[Chip Talk] From Foundry Exclusive to DRAM... Fierce Competition Begins in Ultra-Fine Processing with 'High NA EUV'
by Park Joonyi
Published 08 Sep.2025 07:33(KST)
Updated 08 Sep.2025 15:50(KST)
Exposure Equipment That Enhances Microchip Performance
Entering the Era of Ultra-Fine Processing with High NA EUV
Race to Secure Equipment in DRAM Competition, but Price Remains a Challenge
On September 3, SK Hynix became the first memory manufacturer to introduce a High NA extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machine. Until now, this equipment was used exclusively in logic semiconductors, mainly in the foundry business. With its first application in DRAM production processes, the competition to achieve ultra-fine circuits below 2nm (1nm = one billionth of a meter) has officially begun.
Exposure Equipment That Enhances Microchip Performance
Semiconductor chips contain billions of transistors. To improve performance, these transistors must be made smaller and more densely packed. EUV equipment uses the latest technology to print fine circuits onto wafers and is supplied exclusively worldwide by ASML of the Netherlands. With the recent surge in demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) driven by the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), EUV equipment has become essential for developing high-performance DRAM.
In the early 1960s, when integrated circuits (ICs) were first emerging, exposure equipment used the "contact lithography" method, in which a mask was placed directly on the wafer and exposed to light. To reduce mask damage and overcome resolution limits, the industry later adopted the "proximity" method, where the mask and wafer are separated, and the "step-and-repeat" method, which repeatedly projects and reduces patterns. These innovations established industry standards.
In the 1980s and 1990s, deep ultraviolet (DUV) equipment using KrF (248nm) and ArF (193nm) lasers became widely commercialized, accelerating the race for miniaturization. In the early 2000s, "immersion technology," which refracts light through water, enabled processes below 45nm. As the need for even shorter wavelengths grew, EUV (13.5nm) equipment was commercialized in the 2010s, becoming the core technology for processes under 5nm.
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Entering the Era of Ultra-Fine Processes with High NA EUV
![[Chip Talk] From Foundry Exclusive to DRAM... Fierce Competition Begins in Ultra-Fine Processing with 'High NA EUV'](http://www.asiae.co.kr/news/img_view.htm?img=2025090508130220574_1757027582.jpg)
High NA EUV is the most advanced EUV lithography technology, offering much higher resolution and optical performance than previous EUV equipment. NA (numerical aperture) is an indicator of the ability to collect and focus light, and High NA EUV achieves finer patterning through improved optical design. This increases the number of chips produced per wafer and enhances both power efficiency and performance. According to ASML, compared to conventional EUV, High NA EUV provides 40% better optical performance, enables 1.7 times more precise circuit formation, and achieves 2.9 times higher density.
Initially, foundry companies used High NA EUV for research and development (R&D). Last year, Intel became the first in the semiconductor industry to install this equipment at its R&D center in Oregon, USA. At that time, Intel reportedly secured about five to six units, which is the annual production capacity of ASML. In March of this year, Samsung Electronics became the first domestic company to deploy this equipment in its next-generation sub-2nm semiconductor process at the Hwaseong Campus. TSMC has also reportedly introduced this equipment recently.
On September 3, SK Hynix, a memory manufacturer, joined the competition by introducing the equipment as well. Notably, the equipment introduced by SK Hynix is reportedly intended for mass production. ASML distinguishes between equipment for mass production and for research purposes. While the equipment introduced by TSMC, Samsung Electronics, and Intel is for R&D, all these companies are developing products with mass production as the goal.
Race to Adopt Equipment Amid DRAM Competition, but Price Is a Major Issue
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The rush among semiconductor companies to secure EUV equipment is driven by the competition to lead the next-generation DRAM market. According to market research firm TrendForce, in the second quarter of this year, SK Hynix held a 38.7% share of the DRAM market, followed by Samsung Electronics with 32.7% and Micron with 22.0%.
However, adopting EUV does not automatically guarantee a technological edge. Intel was the first to secure High NA EUV equipment but experienced yield issues in its 7nm foundry process. Additionally, each unit of equipment costs about 500 billion won, creating a significant investment burden. TSMC, the world's leading foundry, recently announced that it will not apply High NA EUV to its 1.4nm process, prioritizing economic considerations.
As a result, the actual timeline for mass production remains unclear. Samsung Electronics is developing its 1.4nm process with the goal of mass production in 2027. Intel has stated that full-scale mass production using High NA EUV for its 14A process will begin in 2027, with volume production starting in 2028. SK Hynix has not disclosed a specific timeline for mass production. An industry insider explained, "Currently, no company is mass-producing products with High NA EUV, and the earliest mass production is expected in 2028. Since development has just begun, it is impossible to say who will take the lead."
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