Samsung Electronics has introduced extreme ultraviolet photoresist (PR) developed by a South Korean company for high-tech processes into its large-scale production line, according to reports.In July 2019, after three years of efforts to localize photoresist production in South Korea, the Japanese side announced restrictions on exports to South Korea of three important semiconductor and OLED panel raw materials, including fluorinated polyimide, photoresist, and high-purity hydrogen fluoride.

Samsung Electronics was found to be using Dongjin Semichem’s photoresist in one of their semiconductor process (layer) lines, which passed Samsung Electronics’ reliability test last year and was used in a large-scale production line in less than a year. A process line is only a very small part of Samsung Electronics’ overall process, but it has special significance because it is a product that was previously completely dependent on imports. Previously, Korea relied 100% on imports of photoresists from Japan and other countries.

Since Samsung uses this product for actual semiconductor production, Dongjin Shimaken became the first company to localize photoresists and bring them to mass production levels. Young Chang Chemical and SK Material Performance are also developing photoresists, but they have not yet reached the level of reliability verification.

Photoresist, an etch-resistant thin film material whose solubility changes after light or radiation such as UV, deep UV, electron beam, ion beam, X-rays, etc., is a key material in the photolithography process and is mainly used in the processing of fine graphics for integrated circuits and discrete devices.

From the overall industry, the global photoresist market is highly concentrated, with Japan and the United States controlling the majority of the market share. Japan’s JSR, Tokyo Chemical, Shin-Etsu Chemical and Fujifilm are four companies that occupy more than 70% of the global market share, a solid monopoly position.

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