Instead, it has forced an awkward reliance on older deep ultraviolet (DUV) machines (via TrendForce) and sparked a parallel race to design local replacements. Successive rounds of sanctions since 2022 have blocked not just EUV exports, but also the most advanced immersion DUV systems, including ASML’s Twinscan NXT:1970i and NXT:1980i. Using 193nm argon-fluoride lasers, immersion DUV systems comfortably support 28nm nodes, with yields and costs increasing dramatically as nodes shrink further. Nearly half of ASML’s second-quarter equipment tooling shipments in 2024 went to China, despite the political pressure in Washington. EUV has been locked down, but in the process, DUV has become the backbone of a new, homegrown ecosystem.