How ASML's chip-making machines became the world's only bottleneck

ASML dominates the market for extreme ultraviolet lithography systems—the machines that etch the finest circuit patterns on cutting-edge semiconductors. No credible competitor exists, making ASML's supply chain a critical chokepoint for anyone building advanced hardware. Indie makers and small hardware teams feel this acutely: access to chips made on the latest nodes is gatekept by a single supplier's production capacity.