Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography Market Size, Share & Trends

Updated on : October 22, 2024

Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography Market Size

[147 Pages Report] The EUV lithography market size is expected to reach USD 25.3 billion by 2028 from USD 9.4 billion in 2023, growing at a CAGR of 21.8% during the 2023 to 2028 period. Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) is an advanced semiconductor manufacturing technique used to create integrated circuits (ICs) with smaller feature sizes and higher precision. It is considered one of the key enabling technologies for the continued miniaturization of electronic devices. The core component of EUV lithography is a specialized light source, mask, and optics. This source generates intense pulses of EUV light by converting a high-power laser beam into EUV radiation using a process known as laser-produced plasma. The EUV light is then directed onto a mask, which contains the pattern to be printed onto the silicon wafer.

The EUV mask, also known as a reticle, is like traditional photomasks but has some key differences. It consists of a reflective multilayer coating on a thin silicon substrate. The reflective coating is designed to reflect EUV light while absorbing other wavelengths. The mask pattern is etched into the reflective coating, and when illuminated by EUV light, the pattern is projected onto the silicon wafer. Also, EUV optics play a vital role in shaping, focusing, and directing the intense EUV light used in the lithography process.

Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography Market Forecast to 2028

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EUV Lithography Market Trends & Dynamics

Driver: Increasing complexity of the integrated circuit.

The increasing complexity of integrated circuits (ICs) refers to the growing demand for semiconductor devices with more intricate and sophisticated designs. As ICs become more advanced, they require finer and more precise lithography techniques to achieve the desired performance and functionality. This complexity is driven by several factors, including the need for higher transistor density, smaller feature sizes, and the integration of new device architectures.

EUV lithography serves as a crucial driver for the market because it enables the fabrication of these complex ICs. EUV lithography technology utilizes extreme ultraviolet light with a shorter wavelength to print smaller and more intricate patterns on semiconductor wafers. With its superior resolution and better control over critical dimensions, EUV lithography allows semiconductor manufacturers to achieve the required precision and accuracy for advanced IC designs.

As the complexity of ICs increases, traditional lithography techniques face limitations in terms of resolution and pattern fidelity. EUV lithography overcomes these limitations, providing the capability to print smaller features and tighter patterns. This is particularly important for manufacturing high-performance chips used in applications such as artificial intelligence, 5G connectivity, data centers, and autonomous vehicles.

Restraint: High cost of implementing EUV Lithography system.

The high cost associated with implementing EUV lithography is a significant restraining factor. The technology requires the development of expensive and complex equipment, including EUV light sources, masks, and photoresists. The current cost of EUV lithography machines is several times higher than traditional optical lithography tools. This cost factor presents a barrier for smaller semiconductor manufacturers or foundries that may not have the financial resources to adopt EUV lithography technology. EUV lithography requires specialized and complex equipment, which significantly contributes to the high implementation cost. Key components include EUV light sources, masks (reticles), photoresists, and scanners. These components are expensive to develop, manufacture, and maintain. In comparison with masks used in traditional optical lithography, EUV masks are more intricate and expensive to produce.

Opportunity: Advanced memory development for next-generation memory devices.

The expansion of EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) lithography in memory manufacturing presents a significant opportunity for the EUV lithography industry . Memory devices, such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) and NAND Flash, play a crucial role in various electronic devices, including computers, smartphones, and data centers. As memory technology advances, there is a growing demand for higher capacity, faster, and more energy-efficient memory solutions. EUV lithography offers unique advantages that make it an attractive option for the production of advanced memory devices.

EUV lithography's ability to deliver high-resolution imaging and precise patterning enables the creation of smaller and denser memory cells. This is particularly important in the context of next-generation memory technologies, such as EUV-based DRAM and 3D NAND Flash. By using EUV lithography, memory manufacturers can overcome the limitations of traditional optical lithography, which struggles to achieve the necessary resolution and pattern fidelity for advanced memory designs.

One of the main advantages of EUV lithography in memory manufacturing is its ability to pattern complex three-dimensional structures. EUV lithography can contribute to the development of advanced DRAM technologies, such as EUV-based High Bandwidth Memory (HBM). HBM offers significantly higher bandwidth and improved power efficiency compared to traditional memory solutions. By utilizing EUV lithography, memory manufacturers can fabricate the intricate interconnects and through-silicon vias (TSVs) required in HBM, enabling higher memory bandwidth and improved performance in applications like graphics processing units (GPUs) and artificial intelligence (AI) accelerators.

Challenge: Source power and productivity in EUV lithography act as a challenge for the market

Source power and productivity are significant challenges in the EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) lithography market. The source power refers to the intensity of the EUV light generated by the light source used in the lithography system. It directly influences the speed and efficiency of the lithography process, while productivity refers to the overall throughput and capacity of the system to process wafers.

The availability of high-source power is crucial for achieving faster exposure times and higher wafer throughput, which are essential for meeting the demands of high-volume semiconductor manufacturing. Higher source power allows for more efficient exposure, reducing the time it takes to expose each individual wafer and increasing the number of wafers processed per unit of time.

Achieving and maintaining high source power in EUV lithography systems is a significant technical challenge. Generating stable and reliable EUV light at the required power levels is complex and requires advanced technologies. Additionally, maintaining the source power over extended periods of operation without degradation is a continuous challenge.

EUV Lithography Market Ecosystem

The prominent players in the EUV lithography market are ASML (Netherlands), Carl Zeiss AG(Germany), TOPPAN Inc. (Japan), HOYA Corporation (Japan), TRUMPF (Germany), and KLA Corporation (US). These companies not only boast a comprehensive product portfolio of EUV lithography but also have a strong geographic footprint.

Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography Market Share

The EUV light source holds the largest market share of the equipment segment in the EUV lithography market during the forecast period

The EUV Lithography light source is a crucial component used in the semiconductor industry's EUV lithography systems. Currently, the primary method for generating EUV light is through laser-produced plasma (LPP) technology. ASML, a prominent semiconductor equipment manufacturer, has developed a notable LPP EUV light source. This particular light source utilizes a high-power pulsed laser to irradiate tin (Sn) droplets or a thin tin film. The laser's energy causes rapid heating and vaporization of the tin material, creating plasma. As the plasma cools and recombines, it emits EUV light with a wavelength of approximately 13.5 nanometers. ASML, Ushio Inc., Energetiq Technology Inc., and TRUMPF are among the companies providing EUV lithography light sources.

Foundry holds the largest market share of the EUV lithography market in 2023

A foundry is a specialized manufacturing facility that offers semiconductor fabrication services to semiconductor companies or integrated device manufacturers (IDMs). Foundries focus exclusively on the manufacturing aspect of the semiconductor industry and do not involve themselves in chip design. The role of foundries in the semiconductor industry is crucial as they provide manufacturing services to companies that lack their own fabrication facilities or choose to outsource their chip production. Fabless companies and IDMs collaborate with foundries to transfer their chip designs, known as intellectual property (IP), to the foundry for fabrication. Well-known foundries that provide semiconductor manufacturing services, including EUV lithography, include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, GlobalFoundries, Samsung Foundry, and others.

Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography Market Regional Analysis

Asia Pacific is expected to register the highest market share during the forecast period.

The Asia Pacific region holds immense significance in the field of EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) lithography, an advanced technology used in semiconductor manufacturing. When analyzing the EUV lithography market in this region, countries such as China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and the rest of Asia Pacific are taken into consideration. These nations have made substantial investments in the development and implementation of EUV lithography technology. They have established state-of-the-art semiconductor fabrication facilities and research institutes that focus on advancing the capabilities of EUV lithography. The strong presence of these countries in the semiconductor industry creates a high demand for EUV lithography, thereby driving its ongoing development and optimization.

Moreover, the Asia Pacific region boasts a large consumer electronics market, encompassing smartphones, tablets, and various electronic devices. The growing need for smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient semiconductors is propelling the adoption of advanced lithography technologies like EUV. EUV lithography enables the production of high-density and high-performance chips, which are essential for meeting the demands of the consumer electronics market in the Asia Pacific region. Additionally, this region serves as a major hub for semiconductor equipment manufacturing companies such as TOPPAN Inc., NTT Advanced Technology Corporation, ADVANTEST CORPORATION, Ushio Inc., AGC Inc., Lasertec Corporation, and NuFlare Technology etc.

Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography Market by Region

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Top Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography Companies: Key players

The major players in the EUV lithography companies include

• ASML (Netherlands),
• Carl Zeiss AG(Germany),
• TOPPAN Inc.(Japan),
• NTT Advanced Technology Corporation(Japan),
• KLA Corporation(US),
• ADVANTEST CORPORATION(Japan),
• Ushio Inc.(Japan),
• SUSS MicroTec SE(Germany),
• AGC Inc.(Japan),
• Lasertec Corporation(Japan),
• NuFlare Technology(Japan),
• Energetiq Technology Inc.(US),
• Photronics, Inc.(US),
• HOYA Corporation(Japan),
• TRUMPF(Germany),
• Rigaku Corporation(Japan),
• Edmund Optics Ltd.(US),
• Park Systems(Korea),
• Zygo Corporation(US),
• Imagine Optic(US) and Applied Materials, Inc.(US).

Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography Report Scope 

Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography Market size & Highlights

The study segments the EUV lithography market based on equipment, end user, and region at the regional and global levels.

Recent Developments in Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography Industry

• In January 2022, ASML announced the last phase of collaboration with Intel Corporation to drive High- NA into manufacturing in 2025. The main objective is to advance the cutting edge of semiconductor lithography technology. The first purchase order issued by Intel Corporation to ASML for the delivery of the industry’s first TWINSCAN EXE:5200 system – an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) high-volume production system with a more than 200 wafers per hour productivity and huge numerical aperture and – as part of their long-term High-NA collaboration framework.
• In December 2022, Carl Zeiss AG developed a dedicated optical system exclusively for EUV lithography, which functions within a vacuum environment and exclusively employs mirrors. This entire system stands at approximately one and a half meters tall, weighs around 3.5 tons, and encompasses over 35,000 individual components.

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