As demand for advanced chips surges amid the artificial intelligence boom, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. have confirmed they will deploy ASML Holding NV's High-NA EUV lithography machines.
ASML Rises Over 2% in Pre-Market Trading on Tuesday.
Samsung plans to integrate High-NA EUV technology into DRAM memory chip production starting in 2028, with full implementation targeted for 2030, a move that extends its DRAM scaling roadmap and boosts manufacturing efficiency. Meanwhile, TSMC will utilize the equipment for advanced chip fabrication, citing the escalating complexity of transistor architectures in AI applications as a key driver of future demand for High-NA systems.
Each High-NA EUV machine costs approximately $400 million, and investors view the commercial success of this technology as pivotal to ASML's future growth. Over the past year, the company's share price has climbed 120%. On Tuesday, Barclays analysts released a note stating that the commitments from both manufacturers provide "clearer expectations on the deployment timeline, which has been a key point of industry debate," and assessed the news as positive. In early Tuesday trading, ASML's shares listed in Amsterdam were flat to slightly lower.
With these announcements, Samsung and TSMC join Intel as High-NA EUV customers. ASML revealed in July that Intel had already adopted the technology for advanced chipmaking. While ASML has not issued updated sales forecasts for High-NA systems, it stated that overall EUV equipment capacity will rise by approximately 30% by 2027. Barclays analysts noted that the commitments are favorable for ASML's production planning, adding that "demand is exceptionally strong right now, leaving ASML with a major decision: whether to expand EUV capacity beyond existing targets."
Additionally, TSMC, Samsung, and ASML will jointly launch an industry initiative to develop next-generation 12-inch photomask technology, replacing the current 6-inch standard. Photomasks are essential components in chip production, serving as templates for printing circuit patterns on wafers. ASML stated that larger photomasks will enhance production efficiency and reduce chip manufacturing costs.
On April 24, 2025, in Veldhoven, Netherlands, ASML employee Asia Hadou showcased the High-NA chipmaking equipment, underscoring the technology's central role in the semiconductor industry's evolution.
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