“去日本化”？韩国SK海力士开发国产EUV光刻胶

Core Viewpoint - SK Hynix is collaborating with Dongjin Semichem to develop high-performance EUV photoresist, aiming for domestic supply of this critical semiconductor material and reducing reliance on Japan [1][4]. Group 1: Development and Collaboration - SK Hynix requires materials with performance superior to Japanese products, specifically seeking to improve the sensitivity of photoresists to enhance production efficiency [1]. - The company has not denied the reports but stated that specific development details cannot be disclosed, while confirming ongoing collaborations with multiple companies to improve production efficiency [1]. Group 2: Market Context and Dependency - The necessity for photoresist development has increased with the rising number of EUV layers in DRAM, with expectations for further increases in EUV technology for products below 10nm [3]. - Currently, Japanese suppliers dominate the high-end photoresist market, particularly in advanced processes below 7nm, leading to a significant dependency of Korean companies like SK Hynix and Samsung on Japanese suppliers [3]. - South Korea's dependency on Japanese photoresist imports has decreased from 93.2% in 2018 to an estimated 65.4% in 2024, alongside a 62.5% drop in imports of high-purity hydrogen fluoride from Japan [3]. Group 3: Challenges Ahead - SK Hynix previously achieved partial domestic production of EUV photoresist through its subsidiary SK Materials Performance, but this was limited to lower-spec products [4]. - The complexity of EUV photoresist technology is significantly higher than that of traditional ArF photoresist, posing challenges for South Korea to achieve self-sufficiency in advanced semiconductor processes [4]. - The development of materials requires substantial time and investment, with high entry barriers in the EUV photoresist market, making it difficult to predict the outcomes of the collaboration between SK Hynix and Dongjin Semichem [4].