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The installation of the Twinscan EXE:5200B at its M16 fab in Icheon, South Korea, positions SK Hynix to simplify manufacturing processes and accelerate the development of future DRAM chips for the AI and computing markets.

Technical and production impact

Resolution and density: The EXE:5200B system features a Numerical Aperture (NA) of 0.55, a 40% improvement over the 0.33 NA of current EUV systems.

This higher precision allows it to print circuit patterns that are 1.7 times smaller, achieving a 2.9 times higher transistor density.

By using the advanced resolution of High-NA EUV, SK Hynix can streamline its production process.The system enables the creation of finer patterns in a single exposure step, potentially reducing the number of complex multi-patterning steps and improving manufacturing cost and time.

The company plans to leverage this advanced technology to strengthen its position in the high-value, high-performance memory market, particularly for AI applications.

The move is key to developing cutting-edge DRAM and High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) products required by the fast-growing AI and high-performance computing (HPC) markets.Market and competitive landscape.

While rivals like Samsung Electronics have also received pre-production High-NA EUV equipment (EXE:5000), SK Hynix is the first to install the more advanced EXE:5200B specifically for a commercial, high-volume production line.

This gives it a significant lead over competitors in bringing next-generation memory to market.The arrival of the equipment was moved up by six months from the original 2026 delivery date. The system will initially be used for development before transitioning to full mass production.

SK Hynix’s early adoption of High-NA EUV is seen as a strategic move to solidify its leadership in the memory market by securing critical infrastructure for manufacturing at the leading edge of semiconductor technology.

High-NA EUV vs. current EUV