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TSMC has consistently maintained that it can get by quite well without ASML's latest High-NA EUV lithography machines, terming them too expensive to make much economic sense before 2026. Now, however, it appears that the contract chip manufacturer is having second thoughts about this clear-cut stance, as indicated by a secretive visit of its CEO to ASML's headquarters.
TSMC's arch nemesis of sorts, Intel, has staked its very survival on achieving an insurmountable lead in the emerging field of High-NA EUV lithography. In fact, the first few such machines are all destined for Intel's chip fabrication units. Intel intends to experiment with High-NA Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography within the parameters of its upcoming 18A (1.8 nm) process node before formally incorporating it into its 14A (1.4 nm) manufacturing process.
In contrast, TSMC has publicly stated that its current lineup of Low-NA EUV lithography machines can support production well into 2026. The company is apparently content with iterative improvements, including multiple masks for greater production efficiency and advanced nano sheet-based transistor designs, for its upcoming A16 process node. The Taiwanese chipmaker also seems to be relying on Super Power Rail backside power delivery, where the power is supplied via the backside of the chip, to boost the performance of its products for AI workloads.
TSMC's CEO Visits ASML Headquarters
TSMC appears to have joined the chase for ASML’s High NA EUV lithography machines, the next-generation of EUV, media report, as TSMC CEO C.C. Wei visited ASML and laser supplier Trumpf instead of attending the TSMC Technology Symposium 2024 in Taiwan. Wei’s visit purportedly…
— Dan Nystedt (@dnystedt) May 28, 2024
This brings us to the crux of the matter. Instead of attending the Technology Symposium 2024, TSMC's CEO, C. C. Wei, visited ASML's headquarters in the Netherlands in secret on the 26th of May. According to Business Korea, some details of Wei's visit could be gleaned from the social media posts of ASML's CEO, Christopher Fuke, and those of Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller, the CEO of TRUMPF.
As per TSMC's stated plans, the contract chip manufacturer is looking to adopt High-NA EUV lithography only after introducing its 1.6nm-based products. However, Wei's secretive visit to ASML's headquarters has set the proverbial tongues wagging, especially as it indicates the presence of an undercurrent and, perhaps a broader rethink of TSMC's current trajectory.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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