Intel is set to receive another of ASML’s cutting-edge High NA (Numerical Aperture) EUV tools, marking a significant step in the company’s ongoing technological advancements. CEO Pat Gelsinger announced during Intel’s August 1 earnings call that the second High NA tool is heading to their Oregon facility. This equipment, valued at approximately 350 million euros ($383 million), is expected to drive the production of more powerful computer chips, with installation processes that span several months.
Intel received its first High NA machine in December, and despite the company’s recent struggles and concerns about its turnaround prospects, these technological investments are showing promising early signs. ASML, the leading supplier of chip-making equipment, has refrained from commenting on specific customer orders but had previously disclosed the shipment of a second High NA tool to an undisclosed client.
The High NA tools are crucial to ASML’s position as Europe’s largest tech company, with orders from major chip manufacturers like TSMC, Samsung, Intel, and memory chip producers SK Hynix and Micron. While Intel aims to leverage this technology for commercial production by 2027, other companies like TSMC and DRAM chip makers such as Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron are expected to adopt it between 2025 and 2026.
The successful deployment of these advanced tools is anticipated to significantly impact the semiconductor industry, enabling new generations of high-performance chips and maintaining ASML’s leadership in the market.
