SK Hynix has become the first in the industry to integrate ASML's High-NA EUV equipment in its facilities, surpassing the likes of TSMC and Samsung.
SK Hynix's Surpasses Both TSMC & Samsung With High-NA EUV System Integration, Setting New Standards
The Korean memory giant has become one of the largest and most advanced DRAM manufacturers, thanks to its end-to-end solutions and, more importantly, its partnership with NVIDIA. Now, the firm has managed to become the first to integrate ASML's High-NA equipment in its M16 fabrication plant in Icheon, South Korea, surpassing industry giants and paving the way for next-gen DRAM technologies as well. SK Hynix announced this achievement in a dedicated blog post, claiming that this move will enable the development of cutting-edge products.
The TWINSCAN EXE:5200B, the first model for volume production of ASML’s High NA EUV product line, enables printing of transistors 1.7 times smaller and achievement of transistor densities 2.9 times higher, compared with the existing EUV system, with a 40% improvement in the NA to 0.55 from 0.33.
With the adoption of the new system, SK hynix plans to simplify the existing EUV process and accelerate the development of the next-generation memory to advance product performance and cost competitiveness. The company also aims to enhance its position in the high-value memory product market and make its technological leadership stronger.
Interestingly, in a past report, we talked about SK hynix proceeding towards High-NA EUV designs in the DRAM segment, where it was claimed that the Korean giant would ramp up its DRAM technology to six EUV layers, marking huge progress. It was contended that High-NA EUV equipment would prove to be essential for breaking the 'layer benchmark', and now that SK Hynix has access to ASML's high-end machinery, it is evident that the company is set for the next big thing in the memory markets.
There's no doubt that SK Hynix has pushed itself to be the go-to spot for DRAM needs for clients like NVIDIA and AMD, and the firm has managed to dethrone the industry leader, Samsung, as well, in a relatively shorter time span. More importantly, the company's integration of High-NA equipment is also a testatement that it won't stop just yet, and will continue to provide quality products and massive competition as well.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
