Japan

Samsung’s High-NA EUV DRAM Roadmap: Why It Is Accelerating Mass Production to 2028

Samsung Electronics and ASML announced an expanded strategic collaboration to introduce high-numerical aperture (NA) EUV lithography for DRAM mass production by 2028, a move they claim will be an industry first.

AsiaAI Publisher · September 11, 2026 · 2 min read · Source: EE Times Japan · Issue #93

This story ran in Issue #93, alongside three other stories.

Semiconductors & Hardware

What this means

Why it matters: This is about who gets to the next level of chip manufacturing first and how that translates to market advantage. Samsung pushing high-NA EUV into DRAM by 2028 is a direct challenge to SK hynix and Micron, who are also looking at the technology. It promises higher yields and lower costs over time, which will ripple through the entire memory market. The 12-inch photomask initiative is a longer-term play, but it’s about standardizing the next generation of EUV infrastructure for everyone.

For Western readers: Western memory suppliers and foundries should assume Samsung will have a two-year head start on utilizing high-NA EUV for DRAM, impacting their competitive positioning and potentially accelerating their own adoption schedules or risk falling behind on cost and density. This also means the ramp for high-NA EUV tools and associated supply chain components will be aggressive.

What to watch: Monitor the actual deployment and yield rates of high-NA EUV at Samsung’s DRAM fabs, as well as SK hynix’s updated timeline for their own high-NA EUV adoption, to gauge the true competitive advantage.

Samsung Electronics and ASML announced an expanded strategic collaboration to introduce high-numerical aperture (NA) EUV lithography for DRAM mass production by 2028, a move they claim will be an industry first. This technology allows for finer circuit patterns with fewer exposures, extending DRAM miniaturization roadmaps and improving production efficiency. Separately, ASML and TSMC are establishing an industry initiative for 12-inch photomasks, a shift Samsung will also join, aiming for pilot lines by 2031 and mass production readiness by 2033.

This announcement intensifies the race among leading memory and foundry players for advanced process technology. High-NA EUV is critical for scaling down chip geometries, particularly for next-generation AI applications requiring more complex transistor structures. Samsung’s move in DRAM, ahead of TSMC’s planned 2030 adoption for advanced nodes, signals an aggressive push for leadership in memory fabrication.

For the wider picture, see Japan Semiconductor Ecosystem.

Original source (Japanese)

Samsung、高NA EUVをDRAM量産に「業界初」導入へ　28年までに

EE Times Japan

This story appeared in AsiaAI.FYI Issue #93.

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