Mask set cost estimator
Price a photomask set layer by layer for any node from 180 nm to 2 nm, then add spares, re-spins, metal-only fixes and replacement sets over your volume.
Cost and businessFree to useHow it worksSourcesWhere it helps
Fills the inputs below with typical figures. Replace any of them with your own.
- Mask set cost
- $1,365,000
- $30,333 a layer on average, 30 non-critical layers
- Programme mask cost
- $1,365,000
- With spares, re-spins, fixes and replacements
- Per wafer
- $136.50
- Per good die
- $0.273
- Critical immersion layers$825,00060%
- Non-critical layers$540,00040%
Show the data as a table
| Item | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Critical immersion layers | $825,000 |
| Non-critical layers | $540,000 |
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Each node's typical set with no extras, spares or re-spins. Editorial estimates from published ranges.
- 180 nm$116,00025 masks
- 130 nm$252,00030 masks
- 90 nm$450,00035 masks
- 65 nm$700,00040 masks
- 40 nm$1.02 m42 masks
- 28 nm$1.36 m45 masks
- 22 nm$1.73 m48 masks
- 16 or 14 nm FinFET$3.3 m60 masks
- 10 nm$5.8 m70 masks
- 7 nm, immersion only$10.3 m80 masks
- 7 nm with EUV$10.3 m75 masks, 5 EUV
- 5 nm$15.6 m80 masks, 14 EUV
- 3 nm$33.1 m80 masks, 24 EUV
- 2 nm$42.3 m82 masks, 30 EUV
Show the data as a table
| Item | Set cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| 180 nm | $116,000 |
| 130 nm | $252,000 |
| 90 nm | $450,000 |
| 65 nm | $700,000 |
| 40 nm | $1.02 m |
| 28 nm | $1.36 m |
| 22 nm | $1.73 m |
| 16 or 14 nm FinFET | $3.3 m |
| 10 nm | $5.8 m |
| 7 nm, immersion only | $10.3 m |
| 7 nm with EUV | $10.3 m |
| 5 nm | $15.6 m |
| 3 nm | $33.1 m |
| 2 nm | $42.3 m |
| Node | Masks | EUV | Critical | Set cost (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 180 nm | 25 | 0 | 4 | $116,000 |
| 130 nm | 30 | 0 | 8 | $252,000 |
| 90 nm | 35 | 0 | 10 | $450,000 |
| 65 nm | 40 | 0 | 12 | $700,000 |
| 40 nm | 42 | 0 | 14 | $1,022,000 |
| 28 nm | 45 | 0 | 15 | $1,365,000 |
| 22 nm | 48 | 0 | 17 | $1,725,000 |
| 16 or 14 nm FinFET | 60 | 0 | 25 | $3,300,000 |
| 10 nm | 70 | 0 | 30 | $5,800,000 |
| 7 nm, immersion only | 80 | 0 | 35 | $10,300,000 |
| 7 nm with EUV | 75 | 5 | 30 | $10,250,000 |
| 5 nm | 80 | 14 | 30 | $15,580,000 |
| 3 nm | 80 | 24 | 30 | $33,060,000 |
| 2 nm | 82 | 30 | 27 | $42,310,000 |
How it works
A mask set is one of the largest single costs of taking a design to silicon, and it is paid again for every full re-spin. This tool prices a set layer by layer, then adds what a programme really buys: spare masks, re-spins, metal-only fixes and replacement sets, spread over the wafers the product will run.
- Split the layers. Each mask is either an EUV layer, a critical immersion layer (the finest features, often double patterned) or a non-critical layer. Non-critical is what is left of the total.
non-critical layers = total layers − EUV layers − critical layers - Price the set. Each layer type has its own price per mask. Per-mask extras (pellicle, extra inspection, shipping) are added for every mask, the negotiated discount comes off, the one-off data preparation is added, and the contingency goes on top.
set cost = ((EUV x price EUV + critical x price critical + non-critical x price non-critical + total x extras) x (1 − discount) + data preparation) x (1 + contingency) - Add spares and re-spins. Spare masks are copies of a share of the EUV and critical layers, kept so a damaged mask does not stop production. A full re-spin buys the whole set again.
spares = spare share x (EUV cost + critical cost) x (1 − discount) x (1 + contingency); re-spins = number of re-spins x set cost - Add metal-only fixes. A metal-only fix (an engineering change order) remakes only the metal and via layers it touches. Its price per layer blends critical and non-critical prices by the share of those layers that are critical, and it carries data preparation in proportion to its layer count.
fix cost = fixes x (layers per fix x (critical share x price critical + (1 − critical share) x price non-critical + extras) x (1 − discount) + data preparation x layers per fix / total layers) x (1 + contingency) - Add replacement sets. Masks degrade with use and with haze growth. If you enter how many wafers a set lasts, the tool adds the replacement sets the volume needs, without a second round of data preparation.
replacement sets = ceiling(wafers / wafers per set) − 1 - Spread it over the volume. The programme mask cost is shared over every wafer and every good die the product ships.
cost per wafer = programme cost / wafers; cost per die = cost per wafer / good die per wafer
Assumptions
- Prices are per mask, in US dollars, for a full-field production mask; a multi-project wafer shares one set between many designs (see the MPW shuttle cost planner).
- The node presets are editorial estimates built to sit inside published ranges. A foundry or mask shop quote replaces them.
- A full re-spin remakes every layer and repeats the data preparation; a metal-only fix remakes only the layers you enter.
- Contingency applies to everything; the discount applies to mask prices and extras, not to data preparation.
Limits and warnings
- Mask prices vary widely with supplier, volume, write time, inspection grade and how many patterning masks a layer needs; treat the result as a budget figure.
- Design costs (layout, verification, IP) and wafer costs are not included.
- Phase shift, high-NA EUV and multi-beam write time are not priced separately; fold them into the price per layer.
- Very large designs that need stitched reticles, or more than one reticle per layer, need more masks than the layer count suggests.
Sources
The methods and default figures rest on these public sources. The wording here is our own; read the source for its full text.
- The Dark Side Of The Semiconductor Design Renaissance: Fixed Costs Soaring Due To Photomask Sets, Verification, and Validation (opens in a new tab), SemiAnalysis (Dylan Patel), 24 July 2022. Mask set cost ranges by node used to place the presets.
- Samsung's 2nm node will reportedly feature 30% more EUV layers (opens in a new tab), TrendForce, 22 July 2024. EUV layer counts at 3 nm and 2 nm.
- Will EUV Kill Multi-Patterning? (opens in a new tab), Semiconductor Engineering, 2017. Why mask counts rose through 7 nm.
- 2018 mask makers' survey conducted by the eBeam Initiative (opens in a new tab), SPIE Proceedings, volume 10810, 2018. Mask volumes by ground rule.
Where it helps
The lifecycle stages this tool serves: 22 stages in 17 lifecycles.
- SoC lifecycle
- Hard IP lifecycle
- AMS lifecycle
- Chiplet lifecycle
- Automotive lifecycle
- AI accelerator lifecycle
- Process node lifecycle
- Startup lifecycle
- Power and compound lifecycle
- Memory lifecycle
- Space lifecycle
- Photonics lifecycle
- MEMS and sensors lifecycle
- Avionics lifecycle
- FPGA chip lifecycle
- Structured ASIC lifecycle
- Product lifecycle
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- MPW shuttle cost planner
- Last-time buy calculator
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- FPGA, structured ASIC or ASIC crossover calculator
- Memory bit cost estimator
- Bill of materials cost roll-up
- Equipment cost of ownership calculator
- Platform reuse savings calculator
Method notev1Formula, ranges, sources and limits
Estimates the cost of a mask set from its layers and their prices, and the programme mask cost once spares, re-spins, metal-only fixes and replacement sets are added and spread over the volume.
Formula
non-critical layers = total layers − EUV layers − critical layers; set cost = ((EUV x price EUV + critical x price critical + non-critical x price non-critical + total x extras) x (1 − discount) + data preparation) x (1 + contingency); spares = spare share x (EUV cost + critical cost) x (1 − discount) x (1 + contingency); re-spins = number of re-spins x set cost; fix cost = fixes x (layers per fix x (critical share x price critical + (1 − critical share) x price non-critical + extras) x (1 − discount) + data preparation x layers per fix / total layers) x (1 + contingency); replacement sets = ceiling(wafers / wafers per set) − 1; cost per wafer = programme cost / wafers; cost per die = cost per wafer / good die per wafer
| Input | Unit | Range it holds for | Comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Process node | choice | 180, 130, 90, 65, 40, 28, 22, 16, 10, 7, 7e, 5, 3, 2 | Your figure |
| Total mask layers | masks | 1 to 120 | Your figure |
| Critical immersion layers | masks | 0 to 120 | Your figure |
| EUV layers | masks | 0 to 60 | Your figure |
| Price per EUV mask | USD | 0 to 3000000 | Editorial estimate from published ranges (SemiAnalysis, July 2022; TrendForce, July 2024). Editorial, as of 2026-10. You can replace it with your own figure. |
| Price per critical mask | USD | 0 to 1500000 | Editorial estimate from published ranges (SemiAnalysis, July 2022; TrendForce, July 2024). Editorial, as of 2026-10. You can replace it with your own figure. |
| Price per non-critical mask | USD | 0 to 500000 | Editorial estimate from published ranges (SemiAnalysis, July 2022; TrendForce, July 2024). Editorial, as of 2026-10. You can replace it with your own figure. |
| Per-mask extras | USD | from 0 | Your figure |
| Data preparation | USD | from 0 | Your figure |
| Discount | % | 0 to 100 | Your figure |
| Contingency | % | 0 to 100 | Your figure |
| Spare share of EUV and critical layers | % | 0 to 200 | Your figure |
| Full re-spins | count | 0 to 10 | Your figure |
| Metal-only fixes | count | 0 to 20 | Your figure |
| Layers per fix | masks | 0 to 40 | Your figure |
| Critical share of fix layers | % | 0 to 100 | Your figure |
| Production volume | wafers | from 0 | Your figure |
| Good die per wafer | die | from 0 | Your figure |
| Wafers per set before replacement | wafers, 0 for no limit | from 0 | Your figure |
Outputs: Mask set cost (USD); Programme mask cost (USD); Mask cost per wafer (USD); Mask cost per good die (USD).
Assumptions
- Prices are per mask, in US dollars, for a full-field production mask; a multi-project wafer shares one set between many designs (see the MPW shuttle cost planner).
- The node presets are editorial estimates built to sit inside published ranges. A foundry or mask shop quote replaces them.
- A full re-spin remakes every layer and repeats the data preparation; a metal-only fix remakes only the layers you enter.
- Contingency applies to everything; the discount applies to mask prices and extras, not to data preparation.
Uncertainty: The arithmetic is exact; the result is as good as the prices entered. With the editorial presets, expect the real quote to differ by a factor of two either way.
Known limits
- Mask prices vary widely with supplier, volume, write time, inspection grade and how many patterning masks a layer needs; treat the result as a budget figure.
- Design costs (layout, verification, IP) and wafer costs are not included.
- Phase shift, high-NA EUV and multi-beam write time are not priced separately; fold them into the price per layer.
- Very large designs that need stitched reticles, or more than one reticle per layer, need more masks than the layer count suggests.
Where the method comes from
The Hub's own layer-by-layer cost arithmetic. The node presets are placed inside the published mask set cost ranges named in the sources.
Reference example, checked by test: Worked example in this method note: 28 nm preset (45 masks: 15 critical at $55,000, 30 non-critical at $18,000), 10% contingency, one full re-spin, two metal-only fixes of 6 layers at 30% critical, over 20,000 wafers with 600 good die each. Mask set cost 1,501,500; Programme mask cost 3,387,120; Mask cost per wafer 169.356; Mask cost per good die 0.28226.
Versions
- v1 (2026-10-25): First version, built from the tool idea.
Terms on this page
- Photomask
- The patterned master plate, normally a quartz substrate with a chrome or molybdenum silicide absorber, whose image is projected onto the wafer.
- Nanometre
- One billionth of a metre, the length scale of modern transistor features.
- Respin
- A new mask revision and fabrication run of a design after a defect is found in silicon, either a full-layer respin or a cheaper metal-only fix.
- Mask set
- The complete set of photomasks needed to build a design on a process, one or more for each patterned layer.
- Silicon
- The group IV element that carries almost all commercial semiconductor volume, valued for its abundance, its stable native oxide and a manufacturing base refined over sixty years.
- Wafer
- A thin, polished disc of single-crystal silicon on which hundreds or thousands of identical circuits are built at the same time.
- EUV
- Lithography at 13.5 nm wavelength, performed entirely in vacuum with reflective multilayer optics because no material transmits usefully at that wavelength.
- Pellicle
- A thin transparent membrane stretched on a frame above the mask pattern so that particles land out of the focal plane and do not print.
- ECO
- A targeted late-stage modification to a netlist or layout that fixes a bug or timing violation without rerunning the full implementation flow.
- Layer count
- The number of stacked wordline planes in a 3D NAND device, the headline density metric for each generation.
- Mask cost
- The cost of the photomask set for a design, rising steeply with node because of more layers, multi-patterning and tighter specifications.
- Die
- A single rectangular block of processed silicon cut from a finished wafer, carrying one complete circuit.
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