Key facts
- Samsung Electronics and TSMC will adopt ASML's high NA EUV lithography machines.
- The adoption of 12-inch photomasks by Samsung, TSMC, and Intel could increase chip production efficiency by 40 percent.
- ASML's high NA EUV machines are priced at up to $400 million each.
- Samsung plans to use the new machines for memory chip production by 2028.
- TSMC aims to use the technology for advanced chip manufacturing starting in 2030.
- Intel is already implementing high-NA EUV machines in its manufacturing processes.
Leading chipmakers Samsung Electronics and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) are set to adopt ASML's advanced high-numerical-aperture extreme ultraviolet (high NA EUV) lithography machines in the coming years. This move signifies the industry's broader embrace of the costly technology, which can cost up to $400 million per machine and is exclusively supplied by ASML.
These new machines, featuring larger mirrors and an improved optical system, will enable chip designers to create smaller features for potentially more powerful and efficient next-generation chips, crucial for AI data centers and consumer electronics. Samsung plans to integrate these machines into its memory chip production by 2028, while TSMC aims to use the technology for manufacturing its most advanced chips for clients like AMD, Apple, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm starting in 2030. Intel has already begun incorporating high-NA EUV machines into its manufacturing, using them for Panther Lake processors since July 2026.
In conjunction with the adoption of ASML's new machines, Samsung, TSMC, and Intel have agreed to a significant change in chipmaking standards: a transition from 6-inch to 12-inch photomasks. This shift, according to ASML's CTO Marco Pieters, could enhance the productivity of high NA EUV machines by as much as 40 percent. SK Hynix, a major memory chipmaker, is also considering joining this industry consortium and aims to utilize high NA EUV technology for memory chip production by 2028.
The advancements in chip production are becoming increasingly critical amid the ongoing demand driven by the AI boom and a global shortage of memory chips. Meanwhile, ASML's technology plays a pivotal role in the technological competition between the United States and China. While ASML continues to supply older machines to Chinese firms like SMIC, its export of advanced chipmaking equipment to China is restricted due to Dutch government regulations and U.S. political pressure. Experts suggest China faces a substantial challenge in developing its own EUV lithography technology, with one executive predicting it could take up to 15 years.