ASML (ASML.AS), opens new tab, the biggest supplier of equipment to computer chip makers, said on April 17 said it has shipped one of its newest "High NA" EUV lithography systems to a second customer.

ASML, which shipped one High NA tool to Intel (INTC.O) in December-January, did not identify the second customer. Potential customers could include contract chipmaker TSMC (2330.TW), which makes chips for Nvidia and Apple, or Samsung (005930.KS).

TSMC and Samsung have previously said they plan to adopt the new system, which is expected to lead to a major increase in the number of transistors that can be packed onto a single chip.

The three top semiconductor firms aren't the only possible recipients of the cutting-edge hardware though. In December, an upcoming semiconductor facility run by companies including IBM and Micron was rumored to be getting one of ASML's High NA EUV machines, and it's possible this is where the second-ever one has gone. Plus, if Intel, TSMC, and Samsung had gotten their hands on the machine, it would probably be hard to keep that a secret for very long.

Although there are only two of these chipmaking tools out in the wild so far, ASML plans on making more, as it has orders for 10 to 20 additional machines. At €350 million ($373 million) a pop, that means ASML has at least €3.5 billion ($3.7 billion) of orders on its books, and combined with the two High NA machines already sold, ASML appears to be projecting more than €4 billion sales in High NA EUV tools in the near future.

The Dutch semiconductor company will probably need to sell as many High NA machines as possible, as Western sanctions on China will not be good for ASML's business - at least in the long term. ASML is still reliant on exporting tools to China: calendar Q1 results out today showed that 49 percent of the company's sales were from China.

Net profit was down 40 percent year-on-year, which may be because Chinese clients rushed their orders in during Q4 to get ahead of future sanctions. Chinese tech companies including Huawei are looking to domestically produce the high-tech tools that ASML would have provided, meaning when or if the US/ Dutch sanctions are lifted, it's possible that ASML's China business will take a hit anyway. 

Editor：Vicky

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