Samsung and ASML Partner to Advance High NA EUV Semiconductor Manufacturing
South Korean electronics giant Samsung Electronics and Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer ASML announced a major expansion of their long-standing strategic collaboration on September 8, 2026. The partnership focuses on advancing High Numerical Aperture Extreme Ultraviolet (High NA EUV) lithography and introducing 12-inch photomask platforms for future memory and foundry chip manufacturing.
Under the expanded agreement, Samsung will join a broader industry initiative to transition from the decades-old 6-inch photomask standard to a larger 12-inch format tailored for High NA EUV tools. Photomasks act as master templates that transfer intricate microchip circuit designs onto silicon wafers. Upgrading to 12-inch photomasks is expected to significantly enhance fabrication plant productivity, remove stitching constraints on complex microchips, and reduce total manufacturing costs for leading-edge DRAM and logic chips.
This collaboration is critical as global demand for specialized AI semiconductors surges, requiring chips with higher transistor density and superior energy efficiency. By combining ASML's optical lithography expertise with Samsung's advanced memory and foundry manufacturing capabilities, both companies aim to accelerate the commercialization of sub-2nm chip manufacturing. The deal reinforces South Korea's positioning in the global semiconductor supply chain and underscores how key tech alliances are driving hardware innovation in the AI era.
