ASML reports are interesting for their figures on the supplied production equipment for the production of semiconductors, which gives an idea of the activity in the sector.
Thus, in the third quarter ASML sold 32 scanner, in the fourth customer took only 25 scanners. Decreased the number of orders: a quarter earlier bids were placed on 33 scanner, in the fourth quarter was 32. The quarterly and annual ASML revenue fell to 1 billion euros from 1.229 billion in the third quarter and 1.221 billion received in the fourth quarter 2011. 2013 promises to be no worse than in 2012. The first two quarters will come with a reduction of revenue at the beginning of the year, and the second half of 2013 promises to increase the demand for lithography equipment for the production of 20-nm and 14-nm semiconductor.
In 2013, will be released 11 scanners using EUV-radiation. The company notes the progress in building the capacity of the radiators, which will expedite the processing of wafers. The first pre-scanner NXE: 3100 armed with 10-watt source of EUV-radiation. New EUV-based scanner NXE: 3300B offers stability radiation over the entire surface of the plate at the level of 40 watts. By mid-2014 the company promises to bring the power of the radiation to a level that scanners can handle about 70 plates per hour, which is enough to talk about the mass production using EUV-range.
The company also reported that they have expanded the staff of developers involved in the creation of tools for the 450-mm wafers. Pre-production samples scanners for 450-mm wafers in 2016, and serial - in 2018.