LG Display Also Using Home-made Etching Gas
Samsung Electronics has begun to use for semiconductor production hydrogen fluoride that a South Korean company supplied based on raw materials imported from China and Taiwan. Hydrogen fluoride is a key element for semiconductor chip production and display cleaning.
“We began to use non-Japanese hydrogen fluoride for some of our manufacturing processes and products and the use of the chemical compound will be expanded from less sensitive processes to more sensitive ones,” Samsung Electronics explained.
The Japanese government has restricted the export of three semiconductor and display materials, including hydrogen fluoride, to South Korea since early July this year. Samsung Electronics began to test alternatives at the same time and the test has been completed about one month earlier than expected.
LG Display is already using domestically supplied hydrogen fluoride in its manufacturing processes and Samsung Display is expected to complete its tests in the near future. SK Hynix is currently testing some substitutes, too. It is said that SK Hynix is about to actually use the substitutes.