ASML, the leading European company in lithography equipment for the semiconductor industry, has launched a new project in China aimed at discovering and training future talent in this key discipline for chip manufacturing. The initiative, announced through its official WeChat account, includes an online science contest scheduled to take place from late June to early July.
The competition consists of 20 questions and is directed at both professionals in the semiconductor sector and science enthusiasts interested in lithography technology, the fundamental process by which circuit patterns are etched onto silicon wafers.
According to ASML, the 16 participants with the highest scores will have the opportunity to interview for a position at the company, while another 75 will be included in a talent pool for future job opportunities.
“We want to create a window for participants to delve into lithography and thus contribute to the ongoing development of Moore’s Law,” the company stated in its official announcement.
A Commitment to Talent Despite Geopolitical Tensions
This move underscores ASML’s commitment to maintaining its presence and investment in China, despite increasing restrictions imposed by the United States and its allies—such as the Netherlands and Japan—regarding Chinese access to advanced chip manufacturing technologies.
The year 2024 was significant for the Dutch firm: mainland China surpassed Taiwan for the first time as ASML’s largest regional market, accounting for 36.1% of its global revenue, according to official company data. To reinforce its presence, ASML recently opened a larger repair center in Beijing to replace the previous one, in response to the growing number of machines installed in the country.
The company needs qualified technicians for this center, and the contest may be linked to this effort to recruit specialized local staff.
A Response to the Rise of Chinese Self-Sufficiency
While ASML pushes this initiative, various Chinese institutions and companies, such as Huawei and the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics, and Physics (affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences), are ramping up their efforts to develop their own lithography systems. This center has even offered unlimited salaries to PhD researchers joining their projects, in an attempt to reduce dependency on foreign technology.
However, ASML has warned that its sales in China could decline in 2025 due to the completion of backlog orders and tightening export restrictions that directly affect the most advanced tools.
A Race for the Future of Chips
Lithography has become one of the most strategic fields of the 21st century, key to technological sovereignty and geopolitical competition. With this initiative, ASML is not only seeking new employees but also striving to maintain its relevance in an increasingly complex market, where access to talent and technology is as crucial as silicon itself.
via: scmp