Integrated circuit foundries such as TSMC, Intel, and Samsung are competing for the latest generation of lithography machines.

On June 17, TSMC executives said at a technical seminar held in Silicon Valley in the United States that the company will introduce the latest generation of EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography machines from Dutch manufacturer ASML in 2024.

Mi Yujie, senior vice president of R&D at TSMC, said at the above seminar: "Looking ahead, TSMC will introduce a high numerical aperture (High-NA EUV) lithography machine in 2024 in order to develop the relevant foundation required by customers. 

Facility and mode solutions to further drive innovation.” Mi Yujie did not say when the equipment will be used for mass production. 

However, Zhang Xiaoqiang, senior deputy general manager of TSMC's business development, then explained that TSMC is not ready to use new high numerical aperture EUV tools for production in 2024, and the main purpose of use is to conduct research with partners.

As the chip process becomes more and more complex and advanced, whether TSMC, Samsung or Intel need to use EUV lithography machines.

Earlier this year, ASML said it was working with its partners to develop the next-generation High-NA lithography machine, the Twinscan EXE:5000 series. It is understood that the new High-NA lithography machine has a 0.55NA (High-NA) lens with a resolution of 8 nanometers, which will be very complex, very large and expensive, and is more conducive to process manufacturing of 3 nanometers and above.

Reuters has also reported that ASML has secured five pilot orders for the High-NA product, which are expected to be delivered in 2024, and has "more than five" orders for the production model to be delivered starting in 2025.

Intel, which was not optimistic about EUV technology before, is now actively moving towards EUV technology and hopes to be the first to adopt the latest generation of High-NA lithography machines.

Intel executives have previously stated that the company will become the first user, grabbing the first 0.55NA EUV lithography machine, and Intel also accounts for the bulk of the first 6 units, while TSMC and Samsung will be slower. Intel also said that production in high-NA EUV will begin in 2025.

The vice chairman of Samsung Group and the actual controller of Samsung Group, Lee Jae-yong, who was visiting Europe a few days ago, visited ASML. On June 17, Korean media reported that after Lee Jae-yong visited ASML in the Netherlands, he had secured additional extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment.

G. Dan Hutcheson, a semiconductor economist at TechInsights, an industry research firm that participated in TSMC's forum, said: "The importance of TSMC in having this kind of equipment in 2024 is that they have faster access to the most advanced technologies."

Hetcheson pointed out that EUV technology has become the key to being at the forefront, and high numerical aperture EUV is the next major innovation in advancing semiconductor technology.

The TSMC North American Technology Forum has been held online for two consecutive years. This year, the physical forum will resume in Santa Clara, California, USA.

TSMC debuted at the forum a new generation of advanced 2-nanometer (N2) process technology using nanosheet transistors, as well as the unique TSMC FINFLEX technology that supports N3 and N3E processes, and will become the first company in the world to provide 2-nanometer process foundry services fab.