Reports indicate that ASML's next-generation EUV lithography machine is ready for mass production, with a unit cost of approximately $400 million.

IT House February 27 News, according to Reuters today, an executive from ASML revealed that the company’s new generation of chip manufacturing equipment is now capable of large-scale production, marking an important step for the semiconductor industry.

This Dutch company produces the world’s only commercial extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, which are core equipment for chip manufacturers. ASML’s data shows that this new device can eliminate several high-cost, complex steps in the chip manufacturing process, helping companies like TSMC and Intel produce more powerful and energy-efficient chips.

ASML has spent years developing this high-cost new generation of equipment. Meanwhile, chip manufacturers have been evaluating when to start mass production to ensure economic viability.

The current generation of EUV lithography machines is nearing the technical limit in manufacturing complex AI chips. The new High-NA EUV (High Numerical Aperture EUV) device is critical for the AI industry—it will help optimize chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and assist chip companies in advancing their AI chip development roadmaps to meet surging market demand. The new device costs about $400 million per unit (IT House note: approximately 2.741 billion RMB at current exchange rates), twice the cost of the first-generation EUV lithography machines.

ASML’s Chief Technology Officer, Mark Pitter, stated that ASML’s data shows that the downtime of high-NA EUV machines has significantly decreased. They have processed a total of 500,000 silicon wafers the size of dinner plates and can produce the high-precision patterns needed for chip circuits. These three data points collectively indicate that the device is ready for delivery and mass production.

Although the equipment has achieved technological readiness, chip companies still need 2 to 3 years for thorough testing and R&D before integrating it into mass production processes. Pitter believes that, based on the trial production validation cycle, the project has reached a critical point. He said, “Chip manufacturers have mastered the relevant technology and are capable of completing the certification for mass production of this equipment.”

He also revealed that the current utilization rate of the device has reached about 80%, and the company plans to increase this to 90% by the end of the year. The processing of 500,000 wafers has helped the company solve many technical challenges in equipment operation.