[News] Samsung Reportedly Eyes High-NA EUV for 1nm around 2030 as TSMC Also Takes a Cautious Approach

Samsung is advancing its next-generation lithography roadmap. According to ZDNet, the company is targeting its 1nm process, expected to enter mass production around 2030, for the adoption of High-Numerical Aperture (High-NA) EUV. Citing ChangMin Park, a Master and senior technology expert at Samsung Electronics, the report notes that Samsung had hoped to introduce High-NA EUV at 2nm and 1.4nm, but further technical improvements are still needed, with the technology now expected to become necessary from A10 and below.

Samsung has already commercialized its 2nm process and plans to begin mass production of its 1.4nm SF1.4 process in 2029, followed by SF1.4+ and 1nm in 2030, the report indicates.

High-NA EUV raises the numerical aperture from 0.33 to 0.55, improving resolution and potentially replacing conventional EUV multi-patterning with single patterning for some advanced features. This could improve cost efficiency and design flexibility. However, ZDNet notes that the technology remains challenging and expensive, while related technologies such as masks and pellicles still need to advance. Conventional EUV multi-patterning and High-NA EUV single patterning are therefore expected to coexist in future processes.

Samsung installed one High-NA EUV system at its Hwaseong campus last year and added a second in 1H26, with total investment estimated at over KRW 1 trillion. However, an earlier report by Chosun Ilbo suggests commercial deployment remains on hold, as bringing the technology into full-scale production would significantly increase costs while Samsung works to turn around its foundry business.

Samsung is also expanding its use of Atomic Layer Etching (ALE) as EUV drives further semiconductor scaling. According to Sisa Journal, the move reflects the growing difficulty of precisely patterning increasingly narrow circuit features using conventional plasma-based etching alone.

Intel and TSMC Take Different Paths on High-NA EUV

Among Samsung’s foundry rivals, The Elec reported in July, citing ASML, that Intel is using High-NA EUV for selected layers of its Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, codenamed Panther Lake, manufactured on its 18A process. ASML said this marks the semiconductor industry’s first use of High-NA EUV in mass-produced logic devices.

Meanwhile, TechNews reports that TSMC Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei said the company has already purchased High-NA EUV equipment and is actively conducting R&D. Tom’s Hardware previously reported, citing TSMC Senior Vice President Kevin Zhang, that the company’s upcoming A13 and A12 processes, both targeted for 2029, are not expected to require High-NA EUV.

SK hynix Explores High-NA EUV and PSM for Advanced DRAM

SK hynix is also advancing High-NA EUV for next-generation DRAM. According to another ZDNet report, the company introduced its first mass-production-grade High-NA EUV system in the second half of 2025 and began R&D with the equipment this year. It is evaluating both conventional EUV multi-patterning and High-NA EUV single patterning for future advanced processes, while also exploring phase shift masks (PSMs) to further improve EUV resolution.

PSMs create phase differences in the light forming adjacent circuit patterns, improving contrast and enabling clearer patterning of extremely fine features. The report adds that SK hynix is also exploring how PSM technology could be further developed for High-NA EUV.

Read more

• [News] TSMC Rejects High-NA EUV Investment Concerns, Confirms Purchase for R&D Use
• [News] Samsung Reportedly Holds Back High-NA EUV Mass Production to Contain Costs Ahead of Foundry Turnaround

(Photo credit: ASML)