Samsung Foundry is getting a High-NA EUV overhaul with the purchase of additional ASML Twinscan EXE:5200B dual-stage lithography systems, valued at $773 million in total. This investment will secure two of these advanced High-NA EUV machine. Each machine can process over 175 wafers per hour (around 200 at Intel 14A fab) and, under optimal conditions, can handle tens of thousands of 300 mm wafers per month. Samsung plans to install one High-NA EUV scanner this year, likely in the coming weeks, with the second unit scheduled for early 2026. The ASML machine can print transistors as small as 8 nm, which is significantly smaller than the current "2 nm" nodes with a gate pitch of over 40 nm and a metal pitch of 20 nm. The actual size of the transistors differs from the nominal node name.

Samsung Foundry will use these advanced High-NA scanners primarily for logic and SRAM production, with High-NA-powered DRAM expected to follow later. ASML projects that by 2027, it will deliver 56 Low-NA EUV scanners based on current orders and demand. This includes five units for Intel, seven for Samsung, and up to 20 for SK Hynix. According to South Korean media, SK Hynix plans to install 20 Low-NA EUV units over the next two years, focusing on HBM memory and advanced storage solutions. For High-NA, ASML aims to deliver 10 High-NA EUV scanners by 2027, each costing around $380 million. Intel will use these for its 14A node manufacturing, and SK Hynix is expected to incorporate two for its memory operations. To remain competitive, Samsung is also making significant investments.Intel has reported processing over 30,000 wafers in a single quarter using High-NA EUV exposure, achieving simplified manufacturing by reducing the required steps for a particular layer from 40 to fewer than 10, which has led to faster cycle times. Similarly, Samsung has documented a 60% reduction in cycle time for one of its specific applications, demonstrating impressive results in its operations.