Hermes Microvision Inc. (HMI)
2016
$3.1B
Why
ASML acquired Hermes Microvision, a Taiwan-based manufacturer of electron-beam inspection systems for semiconductor wafer inspection, in 2016 for approximately $3.1 billion. The acquisition was motivated by ASML's strategic vision for Holistic Lithography — an integrated approach to semiconductor manufacturing that uses real-time metrology and inspection data to continuously optimize lithography system performance. HMI's electron-beam inspection systems, which can detect defects at the nanometer scale, provide the measurement data that ASML's Holistic Lithography software uses to adjust machine settings for maximum yield.
Impact
The HMI acquisition transformed ASML from a lithography equipment company into a broader semiconductor process control company, adding inspection and metrology capabilities that complement its patterning systems. The combined offering — lithography systems integrated with real-time inspection and metrology — is significantly more valuable to chipmakers than standalone equipment, supporting higher system-level pricing and strengthening customer relationships. The acquisition also positioned ASML to capture a share of the growing process control equipment market, which is expanding rapidly as chip complexity increases.
Outcome
HMI's products have been integrated into ASML's product portfolio as the eScan series of electron-beam inspection systems and are marketed as part of the Holistic Lithography solutions suite. The business has grown substantially under ASML ownership as chipmakers invest more heavily in process control to address yield challenges at advanced nodes. The HMI acquisition is widely considered one of ASML's most strategically successful transactions, having added both revenue and strategic differentiation to the company's offering.