# Samsung, ASML team up on next-generation semiconductor manufacturing technology > Source: > Published: 2026-09-08 07:22:03+00:00 Samsung Electronics said Tuesday that it has joined a consortium led by Netherlands-based semiconductor equipment manufacturer ASML to develop next-generation semiconductor manufacturing technologies. The partnership aims to advance 12-inch photomask technology for future semiconductor manufacturing, replacing the 6-inch photomask format that has been widely used for decades, the Korean technology giant said. "Building on years of successful cooperation, the companies will work together to accelerate the development and deployment of technologies that support the increasing performance and efficiency requirements of advanced semiconductor manufacturing," Samsung said in a press release. The technology is expected to boost fab productivity and reduce chipmaking costs amid surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips. "The AI era is transforming the semiconductor industry and increasing the importance of technological innovation across the entire value chain," Samsung Electronics CEO Jun Young-hyun said. "By further strengthening our collaboration with ASML, we are helping lay the