Intel Secures ASML High-NA EUV at $2.6B Each

A recent report from The Elec reveals that Intel has secured all orders for ASML's High-NA EUV systems until the first half of 2025, leaving Samsung and SK Hynix to wait until the second half of the year to obtain the equipment.

ASML's annual production capacity for High-NA EUV systems is limited to around five or six units per year, according to industry sources. Consequently, Intel will receive all of this initial production, having pre-ordered the systems when it announced its re-entry into the chip foundry business.

ASML's High-NA EUV systems are critical for manufacturing 2nm process node chips, with each system costing over 500 billion KRW (approximately 2.647 billion RMB). The numerical aperture (NA) represents an optical system's ability to gather and focus light. High-NA EUV systems enhance this capability from 0.33 to 0.55, enabling the creation of finer circuit patterns.

Since ASML introduced its first mass-produced EUV lithography machine in 2017, Samsung has utilized the 0.33 NA EUV lithography machine for its 7nm, 5nm, and 3nm process production. Similarly, TSMC has implemented the technology for its second-generation 7nm, 5nm, and 3nm process production. As Samsung, TSMC, and Intel shift to mass production with the 3nm process, these advanced manufacturers are heavily investing in the development of 2nm processes to meet future high-performance computing demands and gain a competitive advantage in the wafer foundry market.

To stay ahead of its competitors, Intel is rapidly adopting High-NA EUV technology. The company re-entered the foundry market in 2021, though it reported a $7 billion loss in the business last year.