Samsung boss visits ASML for more EUV equipment

Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong has visited the headquarters of ASML of Netherland, the South Korean tech giant said on Wednesday.

Lee met with ASML CEO Peter Wennink and CTO Martin Van den Brink to discuss collaboration between the two companies.

ASMl is the only company that makes extreme ultraviolet (EUV) exposure equipment needed to produce 7nm semiconductors and smaller chips.

Lee was accompanied by Samsung’s chip boss, vice chairman Kim Ki-nam, for the meetings.

The executives discussed the supply plan for EUV equipment as well as plans to collaborate in developing next generation ships for applications in areas such as artificial intelligence. (AI)

They also discussed strategies over the COVID-19 pandemic, Samsung said.

Samsung and ASML has been collaborating in EUV technology since 2000. Samsung invested in ASML in 2012 to strengthen their partnership. The South Korean company owns a 1.5% stake in ASML Holdings.

EUV exposure technology is needed to draw lithography on semiconductor wafers. It allows for more precise circuit design. It is a technology considered crucial for AI, 5G and autonomous driving chips.

ASML was currently developing the NXE-5000, the successor to NXE-3400B.

Samsung is planning to produce 5nm chips using ASML equipment.

Lee previously met CEO Wennink at Samsung headquarters in South Korea I November 2016. The two met at Paris in February 2019 to discuss collaborations.