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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteASML and Nikon both make deep-ultraviolet (DUV) lithography systems, including 193 nm argon-fluoride (ArF) immersion scanners. The key public-lineup difference is that ASML also lists extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) scanners, while Nikon’s cited semiconductor lineup lists DUV, i-line, and advanced-packaging equipment. That describes the product pages reviewed, not either company’s private research.
How the public product lineups compare
The companies overlap in DUV lithography, but their listed product ranges are not identical. The table summarizes the cited public lineups; adjacent equipment such as alignment or inspection systems is not the same tool category as a wafer exposure scanner.
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| Category | ASML | Nikon |
|---|---|---|
| EUV | Lists NXE systems at 0.33 numerical aperture (NA) and EXE High-NA systems at 0.55 NA, using 13.5 nm light. ASML EUV systems | No EUV scanner appears on the cited Nikon semiconductor lineup page. This does not establish what Nikon may be researching privately. Nikon semiconductor lineup |
| ArF immersion | Lists the NXT family; the NXT:2000i is a 193 nm, NA 1.35 immersion scanner. ASML NXT:2000i | Lists ArF immersion scanners including the NSR-S636E, specified at 193 nm and NA 1.35. Nikon semiconductor lineup |
| Other listed exposure families | Its DUV portfolio includes ArF, KrF, and i-line systems. ASML DUV systems | Its lineup includes dry ArF, KrF, and i-line equipment, as well as advanced-packaging lithography. Nikon semiconductor lineup |
| Related equipment | The cited comparison focuses on lithography systems. | The cited lineup also includes alignment stations and metrology or inspection systems; these are related products, not direct scanner equivalents. Nikon semiconductor lineup |
What changes between DUV immersion and EUV
DUV immersion keeps the 193 nm wavelength
In immersion lithography, the ArF light remains at 193 nm. A thin layer of water between the final projection lens and the wafer raises the system’s numerical aperture, which can improve resolution without changing the exposure wavelength. ASML says its immersion systems reach NA 1.35. Nikon’s NSR-S636E is also listed at NA 1.35. The matching NA and wavelength identify a shared tool category, not equal performance in every application. ASML on lenses and mirrors
EUV uses a different optical path
ASML’s EUV systems use 13.5 nm light. Because EUV is absorbed by air and ordinary optical materials, the light travels through a vacuum and is directed by multilayer mirrors rather than conventional refractive lenses. ASML describes its source as a CO₂ laser striking moving tin droplets to generate EUV light; that is an overview of the source architecture, not a full account of the manufacturing process. ASML EUV systems ASML on lenses and mirrors
What the published model specifications show
These figures are useful for understanding the named systems, but they are vendor specifications from different product pages and contexts—not results from a common head-to-head test.
| System | Published specifications | How to interpret them |
|---|---|---|
| Nikon NSR-S636E | Nikon lists resolution of ≤38 nm, NA 1.35, 193 nm ArF exposure, mix-and-match overlay of ≤2.1 nm, and throughput of ≥280 wafers per hour at 96 shots. Nikon semiconductor lineup | Nikon defines the overlay figure as mix-and-match overlay between two NSR-S636E tools. The throughput figure is tied to 96 shots; neither number should be treated as a context-free ranking. |
| ASML NXT:2000i | ASML describes a dual-stage 193 nm ArF immersion tool for 300 mm wafers with NA 1.35, designed for advanced-node volume production and mix-and-match use with EUV. ASML NXT:2000i | The cited page’s description gives platform and use-case information, but not a matching set of resolution, overlay, and throughput conditions for comparison with the Nikon figure above. |
| ASML NXE and EXE EUV platforms | ASML lists NXE at 13.5 nm, NA 0.33, and 13 nm resolution; EXE High-NA at NA 0.55 and 8 nm resolution. ASML EUV systems | These resolution figures belong to ASML’s named platform descriptions; they should not be compared directly with Nikon’s DUV resolution figure as if measured under identical conditions. |
| ASML NXE:3800E | ASML’s 2025 annual report says the system reached its full productivity specification in 2025, including 220 wafers per hour. ASML 2025 annual report | This is a reported productivity figure for the NXE:3800E, not a direct comparison with Nikon’s 96-shot NSR-S636E throughput specification. |
Why EUV does not eliminate DUV
EUV is used for the most intricate chip layers, while DUV systems pattern other layers. ASML says it expects EUV and DUV to be used in parallel for many years. The practical distinction is therefore not that a chipmaker chooses one company’s entire technology stack over the other: lithography choices depend on the layers being patterned and how a tool fits into the fab’s process. ASML EUV systems
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to make a meaningful tool comparison
A wavelength or resolution headline alone cannot establish which scanner is better for a particular fab. Before comparing candidates, align the tool specifications and intended use on the same terms:
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →- Exposure and optics: wavelength, light source, EUV versus DUV optical path, and dry versus immersion exposure.
- Imaging conditions: resolution alongside its stated conditions, NA, illumination, and process assumptions.
- Overlay: the measurement definition, including whether the figure is single-machine or mix-and-match between tools.
- Productivity: throughput with shot count and other stated operating conditions, rather than wafers per hour alone.
- Wafer and field: wafer diameter and exposure-field details relevant to the intended process.
- Fab fit: target layers, compatibility with existing tools, and the ability to match equipment already in use.
- Economics: total cost of ownership for the intended process and production environment.
The cited vendor pages do not provide one independent dataset that normalizes all these factors across ASML and Nikon systems. A defensible selection therefore requires application-specific specifications and comparable measurement conditions, rather than a universal winner based on the public figures above.
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