Glossary term
Lithography
The chip-manufacturing step that uses light to pattern circuits onto silicon; ASML's EUV monopoly defines the leading edge.
Lithography is the chip-manufacturing step that uses light to pattern circuit features onto silicon wafers. The leading edge depends on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, where ASML holds an effective monopoly on the machines, making it one of the most strategically critical companies in the supply chain. Lithography capability sets the floor on how small — and therefore how dense and efficient — a process node can be. See Sentinel Tickers 101.