[One Year After Japan's Export Restrictions] Domestic Production of EUV Photoresist Within Two Years

SK Materials Development Begins
Testing by Samsung and Others

[Asia Economy Reporter Park So-yeon] It is expected that the domestic production of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photoresist, a key item in Japan's export regulations, could be successfully achieved within two years. EUV photoresist is a photosensitive material that recognizes light in semiconductor processes. Among the export regulation items such as polyimide, hydrogen fluoride, and photoresist that Japan imposed by excluding South Korea from the whitelist (security export screening preferential countries) last year, it was considered a technology difficult to commercialize.

In particular, the timing of domestic production of EUV photoresist is drawing attention as it is a material used in Samsung Electronics' next-generation semiconductor process at the Pyeongtaek line. Ahead of the first anniversary of Japan's export restrictions on South Korea, leading domestic companies have collaborated to develop advanced technologies in the materials, parts, and equipment (SoBuJang) industry, marking the entry into the second phase of domestic production.

According to the semiconductor industry on the 29th, SK Materials has begun developing EUV photoresist for domestic semiconductor production, including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. SK Materials has long supplied semiconductor materials as a local company in Yeongju, Gyeongbuk, and a partner of Samsung Electronics even before joining the SK Group in 2016.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix plan to apply samples of this material developed by SK Materials to parts of their semiconductor lines and conduct tests. They intend to repeatedly test the samples sent by SK Materials to reduce the defect rate.

Industry insiders expect that combining the technology and capital of SK and Samsung in the development of EUV photoresist will accelerate the commercialization timeline by more than half compared to the initially expected five years for domestic production. Previously, SK Materials succeeded in domestic production of ultra-high purity hydrogen fluoride within about a year of export restrictions through cooperation with domestic semiconductor companies.

SK Materials plans to open its technology gates and actively cooperate with domestic small and medium-sized enterprises developing special gases such as semiconductor materials to promote the localization of advanced materials and pioneer new business fields.