Korea Toshin Semichem: Unable to domestically produce photoresist for EUV:
-Japan’s export restrictions to South Korea have passed for two years-
Photoresist for EUV:
Among the photoresists (photoreceptors), the highest grade “photoresist for EUV”
Cannot be domestically produced in Korea:
Of the three major items of Japan’s export restrictions,
About photoresist for EUV
It has not been domestically produced in Korea yet.
“The situation hasn’t changed even now.”
“That’s the most difficult task.”
It still exists as a “symbol of a strong wall due to Japan’s export restrictions.”
Export restrictions for the remaining 2 items:
High-purity hydrogen fluoride:
Etching gas indispensable for semiconductors and displays
as well as
Polyimide fluoride:
Folding smartphone monitor film material
Two years before the export restrictions, it entered the domestic production stage.
However,
“photoresist for EUV, a super important material for semiconductors” has not been developed yet.
Toshin Semichem
Vice President Kim Jae Hyun
“Toshin Semichem is a representative of Korea as a photoresist manufacturer.”
In the field of photoresists for EUV,
Significant progress has been made in improving material performance,
We are making preparations to ensure stable quality.
However, he showed “still a cautious attitude”.
“The time to reach the stage of commercialization and commercialization, which is considered to be domestic production, is undecided.”
How much progress has been made in the next 6 months?
Telephone interview with Vice President Kim:
Vice President Kim
“We haven’t reached the stage of receiving quality certification yet, and we are evaluating it,” he replied.
“We have sent samples not only to Samsung Electronics but also to SK Hynix and have undergone quality audits.”
“We still can’t say for sure when it will be finally commercialized or commercialized,” he said.
Development status of Toshin Semichem:
Toshin Semichem received government budget support after Japan’s export restrictions.
Development of photoresist for argon fluoride
We succeeded in “development of a photoresist for argon fluoride with significantly higher performance than conventional materials”.
However,
“the development of the photoresist for EUV has not been completed yet, and it is still in progress.”
Toshin Semichem Market Share:
The photoresist market in South Korea is 1.4 trillion to 1.5 trillion won.
Share by item:
Photoresist for krypton fluoride:
Developing photoresists for krypton fluoride is relatively easy.
The domestic production rate of South Korea reaches 30-40%.
Most of them are eastward semi-chems.
Photoresist for Argon Fluoride:
On the other hand, in the higher level photoresist market than for argon fluoride,
Japanese manufacturers occupy 80%,
Toshin Semichem has a market share of around 10%,
DuPont in the US is known to be 10%.
Lifeline of Samsung and SK Hynix:
High-level photoresists are “an area that is said to be an indispensable and important material in semiconductors.”
It is also important for high-level photoresists to “continue to expand the global market in the future.”
“Expansion of semiconductor equipment being promoted by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix”
That is, it means “expansion of the photoresist market”.
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