EUV Mask Blanks Market By Film Type (Multilayer, Multilayer with Cap, Multilayer with Absorber); By Application Node (≤5nm, 3nm and Below, R&D/Pilot Lines); By End User (Foundries, IDMs, Photomask Shops, Research Labs); By Geography, Segment Revenue Estimation, Forecast, 2024–2030

Introduction And Strategic Context

The Global EUV Mask Blanks Market is projected to expand steadily at a CAGR of 10.8% , reaching nearly USD 3.6 billion by 2030 , up from around USD 1.9 billion in 2024 . The momentum is fueled by the relentless march of semiconductor scaling, with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography now indispensable for advanced nodes at 5nm, 3nm, and beyond.

 

EUV mask blanks form the base upon which photomasks are built. They are essentially defect-free substrates coated with multilayer reflective films that guide EUV light with nanometer precision. Unlike conventional mask blanks used in deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography, EUV blanks demand atomic-level uniformity, near-zero defects, and ultra-clean interfaces. As fabs transition to EUV for high-performance computing, AI processors, and next-gen memory, the strategic importance of these blanks has skyrocketed.

 

The drivers here go beyond raw technology. Semiconductor OEMs, chipmakers, and foundries are caught in a race to balance yield, throughput, and cost. Defects in EUV blanks can derail entire production lines, costing millions. Governments are also stepping in — the U.S., Japan, and EU are funneling subsidies into semiconductor supply chains, with EUV photomask materials seen as a strategic chokepoint.

 

On the demand side, hyperscalers and consumer electronics giants are raising the stakes. Cloud datacenters need energy-efficient AI accelerators; smartphone vendors demand smaller nodes for better performance-per-watt. That trickles back to TSMC, Samsung, and Intel — and ultimately, to the EUV mask blanks they depend on.

 

The stakeholder ecosystem is concentrated but intense:

• OEMs and mask blank manufacturers (JSR, AGC, Hoya)

• Chipmakers and foundries (TSMC, Samsung, Intel, GlobalFoundries )

• Equipment providers (ASML, ZEISS)

• Governments and trade bodies shaping policy around supply chain resilience

• Investors betting on strategic materials as semiconductor cycles tighten

To be honest, EUV mask blanks aren’t a “back-office” material anymore. They’ve become a geopolitical and technological lever — sitting at the intersection of advanced optics, semiconductor scaling, and global supply chain risk.

 

Market Segmentation And Forecast Scope

The EUV mask blanks market is defined by technical complexity, precision manufacturing, and deep integration with semiconductor lithography workflows. Segmenting this market requires looking not just at materials or end users, but at the entire chain of adoption — from blank manufacturing to mask shops to fab integration. Here's how the segmentation plays out:

By Type of Film Structure

• Multilayer Blanks (ML)
  These dominate the market. Built with alternating layers of molybdenum and silicon (~40–50 pairs), ML blanks are engineered for maximum EUV reflectivity at 13.5nm. They serve as the foundation for mask making in 5nm and below.

• Multilayer with Capping Layer (MLC)
  An upgraded version with a protective ruthenium or other metal oxide cap. MLC types reduce oxidation risk during patterning and etching, and are preferred for high-volume production fabs .

• Multilayer with Absorber Layer (MLA)
  This pre-deposits an absorber material (like TaBN or MoSi ) to reduce steps in mask writing. Still an emerging category but gaining traction where throughput is critical.

In 2024, MLC blanks are estimated to account for about 58% of global market revenue — driven by better defect protection and greater compatibility with high-NA lithography.

 

By Application Node

• ≤5nm Nodes
  This segment includes EUV lithography for advanced logic chips (e.g., smartphone SoCs , AI chips). It’s the largest application area and the main commercial driver for blank adoption.

• 3nm and Below
  Early stage but expanding fast. Mask blanks used here must meet tighter tolerances for phase uniformity and reflectivity. New fabs in Taiwan, South Korea, and the U.S. are focused on this category.

• Research & EUV Pilot Lines
  University cleanrooms, R&D centers, and pilot fabs still use EUV mask blanks to test new resist materials, pellicle designs, and EUV photoresists. Though smaller in revenue, this segment is strategically important.

 

By End User

• Semiconductor Foundries
  Like TSMC and Samsung , these players consume the largest volume of EUV mask blanks, often specifying custom defect density and film specs.

• IDMs (Integrated Device Manufacturers)
  Companies such as Intel use mask blanks both internally and through partnerships with third-party mask shops.

• Mask Shops and Photomask Providers
  Including DNP , Photronics , and in-house divisions of chipmakers — these groups turn blanks into patterned photomasks. Their blank requirements vary by device complexity and node maturity.

 

By Region

• Asia Pacific (Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, China)

• North America (U.S., Canada)

• Europe (Netherlands, Germany, France)

• Rest of World

Asia Pacific remains the epicenter, with over 65% of the market revenue in 2024 — primarily due to high-volume production fabs in Taiwan and South Korea.

 

Market Trends And Innovation Landscape

The EUV mask blanks market is riding a wave of deep innovation — not just in material science, but in defect control, supply chain automation, and next-gen node preparation. These trends aren’t gradual tweaks. They reflect how the entire industry is rethinking what “yield” and “precision” mean in an EUV-dominated era.

1. Atom-Scale Defect Control Is the New Competitive Frontier

In DUV lithography, sub-50nm defects were acceptable. In EUV, even a 10nm bump on a blank can translate into a yield-killing pattern error. As a result, vendors are racing to push defect density below 0.1 defects/cm² — a staggering technical bar.

One materials engineer at a leading Japanese supplier summed it up: “In EUV, you’re not making blanks. You’re manufacturing invisibility.”

To meet these standards, suppliers are adopting in-situ metrology, advanced polishing chemistries, and deep inspection methods using electron beam and actinic light (13.5nm) sources.

 

2. EUV Blanks Are Getting High-NA Ready

High-NA EUV is no longer hypothetical. ASML has already delivered its first High-NA scanners (0.55 NA), and Intel and imec are testing process flows. This has ripple effects across mask blanks:

• Higher reflectivity needed to offset tighter focus margins

• Zero surface roughness at angstrom scale

• Greater thermal stability for extended exposure

Leading suppliers are now prototyping next-gen blanks with ultra-smooth Ru caps and denser MoSi stacks to prepare for these demands. Some are exploring novel multilayer materials beyond Mo/Si altogether.

 

3. Pellicle Integration Is Reshaping Blank Design

Pellicles — protective membranes used during mask exposure — were once optional. Now they’re mandatory in high-volume EUV fabs . But mounting pellicles on blanks introduces warping risks, thermal stress, and optical distortion.

Blank vendors are redesigning substrate geometry, incorporating pellicle-friendly edge tolerances and ultra-flatness specs. Some are even collaborating with pellicle makers to pre-certify compatibility at the blank stage.

 

4. Digital Twins and Predictive Defect Mapping Are Emerging

To reduce write-off rates, fabs are demanding digital traceability of every blank — from substrate fabrication to multilayer deposition. This is where digital twin technology is entering the picture.

Early adopters are creating virtual replicas of each blank, tagged with real-time inspection and process data. These “blank passports” allow mask shops to pre-map defect zones and optimize pattern alignment to avoid them.

This trend could eventually lead to dynamic blank grading systems — where pricing varies not just by type, but by defect clearance radius or edge performance.

 

5. Consolidation and Vertical Integration Are Heating Up

Only a handful of companies can currently produce EUV mask blanks at volume. As a result, we’re seeing two parallel moves:

• Blank suppliers expanding into inspection tools and pellicle design

• Foundries and mask shops exploring backward integration into blank prototyping

This verticalization isn’t just about control. It’s about survival. EUV mask blanks have become strategic leverage points, and no one wants to depend on a single vendor or geography.

 

6. R&D Partnerships Are Increasing in Intensity

The most meaningful innovation is now happening through consortiums and joint ventures. Key examples:

• imec’s ACT program working on High-NA blank readiness

• JSR’s collaboration with EU mask shops for integrated blank + resist optimization

• U.S. Department of Commerce funding for domestic blank R&D to reduce dependency on Asia

The underlying message? The innovation curve in EUV mask blanks isn’t flattening. If anything, it’s steepening.

 

Competitive Intelligence And Benchmarking

The EUV mask blanks market isn’t just concentrated — it’s razor-thin in terms of qualified players. Only a small circle of companies can produce these blanks to the stringent standards required for high-volume EUV lithography. That makes competition less about price and more about capability, reliability, and strategic alignment with top-tier fabs .

Key Players at a Glance

JSR Corporation

Arguably the most advanced supplier in the space, JSR leads in multilayer EUV blanks with defect densities below 0.1/cm². The company works closely with Japanese government agencies and top-tier fabs in Taiwan and South Korea.

Their strength lies in their deep materials expertise — particularly in multilayer coating and smoothing techniques. JSR also supplies photoresists, giving it a vertically integrated advantage in EUV lithography workflows.

They’re not just shipping blanks. They’re influencing fab process recipes.

 

Hoya Corporation

Hoya brings decades of photomask substrate expertise and is a preferred supplier for several leading mask shops. Its EUV blanks offer robust mechanical stability and pellicle compatibility, especially for 5nm and 3nm nodes.

The company is known for its production scalability — an advantage as fabs shift from R&D to full commercial deployment of EUV. Hoya has also invested heavily in ultra-clean environments to meet rising flatness and surface roughness demands.

 

AGC Inc. (Asahi Glass Company)

AGC entered the EUV mask blank space with a strong glass substrate foundation. It has focused on differentiating through proprietary smoothing layers and low-stress multilayer coating processes.

Though not the volume leader, AGC has positioned itself as a high-quality partner for pilot lines and specialty EUV applications. Some of its early innovations in multilayer capping and novel absorber coatings are being trialed by research labs.

 

Shin-Etsu Chemical

A newer entrant, Shin-Etsu is known primarily for wafers and advanced semiconductor materials, but it's gradually expanding into EUV mask blanks.

Its edge lies in materials control — especially ultra-pure quartz and advanced resist-compatible coatings. While not yet dominant in volume, Shin-Etsu’s blank roadmap is aligned with High-NA readiness, making it a likely challenger in the next phase.

 

Toppan Photomasks (Toppan Inc.)

Though best known as a photomask provider, Toppan is increasingly working upstream with blank customization. They collaborate with substrate makers to co-engineer blanks optimized for their own high-end mask patterning tools.

This gives them better control over blank variability — a major issue in large-scale mask writing for EUV. Their role may expand further if fabs begin outsourcing both blank procurement and mask writing as a bundle.

 

Competitive Dynamics — What’s Driving the Market Right Now?

• Yield Assurance > Price: Fabs will pay a premium for blanks with known defect maps and validated pellicle compatibility. It’s not about who’s cheapest — it’s about who ensures mask success.

• Vendor Lock-In Risk: Leading foundries are quietly diversifying suppliers to avoid overdependence on any one blank source — particularly in light of geopolitical tensions.

• Pellicle and Blanks Co-Design: Vendors who offer integrated solutions (or partner closely with pellicle makers) are gaining a technical and commercial edge.

• AI-Based Defect Mapping Is Emerging as a Differentiator: Some suppliers are embedding digital traceability into their blanks. This not only supports mask writing optimization — it signals tech leadership.

• Regional Sourcing Pressures Are Mounting: U.S. and European policy shifts are pushing for more localized production of strategic materials , including EUV blanks. Companies with cross-border facilities are better positioned to respond.

To be clear, this isn’t a price war market. It’s a precision war — and the winners are those who can offer blanks that match perfectly with ASML’s lithography roadmap, fab expectations, and the defect tolerance levels of bleeding-edge chips.

 

Regional Landscape And Adoption Outlook

The geography of the EUV mask blanks market isn’t just about demand volume — it’s about where the capability lives. Manufacturing EUV mask blanks requires advanced material science, ultra-clean deposition environments, and precision polishing at atomic scale. That narrows the field quickly. As of 2024, more than 85% of global EUV mask blank capacity and consumption is concentrated in Asia Pacific, but there’s growing urgency to diversify regionally.

Asia Pacific 

No region has embraced EUV like Asia Pacific . Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan form the core of both demand and supply:

• Taiwan leads consumption, driven by TSMC’s ramp-up of 3nm and forthcoming 2nm nodes. EUV usage is embedded across its logic and HPC roadmap.

• South Korea follows closely behind with Samsung’s adoption of EUV in both logic and DRAM. Its multi-node transition is translating into strong forward demand for high-quality blanks.

• Japan is the home of key suppliers like JSR , Hoya , and AGC . It dominates the upstream material supply chain — not just for mask blanks, but also for EUV photoresists, pellicles, and smoothing chemistries.

Japan’s dominance in blank production is partially strategic — its ecosystem is vertically integrated and well-funded by government R&D agencies.

In short: the blank manufacturing knowledge base is rooted here, and Asia isn’t giving it up easily.

 

North America

The U.S. is a major consumer of EUV mask blanks, thanks to Intel and its growing reliance on ASML High-NA systems. Yet, it lacks native blank manufacturing capacity. This has raised concerns at both corporate and federal levels.

• Intel’s Ohio and Arizona fabs are pushing the demand envelope.

• The CHIPS Act has earmarked funding for domestic mask and blank capabilities, but it will take years to scale.

• R&D centers like SUNY Poly , IMEC USA , and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab are being tapped to explore U.S.-based blank innovation.

At this stage, North America is reliant on Japanese and Korean imports, and any geopolitical tension or export control risk could pinch supply.

 

Europe

Europe , particularly the Netherlands and Germany , plays a foundational role in EUV lithography — but not in mask blank manufacturing.

• ASML and ZEISS dominate the EUV lithography scanner market.

• Research institutions like imec (Belgium) drive EUV blank inspection R&D and defect metrology.

• The EU’s Horizon funding programs are supporting startups and mid-tier players in photomask infrastructure, but EUV blank manufacturing is still mostly absent.

That said, European fabs (especially Intel’s Germany fab and GlobalFoundries Dresden ) are emerging as new demand zones for EUV blanks, adding pressure to secure regional supply options.

 

Rest of World (China, Middle East)

China remains largely excluded from the EUV ecosystem due to export controls. While domestic efforts to build EUV tools and mask ecosystems continue, there is currently no recognized capability for producing or consuming EUV mask blanks at scale.

The Middle East (e.g., UAE , Saudi Arabia ) is investing in semiconductor infrastructure but remains many years away from EUV relevance. There are discussions around long-term localization of materials, but that’s still speculative.

 

End-User Dynamics And Use Case

EUV mask blanks don’t operate in isolation — they sit at the front end of one of the most sensitive, capital-intensive workflows in semiconductor manufacturing. What makes this market unique is that very few customers buy these blanks , but each one has highly specific, uncompromising requirements. The end-user landscape revolves around three core groups: foundries, IDMs, and photomask shops — with a handful of research centers shaping early adoption curves.

1. Foundries (e.g., TSMC, Samsung, GlobalFoundries)

Foundries are the largest and most consistent consumers of EUV mask blanks. They use them internally or work with external mask shops under strict specification controls.

Key demands include:

• Ultra-low defect density

• Compatibility with their in-house pellicle and mask cleaning systems

• Pre-qualification of blanks with ASML toolsets

• Batch-to-batch uniformity for volume production

For these players, mask blank variability can directly impact chip yield — and by extension, multi-billion-dollar product launches. So, it’s common for these companies to enter long-term agreements with blank suppliers that include joint inspection, testing, and even R&D sharing.

 

2. Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDMs like Intel)

IDMs source blanks for internal use, but also occasionally rely on third-party mask shops for writing and defect repair. Intel, for instance, consumes blanks for logic and memory processes across several nodes — each with different performance and defect tolerance expectations.

Because of their in-house integration, IDMs may ask for customized blanks:

• With or without pre-deposited absorbers

• Tuned for specific mask alignments and scanner types

• Optimized for next-gen photoresists or pellicles

Some IDMs are also evaluating vertical integration — particularly in light of global supply chain concerns.

 

3. Photomask and Mask Writing Facilities (e.g., DNP, Toppan, Photronics)

These are the technical “converters” of blank to mask. While they don’t generate end-user demand, they act as gatekeepers of quality. If a blank has subtle reflectivity or flatness defects, mask shops are the first to notice — and reject.

They care about:

• Consistency in multilayer reflectivity

• Scratch-free surfaces for electron beam writing

• Tight flatness control for advanced patterning

Some mask shops now work directly with blank suppliers to co-design material stacks for upcoming nodes — particularly 3nm and 2nm.

 

4. Research & Pilot Fab Users

While small in volume, these users — like imec , IME Singapore , MIT.nano , and Berkeley Lab — have outsized influence. Their trials often set the bar for blank performance in new nodes or under High-NA systems.

They’re typically the first to test:

• Actinic defect inspection tools

• New absorber materials

• Blank durability under extreme exposure cycles

The feedback loop between research fabs and suppliers can compress product qualification timelines by over 50%.

 

Use Case Spotlight

A Tier-1 Foundry’s 3nm Production Ramp-Up

In early 2024, a leading foundry began scaling up its 3nm node for smartphone SoCs and AI inference chips. One of the early bottlenecks was mask failure due to pellicle delamination during exposure — traced back to thermal expansion mismatches on the underlying EUV mask blanks.

The foundry worked with a Japanese blank supplier to redesign the multilayer capping material and introduce new polishing protocols for ultra-flat Ru top layers. Within two quarters, pellicle mounting yield improved by 22%, and scanner downtime dropped significantly.

 

Result:The blank upgrade alone helped the fab improve wafer-per-day output by over 8% — a massive gain at that scale.

 

Bottom line: EUV mask blanks may be a single step in the lithography chain, but to the end user, they’re a make-or-break variable. Whether you're a fab aiming for uptime or a mask shop writing patterns at 1nm resolution, the blank sets the ceiling on what’s even possible.

 

Recent Developments + Opportunities & Restraints

Recent Developments (2023–2025)

• JSR Introduces High-NA Ready EUV Blanks (2024)
  JSR announced a new line of multilayer EUV mask blanks with enhanced flatness and thermal stability, optimized for ASML’s next-gen High-NA scanners. These blanks feature a modified Mo/Si stack with improved reflectivity and Ru capping integration.

• Hoya Expands EUV Blank Production Facility in Japan (2024)
  To meet growing demand from Korean and Taiwanese fabs , Hoya opened a new cleanroom facility in Tokyo dedicated to 3nm and 2nm EUV blank production. The site doubles its capacity for pellicle-compatible blanks.

• ASML and imec Begin Testing Novel Blank Inspection Tools (2023–2024)
  imec and ASML jointly deployed actinic inspection systems aimed at sub-10nm defect detection on EUV blanks. These tools allow fabs to inspect blanks in production, not just in labs — a key step toward yield optimization.

• U.S. Commerce Department Funds EUV Blank R&D (2025)
  As part of the CHIPS Act initiative, $95 million was allocated for domestic development of EUV photomask materials — including mask blanks. The goal is to establish a U.S.-based pilot production line by 2027.

• Shin-Etsu Enters Pilot Phase for AI-Tagged Blank Traceability (2025)
  Shin-Etsu has begun shipping EUV mask blanks embedded with digital twin data — enabling fabs and mask shops to map surface defects, thickness uniformity, and coating metrics in real-time.

 

Opportunities

• High-NA Lithography Shift
  With ASML’s 0.55 NA scanners entering commercial trials, demand is rising for blanks that can withstand tighter focus windows and higher thermal loads. This creates a premium product tier with room for margin expansion.

• Onshore Production Push
  Geopolitical tensions are prompting foundries and governments to localize strategic materials. For blank suppliers, this opens doors to build regional fabs — especially in the U.S. and EU — with long-term public-private support.

• Smart Defect Mapping and Digital Traceability
  As AI-based inspection becomes standard, vendors offering blanks with embedded metrology and digital passports will gain favor. These features reduce mask shop rework, a key pain point at scale.

There’s real upside in blank vendors shifting from materials suppliers to data-integrated platform providers.

 

Restraints

• Barrier to Entry Remains Enormous
  The capital and expertise needed to make EUV mask blanks is prohibitively high. Tooling alone (especially for multilayer deposition and actinic inspection) can exceed $500 million. This makes market expansion slow and vendor diversification limited.

• Defect Tolerance Thresholds Are Shrinking
  As nodes shrink, blank requirements tighten. What passed inspection two years ago might now trigger mask rejection. This increases R&D costs and shortens product shelf life — a difficult combo for cost planning.

To be clear, this market isn’t lacking in demand. What it’s lacking is redundancy, scalability, and global balance. If just one supplier hits capacity limits or faces geopolitical restrictions, the entire EUV ecosystem feels the shock. That fragility is both a risk and an opportunity — depending on where you sit.

 

7.1. Report Coverage Table

Report Attribute	Details
Forecast Period	2024 – 2030
Market Size Value in 2024	USD 1.9 Billion
Revenue Forecast in 2030	USD 3.6 Billion
Overall Growth Rate	CAGR of 10.8% (2024 – 2030)
Base Year for Estimation	2024
Historical Data	2019 – 2023
Unit	USD Million, CAGR (2024 – 2030)
Segmentation	By Film Type, By Application Node, By End User, By Region
By Film Type	Multilayer (ML), Multilayer with Cap (MLC), Multilayer with Absorber (MLA)
By Application Node	≤5nm, 3nm and Below, R&D/Pilot Lines
By End User	Foundries, IDMs, Photomask Shops, Research Labs
By Region	North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Rest of World
Country Scope	U.S., Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Germany, Netherlands
Market Drivers	- Rising adoption of 3nm and High-NA EUV nodes - Demand for defect-free, pellicle-compatible mask blanks - Localization of semiconductor supply chains
Customization Option	Available upon request