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2026-09-10 · Source：Tom's Hardware
ASML, Intel, Samsung and TSMC are jointly backing 6×12-inch photomasks to pattern large processors on High-NA EUV without stitching, though the shift may take years.
ASML, Intel, Samsung and TSMC are jointly backing the development of 6×12-inch photomasks, a larger mask format designed to let chipmakers produce big processors on High-NA EUV lithography systems without stitching. The coordinated effort, reported by Tom's Hardware, represents a notable alignment of interests among three foundry rivals that otherwise compete fiercely at the leading edge of semiconductor manufacturing.
The motivation is straightforward: the 6×12-inch format exists so that large processors can be built on High-NA EUV lithography systems without stitching. Absent bigger masks, sizeable dies would have to be patterned in sections and joined, an approach the industry is keen to avoid for cutting-edge designs. By moving to a larger photomask, chipmakers could expose an entire large processor in one pass, eliminating that complication at the most advanced nodes.
The catch is timing. Despite the unified effort, the transition to 6×12-inch photomasks may take years — a horizon that could shape how quickly High-NA EUV can be applied to the largest processor designs. The multi-year estimate underscores the scale of change involved: photomasks are precision-critical components, and shifting to a new, larger format touches the entire mask ecosystem rather than a single tool or vendor. Even with ASML, Intel, Samsung and TSMC pulling in the same direction, the report cautions that alignment does not equal speed.
For now, the significance lies in the coalition itself. Intel, Samsung and TSMC are the primary drivers of leading-edge logic manufacturing, and their joint support gives ASML a clear mandate to develop the 6×12-inch photomask platform. Whether that consensus translates into a timely transition — and unstitched, large-die High-NA EUV production — will be one of the key lithography storylines of the coming years.
Mots-clés: ASML · TSMC · Samsung · Intel · High-NA EUV · Photomask
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