SK Hynix shifts away from Japanese input material with Korean product

RAM TECHNOLOGY

02/10/2019 05:04

SEOUL, Oct 2 (Reuters) - South Korea's SK Hynix Inc
 000660.KS  has started using a high-tech material from a Korean
supplier in its chipmaking process, a company official said on
Wednesday, shifting away from a Japanese product for the first
time.
    A SK Hynix official said it had selected an unnamed Korean
company to supply high-purity hydrogen fluoride (HF), which is
used in etching silicon materials and cleaning chips. 
    South Korean chipmakers have been looking for ways to cut
their reliance on Japanese materials since Japan imposed curbs
on exports of key input products into South Korea in July.
    The SK Hynix official, who requested anonymity due to the
sensitivity of the matter, said the company started using the
Korean brand material this week after running a months-long
quality test. The official said the company had not replaced the
entirety of the Japanese HF materials with Korean products.
    Local media reported earlier on Wednesday that SK Hynix was
testing high-quality liquid hydrogen fluoride supplied by South
Korea's Ram Technology Co Ltd  171010.KQ . Ram Technology
declined to comment.
    Japan tightened restrictions in July on exports of three
materials to South Korea, home to memory chip titans Samsung
 005930.KS  and SK Hynix, threatening to disrupt the global tech
supply chain.
    Japan provides about 70% of the world's demand for the
products: fluorinated polyimide, which is used in smartphone
displays, and photoresists and high-purity hydrogen fluoride,
which are both used for chipmaking.
    With no sign of tensions between Tokyo and Seoul abating,
Samsung has also stepped up testing of non-Japanese photoresists
and hydrogen fluoride.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N25L0AL  
    The restrictions were prompted by a decades-old row between
the Asian nations over compensations for forced South Korean
labourers at Japanese firms during World War Two. 

 (Reporting by Ju-min Park and Heekyong Yang; Editing by Jane
Wardell)
 ((ju-min.park@thomsonreuters.com; +82 2 3704 5650; Reuters
Messaging: ju-min.park.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))