Taiwan giant TSMC will receive the first batch of high-NA EUV lithography equipment from ASML by the end of 2024, marking the transition to next-gen processes.
TSMC Decides To Switch Towards High-NA Equipment Amid Market Competition, Will Likely Utilize It With A14 & Ahead Processes
The utilization of high-NA equipment is now seen as something "premium" for chipmakers, and it looks like the big "three" players in the semiconductor race, Samsung, Intel, and TSMC, are all looking to get their hands on ASML's high-NA equipment. Interestingly, initially, it was said that TSMC doesn't have plans to acquire ASML's high-NA technology, mainly due to the high costs associated with integrating the equipment and accommodating the machines in TSMC's Taiwan facilities. But, a previous report disclosed that TSMC's high-NA plans are right on track, as it is eager to maintain balance in the industry.
Nikkei Asia reports that TSMC's high-NA equipment is expected to be delivered this year, and the Taiwan giant will probably be one of the first firms to access the equipment. It is said that TSMC will receive ASML's Twinscan EXE:5000 High-NA lithography equipment, which has an 8nm resolution and an EUV light wavelength of 13.5nm. The system will enable chipmakers to produce chips 1.7 times smaller, and transistor densities will see a bump up to 2.9 times. ASML says that the Twins can EXE:5000 has the industry's highest productivity, so for the Taiwan giant, getting hands-on high-NA is an absolute winner.
However, an interesting fact to note is that a single piece of this machinery has cost TSMC up to about $350 million each, which is indeed a gigantic amount. This is why it is said that high-NA is currently the "holy grail" of the semiconductor markets. Considering that Intel is planning to acquire five to six units of high-NA EUV machines, Team Blue is indeed going all-out with next-gen processes.
In terms of implementation, TSMC's high-NA EUV is set to show its magic with the firm's 1.4nm (A14) process, which is scheduled for mass production in 2027. Specifically focusing on the AI hype, TSMC plans to ramp up the competition in the markets by using high-NA. With competitors adopting a similar approach, it won't be wrong to say that future nodes will definitely get a lot more interesting in terms of the performance gaps between them.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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