Resonac Corporation is moving to sharply expand its semiconductor materials business.
The company has announced plans to launch production of high-purity hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas at its Tokuyama Plant in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture by 2026.
The move will create a dual-site production system in Japan, alongside existing output at its Kawasaki Plant in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
The company said the expansion is aimed at strengthening supply stability as demand for high-purity gases accelerates across advanced chip manufacturing.
High-purity HF gas is a critical material used in semiconductor etching processes for circuit formation on wafers, and demand is rising alongside the rapid growth of data centers and AI-driven applications. As chip architectures shift toward three-dimensional, high-density integration, manufacturers increasingly require gases capable of supporting ultra-fine, deep, multi-layer structures.
One key enabler is cryogenic etching, a technique performed at extremely low temperatures that protects sidewalls during processing and allows for deeper, smoother, and more precise microstructures than conventional methods.
High-purity hydrogen fluoride plays a central role in these advanced processes, including oxide film removal, and rising adoption of cryogenic etching is pushing the industry toward even stricter purity and supply requirements.
In response, Resonac Corporation is scaling up production capacity to match projected demand growth, positioning its two-site system to deliver more stable and responsive supply.
The company already provides a broad portfolio of high-purity gases for semiconductor etching and film deposition, and says the expansion will further strengthen its role in the fast-growing semiconductor materials market.
