Chip gas firm TEMC has won Samsung as a customer for its neon gas, which is used in chip production, TheElec has learned.
Neon gas prices have skyrocketed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started.
TEMC succeeded in producing the rare gas on its own, allowing Samsung to add them as their supplier timely, sources said.
The South Korean gas producer produces various rare gases such as Xe, and Kr as well as excimer laser gas used in chip production.
It also manufactures CF gases used in etching as well as CO, COS, and B2H6 used in the deposition process.
TEMC became SK Hynix’s tier-1 supplier in 2018. It succeeded in developing neon gas with Posco earlier this year.
Neon gas is used to produce excimer laser gas that is used in lithography.
SK Hynix began using TEMC’s neon gas in April and the supplier now accounts for around half of its uses.
Samsung normally doesn’t use suppliers to SK Hynix due to security reasons but neon gas is in such high demand while it also has equity in TEMC.
Samsung Venture Investment partook in TEMC’s 15.33 billion won share offering, buying 7.665 billion won worth of shares.
Up to the third quarter, SK Hynix accounted for 42.9% of TEMC’s revenue; Samsung accounted for 29%. The gas producer has accumulated 180 billion won in sales this year up to the third quarter.
