ALD and epitaxy for gate-all-around chips by ASM International: status and timeline

Milestones

Next · First meaningful 1.4 nm revenue

ALD enters high-volume production (high-k metal gate)2007Complete.
Investor Day: 2030 targets, GAA market +US$400M23 Sep 2025Complete.
Record quarter: €1,003M revenue on 2 nm demand28 Jul 2026Complete.
First meaningful 1.4 nm revenueTarget 2026Current milestone.
2027 revenue above the €3.7-4.6B target rangeTarget 2027Not yet reached.
2030: revenue above €5.7BTarget 2030Not yet reached.

Most important updates

ASM posts record €1,003M quarter on 2nm logic and HBM demand, expects 2026 revenue above €4B28 Jul 2026
ASM sets 2030 targets: revenue above €5.7B as gate-all-around and DRAM add deposition steps23 Sep 2025

Upcoming

2026First meaningful 1.4 nm revenue (next)
27 Oct 2026ASM Q3 2026 results
20272027 revenue above the €3.7-4.6B target range
20302030: revenue above €5.7B

Current obstacles

Revenue follows fab spendingExtra layers pay only once chipmakers order tools and fill fabs; ASM cut its H2 2025 outlook when leading-edge logic demand weakened.
Competing in new film typesApplied Materials and others compete for each new step, such as molybdenum metal and selective deposition, node by node.

Physics limits

One atomic layer per cycleA cycle adds at most one atomic layer, and each needs gas pulses and purges. A thicker film is just more cycles, so ALD trades speed for perfection.
Films can't thin much furtherGate insulators are already a few atoms thick. Thinner still, electrons tunnel straight through, so progress comes from new materials, not less material.
Chemistry must self-limitALD works only with precursor gases that react with the surface once and stop. Each new material needs a new gas pair that behaves that way.

How it works

4 parts

Cycle

Pulse, purge, pulse, purge

A first gas coats every exposed surface with one molecule-thick layer and stops; after a purge, a second gas reacts with it to finish one atomic layer.

GAA

Gates wrapped all the way round

In GAA the gate surrounds stacked silicon sheets. Coating hidden undersides evenly is only possible with self-limiting ALD.

Tuning

More layers for more voltages

Chips need transistors switching at several voltages; each needs its own work-function and dipole layers, so ALD steps per wafer rise.

Epi

Crystal stacks become channels

Epitaxy grows alternating silicon and silicon-germanium layers; etching the SiGe away leaves the silicon sheets the gate wraps.

Spec sheet

Spec	ALD and epitaxy for gate-all-around chips
Single-wafer ALD market share	Over 55%^R (reported)
Revenue, Q2 2026	€1,003M^R (reported)
Added market, first GAA vs 3nm	US$400M per 100k wafers/month^R (reported)
Further addition at 1.4 nm	US$450-500M per 100k wafers/month^R (reported)
Single-wafer ALD market, 2030	US$5.1-6.1B (from $3.0B in 2024)^R (reported)
Gross margin, Q2 2026	51.9%^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

2 updates

Tue 28 Jul

Major: ASM posts record €1,003M quarter on 2nm logic and HBM demand, expects 2026 revenue above €4BPressCommercial

Tue 23 Sep 2025

Minor: ASM sets 2030 targets: revenue above €5.7B as gate-all-around and DRAM add deposition stepsPressCommercial

About ASM International

The team behind ALD and epitaxy for gate-all-around chips

ASM International

Atomic layer deposition, epitaxy, fab equipment

ASM is a Dutch maker of chip-fab machines that deposit films one atomic layer at a time (ALD) and grow crystal layers (epitaxy). It holds more than half of the single-wafer ALD market, and gate-all-around transistors need more of both.

Record Q2 2026 revenue of €1,003M (+24% at constant currency), driven by 2nm logic and HBM memory.
Over 55% of single-wafer ALD; gate-all-around added US$400M to its market per 100k wafers/month.
Expects 2026 revenue above €4B and Q3 2026 at about €1.1B.

asm.com (opens asm.com)Company profile →

Founded: 196858 yrs
Headquarters: Netherlands
Status: Public
Listed: ASMEuronext
Valuation: public
Works in: ComputingEtch, deposition & inspection
Coverage: 1 program · 2 updateslatest 28 Jul 2026checked 11 Oct
Partners: ASM Pacific Technology (opens en.wikipedia.org)
People: Hichem M'Saad (opens en.wikipedia.org)CEO