ASML and TSMC announced an industry initiative on September 8, 2026, to develop larger photomasks for High NA extreme ultraviolet lithography. The joint announcement targets a 12-inch mask pilot line by 2031 and lithography system readiness for advanced chip production by 2033.
For readers following semiconductor manufacturing, the key distinction is between adopting High NA equipment and changing the mask format it uses. The two transitions have different schedules, and the later mask milestones should not be read as the starting date for High NA production.
What the mask contributes
A photomask, also called a reticle, carries the pattern that lithography equipment reproduces on a wafer. As ASML’s lithography explainer describes, the optical system reduces and focuses that pattern onto a photosensitive surface, then repeats the exposure across the wafer. The mask is therefore part of the patterning process, distinct from the silicon being manufactured.
High NA refers to a higher numerical aperture, a measure of the optics’ ability to collect and focus light. ASML’s explanation of its optics puts its EXE platform at 0.55, compared with 0.33 for the preceding EUV platform. Increasing numerical aperture helps the system print smaller features. EUV equipment uses mirrors because its light is absorbed by materials that would otherwise serve as lenses.
Production adoption comes first
TSMC says it intends to begin using High NA in high-volume manufacturing for advanced nodes in 2030. The joint release describes an initial production path using existing 6-inch masks.
In a separate announcement on September 8, Samsung said it plans to introduce High NA into high-volume DRAM manufacturing by 2028. It will also join the larger-mask initiative and work with partners on the necessary mask technology and infrastructure.
Those statements concern different manufacturing applications. Comparing the dates alone does not establish which company has a better process or will deliver better chips.
What remains to be demonstrated
ASML and TSMC expect larger masks to improve factory productivity and reduce chipmaking costs. These are anticipated benefits of a planned transition.
The useful milestones to watch are functioning pilot infrastructure and production-ready systems. Neither a collaboration announcement nor a target year establishes the eventual savings, manufacturing yield or delivery schedule that customers will experience.
