ADEKA Corporation will expand production capacity for photoacid generators (PAGs) used in advanced semiconductor photoresists, including those for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, as demand for cutting-edge chipmaking materials continues to accelerate.
The company will install a new production line inside an existing building at its Chiba Plant in Sodegaura, Chiba Prefecture. Commercial operations are scheduled to begin in September 2028.
The expansion comes as the global semiconductor industry enters a period of sustained investment. With semiconductors increasingly viewed as strategic materials, worldwide spending is accelerating and the market is expected to reach approximately US$1.5 trillion by 2026.
That growth is fueling demand for photoresists, which are critical to the increasingly fine patterning required for advanced chips. At the same time, next-generation lithography and tighter environmental requirements—including the shift toward PFAS-free materials—are placing unprecedented demands on material performance and quality.
ADEKA has made advanced lithography a strategic priority within its semiconductor materials business, focusing on technologies requiring ultra-fine patterning, including argon fluoride (ArF) and EUV lithography.
The company has been expanding its development and supply capabilities for PAGs used in chemically amplified resists (CAR), as well as organometallic compounds used in metal oxide resists (MOR).
The latest investment will specifically boost production capacity for EUV lithography PAGs, where demand remains strong. It will also further optimize manufacturing under strict metal-contamination controls of 1 part per billion (1 ppb).
ADEKA is simultaneously accelerating development of next-generation PAG monomers, including polymer-bound PAGs, for EUV and High-NA EUV lithography. The work is being carried out at the company’s Semiconductor Innovation Center in Kuki, Saitama Prefecture, which began full-scale operations in July 2026.
By combining the new production capacity with its expanded R&D capabilities, ADEKA said it will strengthen its ability to meet future semiconductor materials demand, bringing forward its supply-readiness efforts by two years.
The company plans to continue expanding its semiconductor materials business around two core areas: PAGs for advanced photoresists and metal compounds for MORs, while driving further innovation in advanced lithography technologies.
