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Samsung and TSMC, the world's two biggest chipmakers, have committed to using ASML's High NA extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, as demand grows for more advanced chips. ASML's EUV lithography machines are critical tools that are used to print circuit patterns onto silicon wafers during the chipmaking process. The High NA machines can print smaller and more intricate patterns. This tool can cost around $400 million. Samsung, one of the world's biggest memory chipmakers, said it would use ASML's machines to produce DRAM, a key type of memory, from 2028. Samsung said it would adopt the technology in 2030, adding that it would "extend the DRAM scaling roadmap" and make the process more efficient. TSMC said it would use ASML's tools for advanced chips and expects use of High NA machines to rise, "driven primarily by the increasingly complex transistor architectures required for AI applications." Investors see the success of High NA EUV machines as key to ASML's future growth as the stock looks to extend a 120% run over the last year. Barclays said in a note on Tuesday that the announcements "should provide more visibility on adoption which has been a key debate," adding that the news is "a positive." Shares of Amsterdam-listed ASML were flat-to-lower in early trading on Tuesday. Samsung and TSMC join Intel as customers for ASML's High NA machines. In July, ASML said that Intel is using the High NA EUV technology for advanced chip manufacturing. ASML has not given a recent forecast on how many of the machines it expects to sell but has said that it will add about 30% capacity for EUV in total in 2027. The analysts at Barclays said the announcements give ASML more visibility into planning. "We see ASML with a significant decision ahead on whether to further expand EUV capacity than the recently expanded targets it has already given. Demand is clearly strong," Barclays said. TSMC and Samsung will also join ASML in an industry initiative to advance next-generation 12-inch photmask technology, upgrading from the current 6-inch format. A key part of chip production, photomasks are effectively the stencils used to print the patterns on the wafers. ASML said the benefits of a larger photomask include better productivity and lower chipmaking costs.
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