SK hynix assembles industry's first High-NA EUV machine for its M16 fab plant in South Korea

SK hynix has just announced that it has assembled the industry's first High-NA EUV lithography machine, ready for mass production at its M16 fabrication plant in South Korea.

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The new High-NA EUV lithography machines are next-generation lithography systems that are capable of better resolution by using a larger NA, compared to earlier EUV systems, enabling the world's finest patterns, expected to help shrink the pattern and improve density.

The TWINSCAN EXE:5200B, the first model for volume production of ASML's High NA EUV product line, enables printing of transistors 1.7 times smaller and achievement of transistor densities 2.9 times higher, compared with the existing EUV system, with a 40% improvement in the NA to 0.55 from 0.33.

SK hynix is using ASML's new TWINSCAN EXE:5200B High-NA EUV lithography machine at its new M16 fab plant in South Korea, with improved precision, density by 1.7x and 2.9x to help its competitiveness in chip production against the likes of TSMC and Intel. This move enables SK hynix to lead AI memory (HBM) with cutting-edge technology required by key industries.

ASML's Head of Customer Team SK hynix-Japan Kim Byeong-Chan explained: "High NA EUV is a critical technology that opens the next chapter of the semiconductor industry. ASML will closely collaborate with SK hynix to bring forward the innovation of the next-generation memory."

SK hynix's Head of R&D Cha Seon Yong, added: "We expect the addition of the critical infrastructure to bring our technological vision we have been pursuing into reality. We aim to enhance our leadership in the AI memory space with the cutting-edge technology required by the fast-growing AI and next-generation computing markets."