Tech Brew Ride Home China’s EUV Machine?
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Dec 18, 2025 China might have successfully reverse-engineered a key EUV lithography tool, with prototypes expected by 2028, but challenges remain. Trump Media is merging with a Google-backed fusion energy startup for a staggering $6 billion. Coinbase aims to broaden its horizons by enabling stock trading and prediction markets within its platform. Meanwhile, OpenAI is in talks to raise tens of billions at an eye-popping valuation of $750 billion. And in cybersecurity news, Amazon exposes a North Korean IT infiltrator by analyzing keystroke data.
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China Built An EUV Light Source Prototype
- Reuters reports China assembled an operational EUV light source in a secret lab but still can't make production chips.
- Replicating ASML's full EUV scanner is multi-disciplinary and likely years away despite reported rapid progress.
Light Source ≠ Production-Ready Tool
- The Chinese system reportedly uses laser-produced plasma like ASML but struggles with precision optics and source power for volume production.
- Missing ultra-precise collector and projection optics means generating EUV light alone doesn't equal a usable lithography tool.
Secret Lab Used Fake IDs And Cameras
- Reuters says the Chinese effort involved former ASML engineers and recent grads reverse-engineering parts under camera supervision.
- Employees were given fake IDs and bonuses for reassembling components to avoid foreign detection, per the report.