ASML expects first High-NA EUV-based chips within a few months

High-NA EUV lithography machines are expected to begin producing chip products within a few months. Each machine can cost up to about $400 million, making acquisition expensive for manufacturers. The technology is designed to enable further miniaturization and faster development of future chips by allowing smaller, more complex circuit patterns than previous EUV generations. ASML targets structural reductions in production costs for advanced memory and logic chips, but the upfront purchase price remains a major barrier. TSMC introduced new manufacturing processes while choosing not to adopt High-NA EUV, preferring maximum utilization of existing EUV capacity. Intel is pursuing early advantage through High-NA EUV, while SK Hynix has already moved toward commercial deployment.

"ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet expects the first chip products manufactured on the new High-NA EUV machines within a few months. He made this statement during ITF World, an event organized by the imec research institute in Belgium. The machines, which cost up to $400 million each, are nevertheless too expensive, according to TSMC. TSMC announced its contrarian stance a few weeks ago. Fouquet does not seem too impressed by this for the time being."

"The High-NA EUV lithography machines are intended to enable the further miniaturization and acceleration of future chips. They allow companies such as Intel, Nvidia, AMD, Samsung, SK Hynix, and others to create smaller and more complex circuits than was possible with the previous generation of EUV machines. With the new generation, ASML aims to structurally reduce production costs for advanced chips, for both memory and logic applications. However, this comes with sky-high acquisition costs."

"TSMC presented two new manufacturing processes last month but deliberately chose not to use ASML's High-NA EUV variant for either. The Taiwanese chip giant prefers to maximize the use of existing EUV machines. Kevin Zhang, deputy co-chief operations officer at TSMC, described this as a strength of the company's own R&D. That choice stands in stark contrast to Intel, which is aiming for an early advantage based on the use of High-NA EUV equipment."

"Over a decade ago, Intel chose to continue with the older DUV technology, while TSMC saw EUV as an opportunity to build a lead. That strategy succeeded. Intel's mistake became crystal clear within a few years, as it remained stuck with an older process while TSMC won over customer after customer. In 2026, not all chipmakers are hesitant about ASML's High-NA EUV machines. Last year, SK Hynix became the first chipmaker in the world to assemble a commercial Hig"

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