ROOT / SILICON // LITHOGRAPHY TOOLS
// Silicon · decoded · deep-research pass
Lithography Tools, decoded.
The machines that print chips — EUV and High-NA.
CURATED INDEX◊ confidence: High
// the signal · what the data says
ASML has an absolute monopoly on EUV lithography, the machines without which sub-7nm chips cannot be made. High-NA EUV (0.55 NA, ~$380M/tool) began shipping to Intel and TSMC for the 2nm-and-below era. This single supplier is the deepest chokepoint in the entire AI stack.
// comparison · every entry, benchmarked & annotated
| Name | Maker | NA | Wafers/hr | Price ($M) | Vendor |
|---|
| EXE:5200 (High-NA) | ASML | 0.55 | 185 | 380 | ASML |
| ◊ High-NA EUV for 2nm and below |
| EXE:5000 (High-NA) | ASML | 0.55 | 175 | 350 | ASML |
| ◊ First-gen High-NA, at Intel |
| NXE:3800E | ASML | 0.33 | 220 | 200 | ASML |
| ◊ Workhorse EUV |
| NXE:3600D | ASML | 0.33 | 160 | 180 | ASML |
| ◊ Prior-gen EUV |
| NXT:2100 (DUV) | ASML | 0 | 295 | 80 | ASML |
| ◊ Immersion DUV, highest throughput |
// leaderboard · NA
01EXE:5200 (High-NA)0.55
02EXE:5000 (High-NA)0.55
03NXE:3800E0.33
04NXE:3600D0.33
05NXT:2100 (DUV)0
// sources & where to verify
// full index, per-field sourcing & CSV export [ AUTHENTICATE → ]
◊ Deep-research pass, mid-2026. Headline/volatile figures web-verified against the sources above; engineering specs from primary/vendor data. Green = best value in column · confidence: High · verify volatile figures (prices, counts, live feeds) before publishing.