Vijay Singh
New Delhi [India], September 8: ASML, the Dutch powerhouse in lithography, just pulled off a big win for the semiconductor world. It got firm commitments from the three biggest chipmakers—TSMC, Samsung, and Intel—to use its next-generation High-NA EUV technology. They announced the deal together right before the SPIE Bacus Conference in Monterey, California. Basically, all three are on board to move from the old 6-inch photomask standard to a much bigger 12-inch one. There’s a pilot line set for 2031, with full production lined up for 2033.
This isn’t just a minor upgrade. It’s a major turning point for chipmaking, especially for AI. With everyone moving together, the supply chain can finally keep up with the sky-high demand for powerful processors driving artificial intelligence.
Here’s what’s really at stake. The new High-NA EUV machines cost up to $400 million each—a hefty price, but worth it. These tools can carve out details almost twice as small as the last generation, which means you can fit triple the number of transistors on a chip. For AI, that’s a huge deal. More transistors equal more brainpower for next-gen processors.
Switching to 12-inch photomasks isn’t a small thing, either. This move directly tackles some of the current bottlenecks chipmakers face. By doubling the mask size, companies can print way bigger chips—like the ones Nvidia uses in data centers—without having to “stitch” separate sections together. That “stitching” can mess with complexity and cause defects. ASML figures this upgrade could boost productivity by about 40%, making each chip cheaper to crank out.
So, who’s moving first? Here’s how the timeline shakes out:
Samsung wants to lead in memory tech and plans to roll out High-NA EUV for DRAM manufacturing as soon as 2028. That would make it the first to bring this new gear into mass production for memory chips.
TSMC, the top name in contract chipmaking, is targeting 2030 to use High-NA for its advanced logic chips. As AI keeps evolving, TSMC expects it’ll need High-NA machines for more layers of a chip.
Intel’s already in the game. It has High-NA machines installed and is putting them to work for high-volume logic production, cementing its spot as an early adopter.
All this news lands while ASML is riding a high wave of demand. Earlier this year, SK Hynix put in a massive $7.9 billion order—the biggest in ASML’s history. With that, ASML is sticking with its ambitious revenue goals, aiming for €44 billion to €60 billion by 2030.
By teaming up, TSMC, Samsung, and Intel are making it crystal clear: ASML holds the keys to the future of chipmaking. This shift to High-NA EUV and bigger masks isn’t just a nice-to-have. If the industry wants to keep pushing AI forward, it’s absolutely necessary.
