they told us “continuous” regulatory changes by the US have dampened the company’s growth forecasts in the East Asian country. The specialist said the basis for a US ban on companies like ASML selling deep ultraviolet machines to China is “limited” but could happen.
On high-NA systems, the specialist revealed that the technology will not be widespread for another 4-5 years. They also told us that the technological roadmap for high-NA systems could be 15 years, after which new technology would be required. The blueprint for this future technology is “vague”, according to the specialist. However, they said ASML has a talented team that could develop it – as well as sufficient funding to acquire a new competitor if it were to innovate the technology.
Click here to access all the human insights in Third Bridge Forum’s “ASML – lithography market outlook and high-NA technology limits” Interview.
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