Two of the world's biggest chipmakers, Samsung and TSMC, are signing on for ASML's High NA extreme ultraviolet systems - the kit that pushes transistor patterns even smaller. They join Intel, which ASML said in July is using High NA EUV for advanced chip manufacturing.
Samsung said it will apply the machines to DRAM production starting in 2028 and, separately, that it will adopt the technology in 2030, saying it will "extend the DRAM scaling roadmap" and improve process efficiency. TSMC said it plans to use ASML's equipment for advanced chips and expects a pickup in High NA deployment, with that rise "driven primarily by the increasingly complex transistor architectures required for AI applications."
ASML's EUV systems are the core gear that etches circuit patterns onto silicon. The High NA version can print tighter, more intricate features, and one of these tools carries a price tag of around $400 million.
Both Samsung and TSMC will also work with ASML on shifting the industry's photomasks from 6 inches to a next-gen 12-inch format. Photomasks are the stencils that define chip patterns, and ASML said moving to a larger size should lift productivity and trim manufacturing costs.
Innovation reshapes industries over time, so steady planning helps protect your savings. Join Briefs Finance CEO Jaspreet Singh on September 29th for a FREE live investor workshop, How to Profit From A Dollar That's Losing its Value, where he shows how we're spotting investment opportunities as the dollar falls. Save your spot.
For ASML's longer-term growth prospects, investors consider whether High NA EUV tools will succeed to be a pivotal factor, and the shares are attempting to extend a roughly 120% advance over the past year. Early Tuesday trading in Amsterdam was flat to slightly lower. ASML has not recently said how many High NA units it expects to sell, but it does plan to lift total EUV capacity by about 30% in 2027.
Barclays called the announcements "a positive," saying they "should provide more visibility on adoption which has been a key debate." The bank added, "We see ASML with a significant decision ahead on whether to further expand EUV capacity than the recently expanded targets it has already given. Demand is clearly strong."
Big chipmakers are lining up behind High NA and larger photomasks, and that momentum could shape ASML's capacity moves next. If AI needs ever-smaller transistors, watch how quickly High NA turns into real orders - and how that pace shows up in ASML's updates.
Keeping a long view around technological change can help grow and safeguard capital. Our CEO Jaspreet Singh is hosting a FREE live investor workshop, How to Profit From A Dollar That's Losing its Value, on September 29th. Sign up free to join him live.
