Unlike Intel, TSMC hasn't announced when it plans to start using ASML's next-gen High-NA extreme ultraviolet (EUV) chipmaking tools, which has naturally led to plenty of speculation about its intentions. A month ago, an analyst wrote in a note to clients that TSMC would wait to use High-NA tools until it begins producing its 1nm process technology . This week, DigiTimes added its voice to that story with its own sources at fab toolmakers confirming that TMCS would wait until 1nm to use the next-gen tool, though we do have to caution that TSMC hasn't officially announced the news.
TSMC's delay could boil down to cost concerns. Analysts from China Renaissance believe that TSMC will only begin to use High-NA EUV systems with its 1nm-class process technology (known as A10), which, assuming TSMC retains its current cadence of introducing new nodes, would happen sometime in 2029 – 2030 (production start – availability).
Intel is set to use High-NA EUV tools for its post- 18A process technology , which probably means it will begin using them in the 2026 – 2027 range (though Intel has not formally confirmed the timeframe). Meanwhile, all of the leading makers of logic and memory have purchased High-NA EUV tools for their research and development (R&D) efforts but have not set any deployment schedules publicly.
High-NA EUV lithography tools allow the achievement of 8nm dimensions with a single exposure, significantly improving over the 13nm featured by existing Low-NA EUV tools. However, not all chipmakers are in a rush to deploy these chipmaking tools commercially because existing EUV systems can achieve an 8nm resolution with double patterning, ostensibly for lower overall cost. High-NA EUV tools are also exceedingly expensive and require substantial changes to existing fabrication facilities to accommodate their immense size.
One thing to keep in mind is that plans tend to change based on the performance of existing technologies as well as other market factors. That said, while it might not look like TSMC is set to insert High-NA EUV tools any time soon, the plans aren't official, and if they were, the company's plans are always subject to change.
