Core Insights - The article discusses the evolution of the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography market, highlighting ASML's dominance and Nikon's potential resurgence through alternative technologies like Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL) [1][4][9]. Group 1: ASML's Dominance - ASML currently holds over 60% of the global lithography market and has a 100% monopoly in the EUV sector, which is essential for producing advanced chips [2][3]. - The cost of ASML's EUV equipment ranges from $150 million to $350 million, making it a significant investment for semiconductor manufacturers like TSMC, Samsung, and Intel [2][3]. - The transition to EUV technology has allowed the industry to continue following Moore's Law, integrating billions of transistors onto a single chip [2][3]. Group 2: Nikon's Strategic Shift - Nikon, which once led the market, has shifted focus to mature processes and special applications after abandoning EUV development in the late 2010s [1][3]. - Nikon is planning a comeback by introducing the DSP 100 digital lithography system in 2025, targeting the growing demand for advanced chip packaging [7][9]. - The company is exploring NIL technology, which could significantly reduce costs and energy consumption compared to EUV, making it an attractive option for emerging chip manufacturers [8][11]. Group 3: NIL Technology Advantages - NIL technology allows for direct imprinting of circuit patterns onto wafers, potentially reducing costs to about 40% of EUV systems and energy consumption to around 10% [8][11]. - The NIL process is not constrained by optical diffraction limits, theoretically enabling production below 10 nm, which is suitable for high-repetition memory processes like NAND and DRAM [11]. - Canon has already introduced NIL equipment capable of reaching 14 nm, indicating a competitive landscape where both Nikon and Canon could set new standards in this technology [11].