A Dutch-based semiconductor, ASML Holding NV is one of the largest manufacturers of photolithography systems in the world, with its headquarters in Veldhoven, the Netherlands. Operating globally, the company was founded in 1984 as part of a joint venture between Advanced Semiconductor Materials International and Koninklijke Philips. The original name of the company was ASM Lithography. Its name was changed to ASML when the company became independent in 1988.
ASML manufactures extreme ultraviolet lithography machines that produce light in the 13.3-13.7 nm wavelength range. A high-energy laser is focused on microscopic droplets of molten tin to produce a plasma, which emits EUV light. In addition, ASML supplies chip manufacturers with critical hardware, software, and services for mass producing patterns on silicon through a process known as lithography.
The company is publicly listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker ASML. In 2012, Intel purchased a 15% ownership in ASML Holding in a deal reportedly worth $4.1bn. In 2016, ASML purchased Hermes Microvision Inc for a value of $3.1bn. Hermes Microvision is a Taiwan-based semiconductor that is capable of supporting ASML in making smaller and more advanced components.
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