Samsung, Merck tie up for new chip materials

By Kim Yoo-chul

Samsung Electronics is teaming with Merck of Germany to develop cost-effective, next-generation materials for semiconductor equipment.

Merck said new imaging materials could enable major semiconductor makers to develop advanced integrated circuits and microelectronic technologies, many of which could be used in consumer electronic devices such as smartphones.

“Lithography shrinking is the primary driver for device scaling, which in turn brings about voltage and power reduction,” a Samsung official said.

“With top semiconductor makers migrating to thinner manufacturing technologies, we need new materials for smooth technology migration. Merck’s development of new materials makes sense.”

He said Samsung would strengthen its partnership with Merck to cut costs in chip equipment.

From a technology point of view, the shorter the wavelength of light that is used, the higher the possible resolution in the lithographic process.

With 20-nanometer processor technology, which is the mainstream technology in the industry, all chip majors were being forced to move to double patterning to get the necessary resolution, officials said.

Samsung Electronics President Kim Ki-nam said the company was working on 10-nanometer semiconductor technology, stressing that the chips would be a major step toward the Internet of Things era.

“To manufacture 10-nanamoter chips, you should have high-quality extreme ultraviolet (EUV) machines,” a company official said.

“ASML of the Netherlands is the EUV leader. But the thing is that ASML’s EUV gear costs millions of dollars per machine, meaning that Samsung needs to cut its reliance on a certain company in cooperation with other developers such as Merck.”

EUV machines help shrink the size of chips while increasing their capacity and speed for devices such as smartphones.

Samsung has been consistent in developing thinner chip-making technologies to cut costs and increase efficiency of the chips.