Top Chipmakers Reportedly Agree to Manufacturing Change to Boost ASML's $400 Million Machines

Leading semiconductor manufacturers have agreed to a change in chipmaking processes intended to maximize the output of ASML's newest lithography machines, according to a report from Ars Technica.

ASML, a Dutch company that produces lithography equipment used to etch circuit patterns onto silicon wafers, has developed machines priced at roughly $400 million each, the report said. According to Ars Technica, the agreed-upon change to chipmaking practices could increase the productivity of these machines by as much as 40 percent.

The report did not name the specific chipmakers involved or detail the exact nature of the manufacturing change, though it characterized the shift as significant for the industry.

ASML's advanced lithography systems are considered critical to producing the most advanced semiconductor chips, which power everything from smartphones to artificial intelligence hardware. Improvements in the efficiency of such machines can have wide-reaching effects on chip supply, cost, and production timelines across the semiconductor industry.

Further details on the identities of the chipmakers and the technical specifics of the agreed change were not immediately available. Ars Technica's report is based on industry sources familiar with the development.