Samsung Delays 1.4nm Node to 2029 as High-NA EUV Lithography Not Ready 2026

Samsung has officially delayed its 1.4nm chip manufacturing process to 2029, two years later than originally planned, because the High-NA EUV lithography technology it intended to use is not yet ready for mass production. The announcement came during the Next-Generation Lithography + Patterning 2026 conference in South Korea, where Samsung executives acknowledged the setback.

The delay highlights the growing challenges in advancing semiconductor nodes beyond 2nm. While Samsung and TSMC currently produce 2nm chips for commercial processors—such as TSMC's A20 Pro for Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and Samsung's Exynos 2600 in the Galaxy Z Flip8—the path to 1.4nm and 1nm is proving more difficult than anticipated.

Why Samsung Delayed Its 1.4nm Process

At the heart of the delay is the availability of High-NA EUV lithography systems from ASML. Samsung had planned to use these advanced machines to pattern the finer features required for 1.4nm chips. However, according to ChangMin Park, vice president of technology at Samsung Electronics, the technology still needs improvements before it can be deployed in Samsung's fabs.

High-NA EUV is a significant leap over current EUV lithography. ASML claims its EXE:5000 system can print features 1.7 times smaller and achieve 2.9 times higher density than existing TWINSCAN systems. Despite these promises, Samsung does not yet consider the technology mature enough for high-volume manufacturing.

The Role of High-NA EUV in Advanced Nodes

High-NA EUV uses a higher numerical aperture to achieve better resolution, enabling smaller transistor features. This is critical for nodes below 2nm, where traditional EUV lithography struggles with patterning limitations. Without High-NA EUV, chipmakers face yield issues and higher costs.

Samsung's decision to wait suggests that the company prioritizes stability and yield over an aggressive roadmap. By pushing the 1.4nm node to 2029, Samsung gives itself more time to integrate High-NA EUV and refine its process.

Impact on the Semiconductor Industry

The delay affects not only Samsung but also its customers and competitors. TSMC, Samsung's main rival, is also working on its own advanced nodes. However, TSMC has not announced a similar delay for its 1.4nm plans, which could give it an edge in attracting customers seeking cutting-edge chips. The longer history behind the story is traced in Samsung Delays 1.4nm Node to 2029 as High-NA EUV Lithography Not Ready.

For customers like Qualcomm and NVIDIA, the delay means they may need to rely on 2nm or 3nm processes for longer. This could impact the performance and power efficiency of future devices, from smartphones to data center GPUs. The background to this story is set out in Poco M8 5G and M8 Pro 5G: Officially announced with Snapdragon chips. A related thread runs through Realme 16 Pro+: Officially announced with 200MP main camera and 7,000mAh battery. Earlier coverage in Technology: latest articles shows how the argument developed.

• Samsung's 1.4nm node delayed to 2029 due to High-NA EUV lithography not being ready.
• High-NA EUV promises 1.7x smaller features and 2.9x higher density but needs maturation.
• TSMC and Samsung currently lead in 2nm production for commercial chips.
• Industry impact includes potential delays in next-gen processors and increased competition.

What This Means for Future Chips

The delay underscores the increasing difficulty and cost of advancing Moore's Law. Each new node requires more sophisticated lithography and materials, pushing timelines further out. Samsung's admission that High-NA EUV isn't ready shows that even industry leaders face technical hurdles. A closer look at the same subject appears in ASML's Zero Europe Sales Show Europe's Chip Industry Gap. Anyone following the wider picture can start with Apple A20 Pro: 2nm Chip Powering iPhone 18 Pro and Future MacBooks. The same theme surfaces in Chinese AI Chips Face 50% Price Surge as HBM Memory Shortage Bites, which takes a different angle.

Investors and industry watchers will be monitoring Samsung's progress with High-NA EUV closely. The company's ability to integrate this technology will determine its competitiveness in the foundry market. Meanwhile, TSMC's progress and any announcements about its own roadmap will be equally important. Context on how this played out before sits in Nanya Technology's $16B DRAM Bet to Ease Memory Chip Crisis. A companion piece, TSMC's Chip Factory Expansion Hits a Labor Shortage Wall, approaches the same subject from another angle.

Comparison of Advanced Nodes

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