Am told a strange story, and I wait to see, that perhaps maybe possibly Team China found several ways to do the wet work on and against ASML
(1) photonic chip vector, for the longer term
photonic requires less explanation, enough to say that all domains about even on the technology, iow level playing field
(2) lithography plant (factory) in the shorter horizon
lithography plant idea is a doozy, premised on the possible truth that ASML lithography machines are intricate and expensive because (a) they are good (get the job) done, (b) complicated due to miniaturisation (when disassembled fits into ~40 containers for shipping), and therefore (c) very expensive, especially as due to monopoly status.
Team China supposedly building commercial-class proof-of-concept pilot-plant that (a) gets the job chip-making done at whatever nanometer, without (b) the complication of miniaturisation (given no need to export the plant), in order to (c) drive the cost of any nanometer chip to the cost of cabbage, and (d) export the resultant output.
If true and works, that be two if's, then ohwhoaweegeewhizbang, very based, and totally 'out of the box', especially as the move would concurrently drive ASML as well as all its clients to ... how to put it politely ... the wall per winner take all, last maker standing. |
