The eBeam Initiative conducted its 15th annual Luminaries survey in July and reported the results on September 9, 2026, at its annual reception during the SPIE Photomask Technology + EUV Lithography Conference. 85 luminaries representing more than 45 companies participated. At the close of the annual eBeam Initiative reception, an expert panel discussed a number of survey results, including large-format masks, equipment investment, High-NA EUV, and curvilinear masks. Moderator Aki Fujimura, CEO of D2S and co-founder of the eBeam Initiative, was joined by Harry Levinson of HJL Lithography, Naoya Hayashi, DNP Honorary Fellow, and Glen Scheid of Micron Technology (pictured in Figure 1). In this blog, I’ll report key insights shared by the panel. Fig. 1: eBeam Initiative Luminaries Survey Results Discussed by Expert Panel (left to right, Aki Fujimura, Naoya Hayashi, Harry Levinson, Glen Scheid) eBeam Initiative (Fujimura): 66% of luminaries predicted that the industry will adopt a large-format mask – approximately 6 x 12 inches – within the next decade. The survey was completed before TSMC and ASML announced an industry initiative targeting a 12-inch mask pilot line by 2031. Why is this transition happening now? Levinson : The wafer fab argument is productivity. High-NA EUV systems are extremely expensive and occupy valuable cleanroom space. A large-format mask can expose a larger field without the process-control complexity of A/B stitching, with the potential for roughly 40% better productivity. That is a significant advantage when each additional system also adds facilities and power requirements. Scheid : The alignment forming around the 12-inch format is exciting. Mask-size transitions are extremely rare, and this one has a clear productivity benefit that the industry needs. eBeam Initiative (Fujimura): Harry, you were involved in the industry’s earlier attempt to standardize a nine-inch mask. Why is this different? Levinson : The nine-inch proposal came from extrapolating historical growth in DRAM die size. The intended customers did not plan to build dies that large, so the format solved no real problem and was rejected. This time, the demand is coming directly from chipmakers. Intel initiated the discussion, and now TSMC, ASML, and other companies are supporting it. The application and the value are clear. eBeam Initiative (Fujimura): What must happen across the supply chain to meet the 2031 pilot-line target? Hayashi-san : The whole ecosystem must be ready at the same time. Some critical parts of the mask-making chain have only one supplier. We need to watch the ecosystem carefully and support the areas that could prevent the complete process from being available when it is required. Scheid : This is a collective schedule, not a set of individual schedules. The combined probability of success falls as the number of required elements grows. One late supplier – especially in a single-source area – can delay the transition. Redundancy can reduce risk, but this is a small industry, and the investment may be too large to support two suppliers in every category. Levinson : There are financial and technical risks. Some tools may require a larger stage and different handling, while processes such as uniform etching deserve closer attention. Funding risks should be addressed early, especially for smaller suppliers. Companies planning fabs around this timing will worry about whether every element will arrive on schedule. eBeam Initiative (Fujimura): What new manufacturing challenges come with a rectangular mask that has twice the area? Hayashi-san : Processes based on spinning become more difficult. Resist coating, development, cleaning, and drying all must remain uniform across a larger rectangular surface. The longer edges and corners can create water-drop issues at the corners, so these processes will need deep evaluation. Levinson : It took roughly 15 years to make EUV multilayer films suitable for high-volume manufacturing. Mu