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Both companies also joined an industry initiative to transition to larger 12-inch photomasks, which are expected to cut chipmaking costs by 2033
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TSMC $TSM and Samsung committed Tuesday to using ASML $ASML's High NA extreme ultraviolet lithography machines for advanced chip production, with Samsung targeting DRAM manufacturing by 2028 and TSMC aiming to deploy the technology in high-volume advanced node production starting in 2030.
The two chipmakers also joined ASML in a new industry initiative aimed at moving photomasks — the patterned stencils that transfer circuit designs onto silicon wafers — from today's 6-inch standard to a larger 12-inch format. The initiative targets establishing a 12-inch mask pilot line by 2031, with full production readiness expected by 2033, the companies said. ASML and TSMC said the larger format is expected to increase fab productivity, lower chipmaking costs, and remove stitching constraints that currently add complexity and cost to chip production.
