Samsung has confirmed that the Exynos 2600 will debut as its first 2nm GAA mobile chipset, and recent reports suggest mass production is underway. The company is racing to improve yields and scale output, aiming to show it can compete at the leading edge of chip manufacturing. To get there, it is reportedly adding more high-NA EUV lithography systems from ASML to its local production lines, a move designed to sharpen its 2nm process and stabilize yields.
High numerical aperture EUV tools are engineered for patterning ultra-fine circuitry, which is critical at 2nm with gate-all-around transistors. Each machine costs upward of $400 million, a price tag steep enough to give even the biggest chipmakers pause. While some rivals are holding off because current tools can support nodes down to around 1.4nm, Samsung appears intent on making the investment now to gain an edge in 2nm GAA manufacturing, according to Fnnews.
Yield improvement is the priority. Earlier trial runs for the Exynos 2600 were said to be hovering near 30 percent. For mass production to make financial sense, yields typically need to land closer to 70 percent or higher. By tightening patterning precision, high-NA EUV could help close that gap. The challenge is availability: ASML can reportedly produce only about five to six of these machines per year, and shipments are further constrained by export controls, limiting how quickly any one company can scale.
In the near term, Samsung is expected to dedicate its 2nm GAA process to the Exynos 2600. The company has also completed the basic design for a second-generation 2nm node, but it may take time before external customers are convinced that Samsung can consistently deliver at the cutting edge again.
If the high-NA EUV rollout lifts yields as intended, Samsung stands to reduce cost per chip, ramp volume, and push performance and efficiency forward with its 2nm GAA technology—key steps in narrowing the gap with industry leaders and restoring confidence among potential foundry clients.
