Manufacturing efficiency achieved through single patterning… Mass production expected to begin around 2030.
Samsung Electronics is embarking on an innovation in lithography technology starting with the 1-nanometer (nm) process, which is expected to be commercialized as early as 2030. The company plans to apply the next-generation extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology, 'High-NA EUV,' to 1nm mass production and is currently focusing on technology development for commercialization.
Park Chang-min, a Master at Samsung Electronics, made these remarks regarding the company's photolithography technology roadmap at the '2026 Next Generation Lithography + Patterning Conference (NGL 2026)' held at the Suwon Convention Center in Gyeonggi Province on the 11th. Photolithography refers to the process of etching circuits onto a semiconductor wafer.
Conceptual diagram of ASML's EUV lithography equipment (Photo = ASML)
Samsung Electronics has been applying EUV to mass production starting with advanced foundry processes of 8 nanometers or less. Compared to argon fluoride (ArF), a material used in conventional semiconductor photolithography processes, EUV has a wavelength that is 1/13th shorter (13.5 nanometers).
Thanks to this, ultra-fine processes that require multiple exposures (multi-patterning) with ArF can be implemented with fewer, or even a single, patterning process. Reducing the number of patterns is advantageous for lowering manufacturing costs and improving productivity.
Samsung Electronics is also focusing on developing High-NA EUV, a next-generation EUV technology. The goal for full-scale mass production application is the 1-nanometer (A10; A is an angstrom, a unit of 0.1 nanometers) process.
Master Park explained, "We wanted to apply High-NA EUV to mass production in 2nm and 1.4nm, but technical improvements are still needed. We anticipate that High-NA EUV will be required starting from A10 and below, so we are proceeding with joint development with various partners."
Considering this, Samsung Electronics is expected to apply High-NA EUV technology to mass production around 2030. Having successfully commercialized the 2nm process, Samsung Electronics plans to mass produce the 1.4nm (SF1.4) process in 2029. It is reported that in 2030, the company will proceed with mass production of the SF1.4+, an improved version of the 1.4nm process, and the 1nm process.
Park Chang-min, Master of the Foundry Process Development Team at Samsung Electronics Semiconductor Research Institute, is giving a presentation (Photo = ZDNet Korea)
High-NA EUV is a technology that raises the numerical aperture (NA) of the lens from the conventional 0.33 to 0.55. The numerical aperture refers to the ability to gather light. The higher this value, the better the resolution, making it easier to implement finer circuits.
By utilizing High-NA, ultra-fine processes that previously required multi-patterning even with conventional EUV can be implemented with a single patterning process. This results in improved cost efficiency. Since patterning is performed only once, circuit design can also be executed with greater flexibility.
However, High-NA EUV is technically very difficult, and the equipment is also very expensive. Related material technologies, such as masks and pellicles, must also be advanced. Therefore, the industry anticipates that EUV multi-patterning and High-NA EUV single-patterning will be used in combination in future processes.
Master Park said, "Multi-patterning based on 0.33 NA EUV will be the mainstream up to the 1.4 nanometer and 1 nanometer processes," adding, "I think High-NA patterning will be the main for the next-generation processes."
zdnet.co.kr
Samsung Electronics is embarking on an innovation in lithography technology starting with the 1-nanometer (nm) process, which is expected to be commercialized as early as 2030. The company plans to apply the next-generation extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology, 'High-NA EUV,' to 1nm mass production and is currently focusing on technology development for commercialization.
Park Chang-min, a Master at Samsung Electronics, made these remarks regarding the company's photolithography technology roadmap at the '2026 Next Generation Lithography + Patterning Conference (NGL 2026)' held at the Suwon Convention Center in Gyeonggi Province on the 11th. Photolithography refers to the process of etching circuits onto a semiconductor wafer.
Conceptual diagram of ASML's EUV lithography equipment (Photo = ASML)
Samsung Electronics has been applying EUV to mass production starting with advanced foundry processes of 8 nanometers or less. Compared to argon fluoride (ArF), a material used in conventional semiconductor photolithography processes, EUV has a wavelength that is 1/13th shorter (13.5 nanometers).
Thanks to this, ultra-fine processes that require multiple exposures (multi-patterning) with ArF can be implemented with fewer, or even a single, patterning process. Reducing the number of patterns is advantageous for lowering manufacturing costs and improving productivity.
Samsung Electronics is also focusing on developing High-NA EUV, a next-generation EUV technology. The goal for full-scale mass production application is the 1-nanometer (A10; A is an angstrom, a unit of 0.1 nanometers) process.
Master Park explained, "We wanted to apply High-NA EUV to mass production in 2nm and 1.4nm, but technical improvements are still needed. We anticipate that High-NA EUV will be required starting from A10 and below, so we are proceeding with joint development with various partners."
Considering this, Samsung Electronics is expected to apply High-NA EUV technology to mass production around 2030. Having successfully commercialized the 2nm process, Samsung Electronics plans to mass produce the 1.4nm (SF1.4) process in 2029. It is reported that in 2030, the company will proceed with mass production of the SF1.4+, an improved version of the 1.4nm process, and the 1nm process.
Park Chang-min, Master of the Foundry Process Development Team at Samsung Electronics Semiconductor Research Institute, is giving a presentation (Photo = ZDNet Korea)
High-NA EUV is a technology that raises the numerical aperture (NA) of the lens from the conventional 0.33 to 0.55. The numerical aperture refers to the ability to gather light. The higher this value, the better the resolution, making it easier to implement finer circuits.
By utilizing High-NA, ultra-fine processes that previously required multi-patterning even with conventional EUV can be implemented with a single patterning process. This results in improved cost efficiency. Since patterning is performed only once, circuit design can also be executed with greater flexibility.
However, High-NA EUV is technically very difficult, and the equipment is also very expensive. Related material technologies, such as masks and pellicles, must also be advanced. Therefore, the industry anticipates that EUV multi-patterning and High-NA EUV single-patterning will be used in combination in future processes.
Master Park said, "Multi-patterning based on 0.33 NA EUV will be the mainstream up to the 1.4 nanometer and 1 nanometer processes," adding, "I think High-NA patterning will be the main for the next-generation processes."
삼성전자, 1나노부터 고개구율 EUV 기술 적용
삼성전자가 이르면 오는 2030년께 상용화될 1나노미터(nm) 공정부터 노광 기술 혁신에 나선다. 차세대 극자외선(EUV) 기술인 '고개구율(High-NA) EUV'를 1나노에 양산 적용할 계획으로, 현재 상용화를 위한 기술 개발에 집중하고 있다.박창민 삼성전자 마스터는 ...