TSMC delays High‑NA roll‑out

TSMC said it will not use ASML’s newest High‑NA chipmaking machines in production before 2029, arguing the tools still cost too much for volume manufacturing. (bloomberg.com) Deputy co-chief operating officer Kevin Zhang told reporters the company has “no current plans” to adopt High‑NA extreme ultraviolet systems, which Bloomberg reported sell for more than €350 million, or about $410 million, each. Zhang also said TSMC’s A13 process is scheduled for production in 2029. (bloomberg.com) High‑NA is a more precise version of the light-based printing machines used to etch chip circuits onto silicon wafers. ASML says its first High‑NA system uses a 0.55 numerical aperture and can print features 1.7 times smaller than its earlier EUV tools in a single exposure. (asml.com; asml.com) TSMC’s decision comes while its business is expanding fast without those tools. The company reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of NT$1.134 trillion, or $35.9 billion, up 35.1% from a year earlier, and raised its full-year outlook to revenue growth of more than 30% in U.S. dollar terms. (investor.tsmc.com; investor.tsmc.com) On its April 16 earnings call, TSMC said the demand surge is coming from artificial intelligence chips and said it is “pulling in all equipment” to expand capacity. That leaves the company balancing a record buildout against the price of adopting a new lithography platform before it says the economics are ready. (investor.tsmc.com; investor.tsmc.com) The choice also diverges from Intel’s timetable. Intel said in April 2024 that it had completed installation of the first commercial High‑NA system at its Oregon development fab, making it the earliest chipmaker to put the machine on a factory floor. (newsroom.intel.com) For ASML, the delay pushes out adoption by its biggest customer. ASML said on April 15 that it expects 2026 sales of €36 billion to €40 billion, even as investors are watching when High‑NA orders turn into high-volume production at customers. (asml.com; finance.yahoo.com) The decision also lands in a Taiwan policy debate over how much of the chip supply chain the island controls. Digitimes reported on April 23 that Taiwan has expanded support for local semiconductor equipment makers, but still trails badly in advanced tools, leaving core lithography systems dependent on foreign suppliers. (digitimes.com) TSMC is still spending heavily; it is just not spending first on High‑NA. The company’s message this week was that AI demand is strong enough to lift 2026 growth above 30%, while the most expensive machine in chipmaking can wait until the end of the decade. (investor.tsmc.com; bloomberg.com)