China trails by 15 years in EUV lithography, Zeiss executive says

China is roughly 15 years behind in developing extreme ultraviolet lithography machines, a key executive at Zeiss Group said, as Beijing pushes for semiconductor self-sufficiency amid US export curbs. Frank Rohmund, head of Zeiss's semiconductor division, called 15 years a "reasonable assumption" for China to develop EUV technology, though he noted progress is hard to quantify. The US bars ASML, Zeiss's shareholder, from shipping its most advanced machines to China. Zeiss is the exclusive optics supplier for ASML's EUV machines, essential for producing advanced AI chips. Rohmund criticized export restrictions, saying they accelerate innovation in China, which has already made strides in producing immersion DUV lithography tools.