[News] SK Hynix Leads the Pack to Introduce ASML’s High-NA EUV System for Memory Production

SK hynix announced on September 3 that it has installed a High NA EUV lithography system at its M16 fab in Icheon, South Korea, and held a ceremony to mark the system’s assembly.

The machine introduced is ASML’s TWINSCAN EXE:5200B, the first High NA EUV model designed for volume production, according to its press release. Notably, the company notes that it has been expanding EUV adoption for advanced DRAM production since first introducing the technology in 2021 with the 1anm, the fourth generation of 10nm.

As the press release indicates, with a 40% increase in numerical aperture from 0.33 to 0.55, the system enables transistors to be printed 1.7 times smaller and achieves transistor densities 2.9 times higher compared with existing EUV tools.

With the adoption of the new system, SK hynix plans to accelerate next-generation memory development to boost performance and cost competitiveness. The company also aims to strengthen its position in high-value memory products, as the release notes.

Samsung’s High-NA EUV Strategy

Meanwhile, as noted by Korean media outlet The Financial News, citing sources, Samsung Electronics brought in its first High-NA EUV system, the EXE:5000, to its Hwaseong fab in March this year. Samsung is evaluating the use of high-NA EUV tools for its 1.4nm foundry process and is actively developing the related manufacturing technologies, according to The Bell, citing sources. The company is aiming for mass production of the 1.4nm node in 2027, the report adds. For memory production, however, The Bell notes, citing sources, that Samsung is taking a more cautious approach to adopting high-NA EUV technology.

Read more

• [News] U.S. Revokes China Chipmaking Tool Licenses for Samsung, SK hynix: Decoding Market Impact
• [News] Samsung Reportedly Revises High-NA EUV Plans: Limited Memory Use, Foundry Begins at 1.4nm

(Photo credit: SK hynix)