Samsung Foundry Invests in Next-Generation High-NA EUV Lithography
Samsung Foundry is making a significant leap in semiconductor manufacturing by acquiring two state-of-the-art ASML Twinscan EXE:5200B dual-stage High-NA EUV lithography systems. Valued at a combined $773 million, this investment marks a major step forward in Samsung’s pursuit of advanced chip production technologies.
High-NA EUV: Pushing the Boundaries of Chip Manufacturing
The ASML Twinscan EXE:5200B is among the most advanced lithography machines available, capable of processing over 175 wafers per hour—reaching up to 200 wafers per hour in some installations, such as Intel’s 14A fabrication facility. Under optimal conditions, each system can handle tens of thousands of 300 mm wafers per month, significantly boosting production capacity and efficiency.
Samsung plans to install the first High-NA EUV scanner within the year, with the second unit scheduled for early 2026. These machines are designed to print transistors as small as 8 nanometers, a substantial improvement over current “2 nm” nodes, which typically feature gate pitches above 40 nm and metal pitches around 20 nm. It’s important to note that the actual physical dimensions of transistors often differ from the nominal node names used in the industry.
Strategic Applications and Industry Impact
Initially, Samsung Foundry will deploy these High-NA EUV scanners for logic and SRAM production, with plans to extend the technology to DRAM manufacturing in the future. This move aligns with broader industry trends, as leading semiconductor companies race to adopt High-NA EUV for next-generation chip designs.
ASML projects that by 2027, it will deliver 56 Low-NA EUV scanners to major industry players, including five units for Intel, seven for Samsung, and up to 20 for SK Hynix. According to reports from South Korea, SK Hynix intends to install 20 Low-NA EUV systems over the next two years, focusing on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and advanced storage solutions. For High-NA EUV, ASML aims to deliver 10 scanners by 2027, each with a price tag of approximately $380 million. Intel will utilize these systems for its 14A node manufacturing, while SK Hynix is expected to integrate two units into its memory production lines.
Efficiency Gains and Competitive Edge
The adoption of High-NA EUV technology is already yielding impressive results across the industry. Intel has reported processing over 30,000 wafers in a single quarter using High-NA EUV exposure, streamlining manufacturing by reducing the number of process steps for certain layers from 40 to fewer than 10. This has led to significantly faster cycle times. Samsung has also documented a 60% reduction in cycle time for specific applications, underscoring the transformative potential of High-NA EUV in semiconductor fabrication.
As the competition intensifies among leading foundries, Samsung’s investment in advanced High-NA EUV lithography positions the company at the forefront of next-generation chip manufacturing, enabling the production of smaller, more efficient, and more powerful semiconductors for future technologies.
