[News] SK hynix Reportedly Doubling EUV Fleet by 2027, Potentially Set to Rank Third Globally

According to ETNews, sources say SK hynix intends to add about 20 EUV systems by 2027. The company reportedly has around 20 units, including some used for R&D, and the planned expansion could double that number within two years. With each system costing hundreds of billions of KRW, the total investment is expected to exceed 6 trillion KRW. The report suggests the move represents a major investment to strengthen next-generation DRAM and HBM capabilities.

The report points out that if SK hynix secures 20 more systems, it would rank third worldwide in EUV capacity, on par with or even ahead of Intel. As of late last year, TSMC reportedly held the largest number of EUV tools, followed by Samsung Electronics, Intel, SK hynix, and Micron.

EUV Tied to SK hynix’s Next-Gen DRAM Roadmap

SK hynix’s potential plan to acquire 20 additional EUV systems is reportedly tied to its strategy of advancing capabilities in DRAM nodes. The company is expected to apply the technology in 7th-generation DRAM (1d) and beyond, extending into sub-10nm products that have not yet been commercialized.

In the near term, SK hynix is expected to strengthen its competitiveness in 5th-generation 10nm-class DRAM (1b)—designed for HBM4 and slated for mass production by year-end—as well as in 6th-generation DRAM (1c), now preparing for volume production. These products are projected to be the company’s main revenue drivers next year, the report adds.

As the report notes, citing sources, the company plans to install these new systems in the Cheongju M15X and Icheon M16 fabs. Installation is reportedly set to start at M15X, which is slated to begin operations by year-end.

Notably, according to Hankyung, SK hynix announced on the 3rd that it has installed High-NA EUV equipment at its M16 fab in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. The company is the first to bring High-NA EUV into a mass-production facility for DRAM. Samsung Electronics, by contrast, installed High-NA EUV in March at its R&D line in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.

Read more

• [News] SK hynix Reportedly Negotiates Price Adjustments with Customers Following Micron, Samsung
• [News] SK hynix Reportedly Launches M15 Pilot Line for 1b DRAM Production Amid Big Tech HBM Surge

(Photo credit: SK hynix)