Leading Chipmakers Adopt Next-Generation EUV Technology
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Leading Chipmakers Adopt Next-Generation EUV Technology
- ASML's High NA EUV lithography machines, costing up to $400 million each, are crucial for manufacturing advanced AI chips.
- Samsung Electronics plans to integrate ASML's High NA EUV equipment into high-volume memory production by 2028, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) following for high-volume manufacturing by 2030.
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Leading semiconductor manufacturers, including Samsung Electronics and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), are committing to adopt ASML Holding NV’s latest High NA Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment. This move is driven by the surging demand for more powerful artificial intelligence (AI) technology. These advanced machines, which can cost up to $400 million each, are essential for producing the intricate patterns on silicon wafers that enable next-generation AI chips.
Samsung Electronics aims to integrate ASML’s High NA EUV machines into high-volume memory production by 2028, marking an industry first for memory chips. TSMC plans to begin adopting the High NA EUV lithography equipment for high-volume manufacturing by 2030. Intel, another key player, has already begun using ASML’s High NA EUV technology for specific layers of its Core Ultra Series 3 processors, code-named Panther Lake, built on its 18A process node, with products currently shipping to customers. Intel took delivery of its first High NA machine in 2024 and is using it for advanced process research and some high-volume manufacturing.
The High NA EUV technology represents a significant leap forward, offering an improved 8nm imprint resolution compared to the 13nm resolution of current Low NA EUV tools. This allows chipmakers to produce transistors that are nearly 1.7 times smaller, leading to a threefold increase in transistor density on chips. This level of precision is critical for manufacturing sub-3 nanometer chips, a goal for the industry by 2025 to 2026.
In a related development, ASML and TSMC announced a collaborative initiative on September 7, 2026, to transition the industry to larger, 12-inch photomasks for High NA EUV. While High NA EUV will initially use current 6-inch masks, the shift to 12-inch masks is expected to further boost manufacturing productivity, reduce chipmaking costs, and eliminate stitching constraints, with a pilot line targeted for 2031 and full readiness for advanced node production by 2033. Samsung has also joined this industry initiative.