Samsung has begun developing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) masks in a bid to close the market share gap with rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, according to South Korean media reports.

The cover film is a key part of the extreme ultraviolet light (EUV) shadow exposure. A layer of cover film is installed on the cover, and the machine draws the circuit to be engraved on the wafer, so as to avoid the cover by air dust or volatile gas pollution, and reduce the cover damage rate. Currently, the major global suppliers are ASML of the Netherlands, Mitsui Chemical of Japan and S&S Tech of South Korea.

At Foundry Forum in 2021, Samsung announced plans to develop its own EUV mask, with an 88 percent light transmission rate in early 2023. If Samsung had gone ahead with its plan, the company would have mass-produced EUV coatings by now, helping to diversify and stabilize its supply chain. But Samsung has to keep developing it, because 88% light transmittance is not the best product.

According to a recent job Posting at Samsung Semiconductor Research Institute, Samsung is actively developing a 92 percent light transmittance EUV mask, BusinessKorea reported. Currently, ASML and S&S Tech are the major research and development of EUV coatings with light transmittance of more than 90% in the market. The latter successfully developed EUV coatings with light transmittance of 90% in 2021.

In addition, Samsung is also working on next-generation High-NA EUV membranes using new materials, and will collaborate with external organizations to develop and evaluate carbon nanotubes and graphene EUV membranes. Samsung will also push ahead with the design of its own nanographene mass production facility.