ASML announcedthat the Dutch government has revoked its export license for two of its lithography systems, and it can no longer ship these tools to Chinese clients. The impact on ASML won’t be significant as these machines are designed for advanced process technologies, while the vast majority of ASML’s customers in China are focused on mature production nodes. However, it further restricts China’s access to newer chip manufacturing technologies.The tools in question are ASML’s Twinscan NXT:2050i and NXT:2100i lithography systems, the company’s most advanced deep ultraviolet (DUV) machines. Both machines are capable of ≤38nm resolution and can be used to make logic chips on 7nm and even 5nm-class process technologies, albeit with multi-patterning. Both machines can process up to 295 wafers per hour and can be used both for logic and memory production.The NXT:2100i also features new hardware and software innovations that enable improved single-machine overlay by up to 10% (0.9 nm) and matched-machine overlay by 13% (1.3nm) compared to the NXT:2050i.For now, the only Chinese chip manufacturer that has a 7nm-class process technology is SMIC. It uses previously imported DUV machines with multi-patterning. As a result of these new restrictions, it won’t be capable of obtaining additional tools to boost its 7nm output. This could impact Huawei, one of a few Chinese chip designers that uses SMIC’s 7nm production node.Since both machines use technologies designed in the U.S., they both are subject to U.S. and Dutch export rules. The U.S. does not allow shipments of wafer fab equipment that can be used to make logic chips on 14nm/16nm and more advanced fabrication nodes, so ASML cannot really ship these tools to Chinese clients anyway.“In recent discussions with the U.S. government, ASML has obtained further clarification of the scope and impact of the U.S. export control regulations,” a statement by ASML reads. “The latest US export rules (published July 16, 2025) impose restrictions on certain mid-critical DUV immersion lithography systems for a limited number of advanced production facilities.”
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Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.
