Shipment of ASML’s high-NA tools to start “within a few months”

ASML has confirmed that it will start shipping manufacturing-capable high-NA EUV scanners “within a few months,” Dutch tech website Tweakers reports (link in Dutch). This aligns with a previously communicated target to start high-NA volume production in 2026.

Discussing Q4 and full-year results with analysts, ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet explained that high-NA tools first have to meet customers’ performance criteria. “I think that’s most probably one requirement we check at this point in time,” he said. Next, the maturity of the platform needs to be demonstrated. This journey starts with the shipment of production tools and typically takes “12 to 18 months.”

It’s no secret that ASML’s first high-NA customer is Intel, which plans on deploying the technology to manufacture 14A-node chips. TSMC is rumored to insert high-NA into volume production in 2028. Samsung’s timetable is unknown.