Samsung Seeking to Strengthen Technology Cooperation
Samsung Electronics is seeking to strengthen technology and investment cooperation with Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML.
Executives of ASML including CEO Peter Burnink visited Samsung Electronics' semiconductor plant last week to discuss cooperation in EUV lithography equipment supply and development. The ASML officials talked with Samsung Electronics vice chairman Kim Ki-nam and other key Samsung executives. Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong did not attend the meeting.
Industry insiders believe that Samsung Electronics has requested supply of more EUV lithography equipment and discussed cooperation between the two companies in development of next-generation EUV lithography equipment.
Samsung is in need of more EUV lithography equipment to expand its share of the global foundry market. However, ASML, which is the world’s only manufacturer of EUV lithography equipment, supplies more equipment to TSMC, the world's No. 1 foundry company, than to Samsung Electronics.
Samsung Electronics looks to forge a technological alliance with ASML to ensure an expanded supply of next-generation EUV lithography equipment. On ASML’s side, investment cooperation with Samsung is necessary as development of next-generation EUV equipment requires massive investment.
Samsung wants to invest in development of high-numerical aperture (High-Na) EUV equipment, which enhances circuit resolution needed for micro-fabrication of semiconductors. The price of the equipment is expected to stand at 500 billion won per unit, which is two to three times higher than that of current EUV equipment. ASML is planning to introduce a prototype of the equipment in the middle of 2023. Samsung Electronics wants to get the equipment from ASML ahead of TSMC to take a technological lead.
Yet a Samsung official said no specific investment decision was made at the meeting. He said ASML executives visited Samsung Electronics in response to vice chairman Lee Jae-yong’s visit to ASML headquarters in October.
The ASML executives also met with SK Hynix president Lee Suk-hee. Sources say that they had a discussion about ways to expand the supply of EUV equipment and promote cooperation.