Samsung Electronics is reportedly pouring KRW1.1 trillion (approx. US$773 million) into next-generation chipmaking equipment in a high-stakes bid to close the gap with rivals TSMC and Intel in the global race to produce smaller, more powerful semiconductors.
Samsung is reportedly planning to deploy the new tools for its 2nm process and beyond. These advanced chips are expected to power future products like the company's own Exynos 2600 processor and could be used for Tesla's next-generation artificial-intelligence hardware.
High NA EUV enters production era
EUV lithography tools etch the intricate circuit patterns that define chip density and performance. The High NA EUV variant—offering a numerical aperture of 0.55 compared with 0.33 in conventional EUV—can carve features roughly 1.7 times finer and achieve nearly threefold transistor density gains. According to JoongAng, such precision allows for chips that deliver higher performance at lower power, making the equipment essential for the next decade of semiconductor scaling.
The Twinscan EXE:5200B, priced at roughly KRW550 billion per unit, is optimized for mass production with enhanced throughput over its R&D predecessor, the EXE:5000. Intel became the first to receive the model in July 2025, while SK hynix brought one into its Icheon M16 fab for DRAM production a month later.
Foundry rivalry intensifies as global players move to High NA
Samsung's massive investment places it at the forefront of a technological arms race. Intel became the first company to receive a production model of the new machine in July 2025, with SK Hynix acquiring one for memory chip production a month later.
Credit: SK Hynix
Samsung's latest investment underscores a broader industry shift toward ultra-fine chip patterning. Samsung first adopted EUV lithography for its 7nm process in 2018 and later expanded the technology to DRAM manufacturing in 2020, both global firsts.
By contrast, TSMC plans to continue using existing EUV systems through its 2-nm node and begin incorporating High NA EUV only with its 1.4nm process, JoongAng reported. Intel, meanwhile, has expanded its ASML High NA EUV orders from one to two machines as it accelerates work on its 14A process, scheduled for risk production in 2027 and volume manufacturing in 2028, according to Wccftech and BITS & CHIPS.
Industry observers note that Samsung, once cautious in its capital spending, is now shifting back to an assertive investment cycle. By betting early on ASML's most advanced platform, the Korean giant signals a renewed determination to reclaim leadership in the global foundry race.
Article edited by Jack Wu
