"ASML makes the only machines in the world capable of printing the microscopic patterns on silicon wafers that define the most advanced semiconductors - a process called extreme ultraviolet lithography, or EUV."
"The machines are roughly the size of a school bus, take months to assemble, involve hundreds of suppliers, and cost anywhere from $200 million to upwards of $400 million apiece depending on the generation."
"With the four largest American tech companies - Microsoft, Meta, Amazon and Google - committing more than $600 billion in AI infrastructure spending this year alone, demand for ASML's machines has surged to the point where the company has openly said the world won't have enough chips for years."
"Substrate, a San Francisco startup founded by a protégé of Peter Thiel, has raised more than $100 million and been valued at over $1 billion on the claim that it can build a rival lithography machine."
ASML, a Dutch company, produces the only machines capable of extreme ultraviolet lithography, essential for creating advanced semiconductors. These machines are large, costly, and take months to assemble. ASML's monopoly has made it the most valuable company in Europe, with a market value exceeding $530 billion. The demand for its machines has surged due to significant investments in AI infrastructure by major tech companies. However, ASML faces competition from startups and potential reverse-engineering threats from former employees in China, raising geopolitical concerns.
Read at TechCrunch
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