SK hynix will accelerate expansion of its advanced memory semiconductor production capacity by introducing EUV (extreme ultraviolet) equipment worth 12 trillion won.
On the 24th, SK hynix disclosed that it decided to introduce EUV scanners from Dutch equipment maker ASML. The total acquisition amount is about 11.9496 trillion won, equivalent to 9.97% of total assets as of the end of 2024. The transaction will proceed over about two years through December 2027 and includes the expense for equipment introduction, installation, and modification.
The investment is intended to respond to surging demand for advanced memory semiconductors driven by growth in the AI industry. SK hynix said it will focus on stabilizing supply, taking into account that demand for general-purpose memory in downstream industries such as servers and mobile is steadily increasing. In particular, the company plans to speed up the transition to the 10-nanometer-class sixth-generation (1c) DRAM process through the introduction of EUV equipment.
The 1c process is a technology developed by SK hynix as a world first and is applied to major product lines such as next-generation HBM, DDR5, and LPDDR6. Earlier, SK hynix successively developed 1c DDR5 DRAM and LPDDR6 products. The process improves productivity and power efficiency and is characterized by faster data processing speeds.