ASML

Amid the economic turbulence of the 80s, Sophia 'Fia' Loozen, secretary to our first board, recalls an unwavering optimism that anchored us. It was this optimism, alongside a shared vision and steadfast belief in our work, that united everyone. Together, we carried on and carried through. Join us in celebrating 40 years of ASML, as we honor our history through the eyes of those who stood with us during the founding years. 🌱 ASMLers: Were you around in the 1980s? What are your most vivid memories of the early days at ASML?

Calling all gamers, computer geeks and music fans! In celebration of our 40th anniversary, we look back on three pioneering chip-powered technologies from the 80s that changed our lives forever. Here are some hints: One sparked the PC revolution... 🕹️ Another pushed the frontiers in computing graphics... 💻 And the last one shaped our musical identity of a decade... 🎵 Check out the article and tell us: Did you guess them correctly?

At ASML, we offer a range of events, internships and early career opportunities globally to nurture the next generation of STEM talent. On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate inspiring stories of women in STEM through our scholarship program. 🎓 Meet master’s student Karin and her mentor Mariët, who share their personal journeys as well as their hopes for encouraging other women to pursue their passions.

With AI chips entering the mainstream, demand for advanced microchips is higher than ever. How do we keep up with it? 💭 We may be known as a hardware company, but we also rely on software innovation to help us stay ahead of the curve. Read our latest article on the crucial role software plays at ASML, as well as the work culture that keeps our software engineers motivated to continue pushing technology to new limits. 🚀

The chip industry thrives on knowledge exchange, and the SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning conference has been a vital platform for decades. It’s where experts from around the world gather to share the latest cutting-edge research in chip manufacturing. 🌐 🚀 Next-gen lithography At ASML, we understand that the future of advanced microchips calls for continuous innovation in lithography technology. That’s why we’ll be discussing our holistic lithography portfolio with updates on our EUV roadmap. Highlights include the NXE:3800, which will add value through higher productivity, and our High NA EUV systems that will help enable the innovations of tomorrow. 💡 Honoring pioneers The conference also serves as an occasion to celebrate the trailblazers in the semiconductor industry. This year, we’re proud to recognize Richard Sandstrom, co-founder of Cymer Light Sources (now part of ASML) as he receives the Frits Zernike Award for his instrumental work in developing the laser technology for DUV and EUV lithography light sources. Techies: Will we see you at the conference?

Our High NA EUV system could be a serious film fanatic. 🎥 During lithography, the rate at which imaging data flows from the chip pattern to the wafer is equal to streaming 100 movies per second. Learn more about this breakthrough technology: http://ms.spr.ly/6043cRyu1

When our CTO Martin van den Brink applied for a job at Philips in 1983, he was handed a leaflet featuring a sketch of a new lithography machine. Fascinated by the machine’s synthesis of mechatronics, optics and electronics, he soon learned that Philips wouldn’t be making it – but its newly formed joint venture ASM lithography would. Despite the uncertain future, Martin took a leap of faith. His decision was a testament to the innovator's spirit – a curiosity that drives one to pursue new ideas despite the risks. This curiosity is in our DNA. For 40 years, we’ve embraced the unknown as hidden opportunities. Techies: When was the last time you took a chance on a ‘risky’ idea? 💭

Through the stormy seas of technological evolution, we weathered quite a few setbacks in the 1980s. ⛈️ Remember the PAS 2000? Its hydraulic stage presented an obvious challenge: leaks. More than just drips of oil, they posed contamination risks for fabs. To solve this, we came up with the H-frame linear electrical stage – a solution that not only resolved the leakage but also set a new benchmark for productivity and precision. 🚀

We're honored to co-host the Eindhoven-South Korea Future Chips Academy – a winter school for 60 young talents from three South Korean universities and Eindhoven University of Technology. The goal is to facilitate the exchange of talent and knowledge within the advanced semiconductor industry. We started our journey 40 years ago, and since then, our relationship with academia has only grown stronger, mirroring our deepening ties with South Korea. Given South Korea’s pivotal role in the semiconductor sector, our collaboration is crucial. For more information, read the press release: http://ms.spr.ly/6049cK8wB

At ASML, four decades of innovation are not only reflected in our technology, but also in the way our humble cleanroom suit has evolved over time. 👨🚀 Fun fact: these suits are designed to protect our machines from us humans, rather than the other way around. Have you been in a cleanroom suit before? What did you think?