Samsung collaborates with ASML to develop high-NA EUV lithography technology

According to the Seoul Economic Daily, Samsung Electronics will jointly develop high numerical aperture (High-NA) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology with ASML, the world's largest lithography equipment manufacturer. Samsung is participating in an initiative aimed at shifting the industry's standard from 6-inch photomasks, which have been used since the 1980s, to 12-inch versions, and is striving to be the first to establish DRAM mass production systems based on High-NA EUV equipment. Samsung plans to start applying High-NA EUV equipment to DRAM production from 2028, and will further extend this technology to 1.4 nanometer advanced logic processes, to drive its foundry business growth. The expansion of mask sizes is intended to compensate for the limitations of EUV technology. High-NA EUV has a numerical aperture that is 66% higher than conventional EUV, enabling the formation of finer circuit patterns. Replacing the current 6-inch masks with 12-inch masks can improve fab production efficiency and reduce chip manufacturing costs.