SML and Zeiss Collaborate on Next-Generation Hyper NA EUV for 5nm Single-Exposure Patterning

ASML has begun developing next-generation advanced lithography equipment to prepare for the semiconductor industry's needs over the next decade. Jos Benschop, the company's Executive Vice President of Technology, revealed that ASML, together with its exclusive optical partner Carl Zeiss, has initiated the development of Hyper NA lithography machines with a 5-nanometer resolution. He added that this technology will be sufficient to meet industry demands in 2035 and beyond.

ASML has only recently started shipping the industry's most advanced equipment, which can achieve a single-exposure resolution of 8 nanometers. In contrast, older equipment requires multiple exposures to achieve similar resolution.

Benschop noted that the company is conducting design studies with Carl Zeiss, aiming to develop systems with a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.7 or higher. No specific timeline for market release has been set yet.

Numerical aperture (NA) is a key metric for measuring an optical system's ability to collect and focus light, as well as a critical factor in determining how finely circuit patterns can be projected onto wafers. The higher the NA and the shorter the wavelength of light, the higher the printing resolution.

Currently, standard EUV equipment has an NA of 0.33, while the latest-generation High NA EUV systems have improved this to 0.55. ASML is now moving toward NA 0.7 or Hyper NA, which will require a redesign of several key systems.

ASML has already delivered the first batch of High NA EUV equipment to Intel and TSMC. However, Benschop stated that widespread adoption will take time. The industry must first validate the performance of the new systems and develop supporting materials and tools before full-scale deployment can begin. "The introduction of this new equipment is similar to the rollout of previous innovative tools—it typically takes several years before high-volume production begins. Customers need to learn how to operate it, but I believe it will soon be used in high-capacity chip manufacturing processes."