Semiconductor Equipment

ASML: New Dutch export controls won’t have a material effect

09 March 2023
AMSL workers train on EUV lithography machines. The Dutch government has issued new export restrictions that will require the company to apply for export licenses for advanced lithography systems. Source: ASML

Semiconductor equipment maker ASML said that new export controls published by the Dutch government won’t have a material effect on its financial outlook or its long-term scenarios.

The Dutch government issued the upcoming restrictions on the export of semiconductor equipment, specifically the most advanced deposition and immersion lithography tools.

Because of this, ASML will need to apply for export licenses for shipment of most advanced immersion deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography systems.

ASML said because these controls will take some time to be translated into legislation and then take effect, the company’s financial outlook for 2023 remains as it is, and longer-term scenarios announced at its recent investor day also remain in place.

Export restrictions

The export restrictions come after the U.S. put pressure on its partner countries to restrict the use of semiconductor and chip equipment by China. The move is part of an ongoing semiconductor arms race that has accelerated in intensity over the past few years as the U.S. looks to restrict advanced semiconductor processes to China.

In late 2022, reports indicated that Japan and the Netherlands were joining the U.S. in restrictions to China, specifically the sale of advance chipmaking machinery and semiconductors.

The U.S. began restrictions under the Trump Administration by limiting of exports of technology to equipment vendor Huawei and later expanded the export trade restrictions to China’s leading foundry Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC).

However, under the Biden Administration, the U.S. has expanded the scope of the trade restrictions tightening the limits of what can be shipped to companies in China, specifically advanced semiconductor equipment and high-performance computing chips such as CPUs and GPUs.

Sales of ASML’s extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools have already been restricted since 2019.

New restrictions

ASML said the new export restrictions do not pertain to all immersion lithography equipment but just the “most advanced.” The company said it has not received any information regarding the exact definition of “most advanced.”

ASML said it interprets this as critical immersion tools and systems. So more than likely, customers that focus on mature nodes will still be service with less advanced immersion lithography tools.

To contact the author of this article, email PBrown@globalspec.com


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