Chris Miller, an Associate Professor at Tufts University and author of "Chip War," dives into the intricate world of chip manufacturing, highlighting the geopolitical chess game surrounding semiconductors. He explains how ASML, a Dutch company, is pivotal for global chip production, influencing both the U.S. and China. The conversation touches on high-stakes foreign policy, the evolution of lithography technology, and the competitive landscape where TSMC and Intel vie for dominance. Miller also draws parallels between Taiwan and Ukraine, revealing the broader implications of global supply chains.
53:06
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
Geopolitics of Chipmaking
The U.S. pressures the Netherlands to restrict ASML exports to China due to ASML's unique chipmaking tech.
ASML's advanced lithography machines are crucial for producing advanced chips, vital for AI development.
question_answer ANECDOTE
ASML's Rise to Dominance
ASML, the biggest company in the Netherlands, makes advanced chip lithography machines.
The process started at Intel but was commercialized by ASML, making them the sole provider.
insights INSIGHT
EUV Lithography Explained
Chip lithography uses light to create patterns on silicon, enabling the creation of complex circuits.
ASML's EUV lithography uses a complex process involving lasers, tin, and precise mirrors to achieve this.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology
Chris Miller
In 'Chip War', Chris Miller details how the semiconductor industry has become essential for modern life, influencing military, economic, and geopolitical power. The book explores the historical development of microchips, from their origins in Silicon Valley to their current role in global politics, particularly in the competition between the United States and China. Miller explains how the U.S. dominance in chip design and manufacturing contributed to its victory in the Cold War and how China's efforts to catch up are shaping the current geopolitical landscape.
A few weeks ago, President Biden was in the Netherlands, where he asked the Dutch government to restrict export from a company called ASML to China. ASML is the only company in the world that makes a specific machine needed to make the most advanced chips. Apple couldn’t make iPhone chips without this one machine from the Netherlands’ biggest company. ASML doesn’t just shape the Dutch economy—it shapes the entire world economy. How did that happen?
Chris Miller, Tufts professor and author of Chip War: The Fight For The World’s Most Critical Technology walked me through a lot of this, along with some deep dives into geopolitics and the absolutely fascinating chip manufacturing process. This one has everything: foreign policy, high powered lasers, hotshot executives, monopolies, the fundamental limits of physics, and, of course, Texas. Here we go.
Decoder with Nilay Patel 