Top chipmakers embrace ASML’s $400M machines, agree to crucial chipmaking change
Summary
Leading chipmakers Samsung Electronics and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) plan to adopt ASML’s high-NA EUV lithography machines in the coming years, joining Intel in this upgrade. The initiative, with machines costing up to $400 million each, aims to boost production by up to 40% and aligns with a broader shift to 12-inch photomasks to enable smaller feature sizes for AI-focused chips and consumer devices. The piece situates the move within AI data-center demand and ongoing global chip-supply dynamics, including industry-wide standardization and geopolitical considerations.