Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation is moving to reinforce its position within the cutting-edge semiconductor materials market, declaring plans to commercialize ultra-high-purity colloidal silica for advanced semiconductor polishing applications.
The company will build new manufacturing facilities at its Kyushu Plant in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, with commercial operations planned to begin in October 2028.
The material will be used as a raw material for polishing agents for silicon wafers and for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) slurries used on silicon wafer interconnect layers.
As semiconductor production pushes towards increasingly smaller and more complicated structures, polishing strategies need to supply high material removal rates while obtaining nanoscale surface flatness, controlling impurities and minimizing scratches. The needed particle shape and physical properties of colloidal silica vary relying on the material being polished.
Mitsubishi Chemical stated its new ultra-high-purity colloidal silica will be produced through an incorporated process using of ultra-high-purity tetramethoxysilane designed to minimize impurities.
The company will also also draw on its long-standing technical expertise to tailor main properties, inclusive of particle size and density, to meet individual customer necessities.
The move comes as demand for advanced semiconductors is anticipated to accelerate, fueled by fast growth in generative AI and data centers.
Under its management vision, “KAITEKI Vision 35,” Mitsubishi Chemical has identified “Allow advanced data processing and telecommunications” as a main business focus. The company said the new business will assist that strategy by supplying critical materials for advanced semiconductor production and reinforcing the worldwide materials supply chain underpinning semiconductor technology.
With commercial manufacturing targeted for 2028, Mitsubishi Chemical is positioning ultra-high-purity colloidal silica as another critical material in the race to satisfy the demands of next-generation semiconductor production.
