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ASML declines comment on Intel rumors

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CIOL Bureau
New Update

Jana Sanchez

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AMSTERDAM: Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML Holding NV declined

comment on Monday on rumors it had lost an order from the world's largest

chipmaker Intel Corp. to Japanese competitor Nikon.

The rumor, repeated on CNBC television on Monday morning, surfaced last week,

ASML said. It involves technology used in newer 300-millimeter machines.

ASML, the world's largest maker of machines that map out circuitry on silicon

wafers, inherited Intel as a client when it bought Silicon Valley Group in the

United States last year.

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Analysts said the rumor, the latest of persistent talk casting doubt on the

relationship between Intel and ASML, was unlikely to be true because Nikon has

not yet shipped its new 300 mm technology.

"We have not seen Nikon's 300 mm solution at any client. We know for a

fact that Intel has an order for 300 mm technology in ASML's order

backlog," said Schroder Saloman Smith Barney analyst Navdeep Sheera.

ASML's shares were down 2.6 per cent at 22.25 euros by 0825 GMT, slightly

underperforming a weak sector following losses on the tech-heavy Nasdaq index on

Friday.

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Intel is testing ASML's version of a 300 mm machine after the Dutch company

said last tear it would not ship SVG's 300 mm product.

"We don't comment on rumors or on our customers' orders," said ASML

spokeswoman Yvette Bogaard. "Our 193 nanometre concept provides good value

for our customers."

ASML's 193 nm technology is used in both 200 mm and newer 300 mm machines.

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"It's unlikely to be a 200 mm machine in question, as ASML have never

supplied 200 mm to Intel -- that was always Nikon," Sheera said.

Philips Electronics holds a minority stake in ASML.

Besides Intel, ASML's customers include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing,

the world's largest contract chip maker.

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