Mask blanks

Why the concentration exists

A mask blank serves as the substrate for a photomask, which is the template used to pattern circuit designs onto silicon wafers. For extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, a mask blank consists of 40 to 50 alternating layers of silicon and molybdenum deposited on a substrate. These multilayer coatings reflect EUV light at a specific wavelength, enabling the projection of microscopic circuit patterns.[1][7]

EUV mask blanks demand extraordinary precision in their physical specifications. HOYA manufactures its mask blanks polished flat to an accuracy of one thousandth of a millimeter, with surface roughness of only one millionth of a millimeter. The standard EUV photomask blank measures 152 by 152 by 6.35 millimeters. This precision is necessary because any defect in the finished photomask propagates to every chip printed from it.[8][9]

Defects in the molybdenum-silicon multilayer below the absorber layer cannot be repaired, which causes the entire blank to be scrapped. EUV masks use a tantalum nitride absorber etch chemistry rather than the chrome used in deep ultraviolet (DUV) masks. The irreparability of multilayer defects makes blank quality a decisive factor in photomask yield.[6]

What the evidence shows

Who supplies it

AGC Inc. and Hoya Corporation form a duopoly in EUV mask blank supply. AGC holds approximately 55-60% of the EUV blank share, while Hoya holds approximately 33-40%. Together, Hoya, AGC, and Shin-Etsu control over 75% of global supply capacity for high-end mask blanks as of 2023.[5][17]

Hoya has achieved EUV blank defect rates below 0.08 per square centimeter. Hoya Electronics developed the first-ever defect-free EUV photomask blank and received Samsung's Best in Value awards for enabling participation in the advanced EUV mask blank era. Hoya recorded over 200% growth in sales revenue and 150% growth in shipments in just over two years.[5][11]

Applied Materials is developing next-generation EUV blank deposition technology but is not yet in volume commercial supply. AGC offers the only solution spanning from glass substrate to coating, positioning it as an integrated supplier. Veeco has supplied ion beam deposition systems to EUV mask blank manufacturers for over 20 years.[5][4][13]

What it depends on, and what depends on it

Mask blanks enter the photomask manufacturing process at its starting point. The production flow moves through five sequential steps: mask writing, development and etch, inspection, repair, and pellicle mounting and qualification. The blank's quality determines whether it can survive this entire process without scrapping.[6]

For DUV lithography, mask blanks use chrome-on-glass or quartz substrates with chrome films typically ranging from 80 to 120 nanometers. These optical blanks have existed for a long time and have not traditionally been a bottleneck, with lead times that are tight but not limiting. DUV blanks differ fundamentally from EUV blanks in their simpler single-layer absorber structure.[14][2]

High-NA EUV lithography requires new blank specifications and new pellicle designs to accommodate a different angle of incidence. DNP has begun supplying evaluation masks for beyond-2nm production. These technical shifts in mask blank requirements create new qualification challenges as lithography advances.[6]

Where it sits in the stack

What would break it

No viable substitutes exist for EUV lithography mask blanks in high-volume chip manufacturing. Alternatives such as multiple patterning techniques are less cost-effective and less efficient for producing advanced semiconductors. This lack of substitutes means chipmakers must secure EUV blank supply to manufacture at leading-edge nodes.[3]

Hoya Corporation was granted patent US12072619B2 for a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography on September 24, 2024. The patent covers an absorption layer containing tantalum, nitrogen, and an additive element such as hydrogen or deuterium. Intellectual property positions like this may affect competitive dynamics in the mask blank market.[12]

What to watch

AGC announced on April 27, 2023 that it would expand production capacity of EUV photomask blanks at its subsidiary AGC Electronics. Production is scheduled to begin in January 2024, with group capacity expanding by approximately 30% in 2025. AGC targets sales of more than 40 billion yen from EUV mask blanks by 2025.[15][16]

Hoya announced a $400 million expansion of its EUV mask blank production lines in Japan in late 2023. The expansion targets full operational capacity by mid-2025. Hoya also unveiled new advancements in EUV photomask blanks in mid-2025, relying on quartz substrates with specialized multilayer coatings.[17][10]

Related nodes

Sources

1. semiengineering.com · 2019-01-21T18:28:54
2. semiengineering.com · 2021-10-23T16:34:49
3. archivemarketresearch.com · 2025-07-23T00:00:00
4. agcem.com · 2024-07-29T21:48:43
5. semiconductorx.com
6. semiconductorx.com
7. semiengineering.com
8. hoya.com
9. cbsnews.com
10. semiconductorinsight.com · 2025-10-02
11. sbr.com.sg · FY2023
12. medicaldevice-network.com · 2024-09-24
13. veeco.com · 2022-02-10
14. universitywafer.com
15. agc.com · 2023-04-27
16. marketscreener.com · 2023-04-26
17. globalmarketstatistics.com · 29 July 2026