Intel, which announced plans to produce '18A'-based products in 2025 in July last year, has moved one step closer to realizing its plan by ordering ASML's High-NA mass production equipment.

ASML announced on the 19th that Intel has ordered ASML's TWINSCAN EXE:5200 equipment, the industry's first EUV 0.55 NA (High-NA) mass production equipment.

'High-NA' means that the exposure lens aberration (NA) has been improved from 0.33 to 0.55.

This allows for the detailed realization of smaller semiconductors with higher resolution lenses, and the TWINSCAN EXE:5200 can produce more than 200 wafers per hour based on High-NA.

“With our expanded EUV roadmap to High-NA systems, ASML will reduce complexity and drive innovative lithography technologies with improvements in cost, tool production time, and energy usage,” said Martin van den Brink, ASML’s chief technology officer.

“We will strive to maintain Intel’s strength in integration,” said Anne Kelleher, Intel’s general manager of technology development. “We will continue our collaboration to achieve high-NA EUV mass production in 2025.”

Meanwhile, ASML plans to supply this equipment to Intel's semiconductor production facilities, including those in Oregon, USA, starting in 2024, and Intel plans to use it for its 18A process starting in 2025.