SK Hynix Becomes First to Commercially Deploy ASML’s High-NA EUV Systems, Surpassing TSMC and Samsung
SK Hynix has officially become the first company in the semiconductor industry to integrate ASML’s High-NA EUV equipment into its production lines, beating rivals TSMC and Samsung to the milestone. The deployment took place at the company’s M16 fab in Icheon, South Korea, marking a pivotal step for the future of advanced DRAM production. The system adopted by SK Hynix is the ASML TWINSCAN EXE:5200B, the first High-NA EUV platform designed for volume production. Compared to existing EUV machines, the system provides a 40% improvement in numerical aperture (NA), increasing from 0.33 to 0.55.
This breakthrough enables:
Transistor scaling 1.7x smaller than conventional EUV.
Transistor density 2.9x higher.
Simplified process integration with fewer masks and steps.
By leveraging these advantages, SK Hynix expects to accelerate next-generation DRAM development, enhance performance, and improve cost competitiveness.
The adoption of High-NA EUV will allow SK Hynix to advance beyond the so-called “layer benchmark” in DRAM design. Reports suggest the company will move toward six EUV layers in its memory production, an achievement that could reshape the memory landscape.
This positions SK Hynix as a stronger partner for major clients like NVIDIA and AMD, both of which require high-performance DRAM for AI, HPC, and gaming applications. The move also signals a significant challenge to Samsung’s long-standing dominance in the DRAM sector, with SK Hynix now asserting itself as a technology leader.
Industry Context
TSMC and Samsung have yet to announce full commercial deployment of High-NA EUV in their fabs, giving SK Hynix a rare first-mover advantage.
With ASML’s High-NA EUV tools in high demand, SK Hynix’s early adoption secures production capability that competitors may struggle to match in the short term.
The company is not only boosting its technological leadership but also its market position in high-value memory segments, where competition is fierce.
By being the first to commercially deploy High-NA EUV, SK Hynix has positioned itself at the cutting edge of semiconductor manufacturing. This move underscores its ambition to remain a primary supplier for next-gen DRAM, while also highlighting the firm’s rapid ascent to challenge and even overtake industry leaders in key areas.
Do you think SK Hynix’s early adoption of High-NA EUV will give it a lasting lead over Samsung and TSMC, or will competitors quickly catch up once they begin deployment?
