Intel Secures 6 High-NA EUV Lithography Machines

In recent developments reported by SamMobile, Samsung has formally entered into a substantial agreement valued at 1 trillion Korean won (approximately $755 million) with ASML, a prominent Dutch semiconductor equipment company. The collaboration aims to establish a cutting-edge semiconductor chip research facility in South Korea, dedicated to advancing the next generation of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) semiconductor manufacturing technology. Samsung Electronics' Vice Chairman and Head of the Device Solutions Division, Kyung Kye-hyun, underscored the strategic significance of this agreement, emphasizing its role in providing Samsung priority access to the latest High-NA EUV lithography technology developed by ASML.

Kyung highlighted that Samsung has secured precedence in utilizing High-NA EUV semiconductor exposure technology, further noting that this agreement presents an opportunity for Samsung to optimize the enduring application of High-NA lithography technology in the production of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) and logic chips.

The collaborative efforts between Samsung and ASML at the forthcoming chip research facility in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, will involve joint initiatives by engineers from both companies to enhance semiconductor production processes associated with EUV technology. This collaboration extends beyond the introduction of 2nm chip manufacturing equipment, with a focus on maximizing the efficacy of next-generation lithography equipment.

As per the industry timeline, Intel is scheduled to initiate the production of Intel 20A process technology in the first half of 2024, followed by the production of the more advanced Intel 18A process technology in the latter half of the same year. Similarly, TSMC and Samsung plan to commence production of 2nm process technology in 2025, with ASML's latest High-NA EUV lithography machine identified as a pivotal component for achieving mass production at this scale.

Recent updates reveal that ASML is set to launch its inaugural commercial High-NA EUV lithography machine by the conclusion of 2023. This machine boasts an increased numerical aperture (NA) from 0.33 to 0.55, enabling chip manufacturers to leverage ultra-fine patterning techniques for the production of highly advanced chips utilizing processes of 2nm and below. ASML's projections for 2024 include the manufacturing of 10 High-NA EUV machines, with reports indicating significant procurement by Intel. In the ensuing years, ASML aims to elevate the production capacity of High-NA EUV lithography machines to an annual output of 20 sets.