Will Quantum Computing Obsolete Chipmaking?
By Goldsea Staff | 18 Nov, 2025

State-of-the-art chipmaking that begins with ASML lithography and proceeds to the intricate process technologies developed by TSMC, Samsung and Intel will continue being essential in the coming quantum computing era.

Artist's conception of the relationship between quantum and classical computers. (Image by Gemini)

Quantum computing is perhaps four to five years from becoming a practical reality for the average business or consumer.  It promises to increase processing speeds by upwards of 27 orders of magnitude while using a tiny fraction of the energy used by conventional computers.  

Artist's conception of the types of computations in which quantum computers excel.  (Image by Gemini)

Certain types of computing problems — like modeling and simulations for discovery of new drugs and materials, large-scale optimization of shipping and logistics, weather modeling and prediction, and cryptography — that would take thousands or even millions of year on the fastest classical supercomputers will become the work of a few minutes for quantum computers.

But quantum processors use computing modalities that are completely foreign to the semiconductor-based logic gates used in classical computing chips.  They currently include superconducting qubits, quantum annealing, trapped ions, photonics or topological qubits.  It's hard to imagine how the processes developed to produce semiconductor chips can survive the transition to an era of quantum computing.

In actual practice, at least for the forseeable future, today's chips will work in parallel with quantum chips, with each doing what they do best.  In essence, quantum processors of whatever modality or modalities emerge supreme will serve to accelerate the processing of certain types of computations in which they excel but will rely on classical processors to handle myryad tasks needed to access and communicate those quantum computations in a way that's meaningful to man and machine.

To explain the details of the emerging symbiotic relationship between quantum and classical computing we asked ChatGPT for help.

1. Quantum computers do not replace classical chips — they augment them

Quantum computers are not general-purpose computing devices. They excel at a narrow set of tasks:

• factoring / cryptography

• large-scale optimization

• quantum simulation (chemistry, materials, pharma)

Everything else — OS, logic, I/O, networking, memory, GPU tasks, AI inference, cloud services — still runs on classical CMOS chips.

Even in a fully quantum future, classical chips remain dominant by volume and necessity.

2. Quantum computers require advanced lithography

Even today, leading quantum computing technology uses components fabricated using advanced lithography, such as:

• superconducting qubits (IBM, Google)

• silicon spin qubits (Intel, UNSW, Quantinuum, PsiQuantum)

• quantum control ASICs and readout chips

In fact:

The more qubits you want, the more you need ASML-like lithography.

To scale from:

• 100 → 1,000 → 1,000,000 qubits,
  you must fabricate:

• ultra-dense superconducting wiring

• multiplexed readout structures

• error correction chips

• cryo-CMOS control electronics

All of these depend on state-of-the-art 7nm-class and below CMOS, built with EUV.

Google, IBM, Intel, Amazon Braket, PsiQuantum — all rely on advanced lithography for the chips that support qubits.

3. Quantum chips do not eliminate the need for transistors

A common misconception is that a qubit replaces an entire microprocessor.

Reality:
A quantum accelerator is like a GPU or a TPU — a specialized co-processor.

You still need:

• CPUs

• GPUs

• memory

• IO controllers

• networking chips

• storage chips

• power management

All made with EUV lithography.

ASML’s core market — the global semiconductor stack — remains foundational.

4. Quantum computing cannot produce chips

Even in the most futuristic scenarios, quantum devices:

• do not fabricate silicon

• do not pattern wafers

• do not etch nanoscale features

• do not replace transistors

Quantum computing impacts computation, not chip manufacturing technology.

There is no quantum analogy to EUV lithography.

5. The future of quantum depends on ASML’s roadmap

To reach fault-tolerant quantum computing (millions of qubits), experts universally agree on one requirement:

Deep, advanced CMOS integration — exactly what ASML enables.

This includes:

• control electronics at cryogenic temperatures

• error-correcting code processors

• on-chip photonics

• high-density interconnects

These all demand sub-10nm patterning.

Which means:

Quantum companies need ASML more, not less.

6. Only one scenario dethrones ASML: a radically different computing + manufacturing paradigm

This would require something like:

• molecular self-assembly computing

• atomic-precision manufacturing without lithography

• spintronics or neuromorphic systems that abandon silicon entirely

• room-temperature superconducting logic with macro-scale feature sizes

None of these are anywhere close — and if they arrive, they are not more likely because of quantum computing.

Quantum ≠ alternative fabrication method.

Conclusion: ASML is not threatened by quantum computing

On the contrary:

• Quantum computing relies on sub-10nm CMOS for scaling.

• Quantum accelerators sit alongside classical chips, not instead of them.

• Quantum systems require sophisticated control chips manufactured via EUV.

Quantum computing enhances ASML’s strategic position.

If you’re wondering what could dethrone ASML, I can outline the only plausible long-term threats:

• atomic-precision manufacturing ultraprecise STM/AFM patterning

• nano-imprint lithography breakthroughs

• self-assembly nanosystems

• photonic computing on non-silicon templates

• 2D material wafer-scale patterning without photons