ASML guarantees deliveries of the first mass-produced chips on the High‑NA EUV platform later this year

A Brief Overview of News on ASML Lithography Systems

Why the Main Buyer Still Is Intel
Intel has long been considered the primary customer for ASML’s ultra‑expensive High‑NA EUV systems. The company used them in experiments related to transitioning to 14 nm technology.

ASML’s Plans
The manufacturer announced that the first products made on these scanners will appear “in the coming months.”

Intel’s Procurement History
• In mid‑2023, Intel began acquiring the TwinScan EXE:5000 family for prototyping.
• Later it booked the entire 2024 production run of High‑NA scanners.
• By the end of 2025, the first EXE:5200 system has been installed, potentially suitable for volume manufacturing.

Equipment Advantages
• Reduces geometric parameters of semiconductor components.
• Increases transistor density on a wafer → faster chips.
• Processes up to 220 silicon wafers per hour.

Intel’s Strategy
In mass production, High‑NA EUV will be used only at key stages, not immediately for all chip layers.

Competitors’ Status
• TSMC is still evaluating the technology from a distance, deeming it too expensive.
• Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are gradually introducing similar ASML scanners to avoid falling behind Intel. These devices will be useful for both logic chips and memory.

ASML Management Commentary
CEO Christophe Fouquet said at an Imec event: “In the coming months we will see the first products – in both logic and memory segments – processed on High‑NA class systems.”

Cost
One ASML system costs almost $400 million. Despite the high price, it cuts exposure tooling expenses for photomask processing and speeds up chip manufacturing.

Thus, Intel continues to lead in using High‑NA EUV, while Samsung and SK hynix are already starting to deploy similar equipment to keep pace in the race for faster and denser processors. ASML is preparing to launch its first mass‑produced products on the market in the coming months.