EUV lithography (13.5 nm wavelength)

Why the concentration exists

EUV lithography uses light at a wavelength of 13.5 nanometers to pattern features on semiconductor wafers. This wavelength enables printing of features smaller than 30 nanometers, which is necessary for process nodes below 7 nanometers. The 13.5 nm light is absorbed by air and glass, so exposure tools must guide the light using mirrors inside a vacuum. This optical constraint fundamentally shapes the design and complexity of EUV systems.[1][3][24]

The engineering complexity of EUV systems creates formidable barriers to entry. Each scanner contains more than 100,000 parts and ships in 40 freight containers. The machines cost between $120 million and $380 million depending on the configuration. These barriers have prevented any competitor from challenging ASML's monopoly position.[8][9][15][18][23]

EUV lithography allows manufacturers to consolidate multiple patterning steps into single exposures. GlobalFoundries replaced 15 lithography steps with just 5 for its 7nm EUV process. Power consumption for EUV scanners reaches into the megawatt range, compared to less than 100 kilowatts for ArFi immersion systems. The resolution capability depends on numerical aperture, with standard 0.33 NA systems achieving 13nm and High-NA 0.55 NA systems reaching 8nm.[4][7][11][13]

What the evidence shows

Who supplies it

ASML holds 100% market share for commercialized EUV lithography equipment. The Dutch firm was spun out of Philips in 1984 as a joint venture with ASM International. The company initially struggled with no market share and no brand recognition. These origins shaped ASML's eventual path to monopoly.[18][23]

ZEISS provides the core reflective optics at the heart of ASML's EUV systems. These mirrors are essential because the 13.5 nm wavelength light cannot pass through glass lenses. The optics must meet atomic-level precision requirements to achieve the necessary resolution. This creates a second chokepoint in the EUV supply chain.[24]

Only three suppliers are qualified as volume suppliers of EUV photoresist at leading-edge foundries. Tokyo Ohka Kogyo, JSR, and Shin-Etsu Chemical provide the resist materials used for 7nm and below. Japan demonstrated leverage over this concentrated supply in July 2019 by restricting EUV photoresist exports to South Korea. This incident revealed the vulnerability of chipmakers to disruptions in resist supply.[10]

What it depends on, and what depends on it

EUV lithography has become a critical requirement for process nodes below 7nm. The technology succeeded 193nm immersion lithography, which had reached its numerical aperture limits for features below 30nm. ASML's 0.33 NA EUV scanners entered production use at 7nm in 2018. Memory manufacturers are increasing EUV adoption, with ASML expecting 75% revenue growth from memory customers in 2026.[2][3][11][14]

Intel Foundry is using ASML's High-NA EUV technology for its Intel 18A process node. The company completed installation and calibration of the first commercial High-NA EUV system in 2024. Intel has entered high-volume manufacturing for Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors using this technology. Samsung committed $773 million to acquire two High-NA EUV machines for its 2nm foundry lines.[6][14][20][21][22]

Where it sits in the stack

What would break it

China has completed a working prototype of an EUV machine according to a Reuters report. Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment filed an EUV radiation generator patent in March 2023 that was published in September 2024. SMEE was added to a US Commerce Department blacklist in December 2022, restricting its access to certain US technologies. Independent analysis projects commercial-scale Chinese immersion DUV capability may not arrive until the mid-2030s.[16][17][19]

The Dutch government prevented ASML from shipping an EUV machine to China in November 2019. Sales of EUV systems to China have been blocked since 2019. Advanced immersion DUV export restrictions followed in 2023. Government authorization has been required for advanced immersion DUV exports outside the Netherlands since September 2023.[8][9][24]

Researchers have proposed longer-wavelength EUV lithography as a potential alternative to 13.5 nm systems. Lithography at 17.2 nm wavelength using aluminum-based multilayer mirrors could reduce flare effects. This approach trades some resolution for potential gains in other imaging characteristics. The diffractive losses from longer wavelengths might be compensated by improvements in flare reduction.[5]

What to watch

Samsung expects delivery of its first High-NA EUV machine later in 2025. A second High-NA system is scheduled for the first half of 2026. Samsung plans to deploy these machines at its 2nm foundry lines for Exynos 2600 processors and Tesla AI chips. Each High-NA unit costs approximately $380 million.[15][22]

Rapidus plans to begin high-volume production at its IIM-1 fab in 2027. The EUV Accelerator in Albany, New York, is backed by an $825 million federal investment. ASML expects to ship about 130 immersion systems in 2026, matching 2025 levels. ASML expects revenue from memory customers to jump by 75% in 2026.[12][14][16]

Related nodes

Sources

1. ensun.io
2. trendforce.com · 2025-12-23T00:00:00
3. spectrum.ieee.org · 2023-08-23T19:04:23
4. spectrum.ieee.org · 2024-02-13T14:05:01
5. rit.edu
6. newsroom.intel.com · 2025-01-23T17:37:15
7. asml.com · 2024-01-25T11:00:00
8. brookings.edu · June 30, 2020
9. semiconductorx.com
10. semiconductorx.com · July 2019
11. semiengineering.com · 2018
12. semiengineering.com
13. semiengineering.com
14. eetimes.com
15. tomshardware.com · March 2024
16. tomshardware.com · 27 July 2026
17. scmp.com · 2024-09-12
18. worksinprogress.co · 1984
19. cnbc.com
20. investopedia.com · 2026
21. asml.com · July 15, 2026
22. kedglobal.com · 2025-10-15
23. rapidus.inc · 2024.12
24. xenospectrum.com · 2023-09-01