Critini Analyst: Semiconductor-grade CO2 in Urgent Need, Samsung and SK Hynix Racing to Secure Supply, Remaining Inventory Falls Below One-Month Supply Line

BlockBeats News, June 28th, Analyst Jukan from Critini Research cited industry sources, stating that the purchase of high-purity carbon dioxide used in advanced semiconductor processes has raised a warning signal. The root of the problem lies not in demand, but in the sharp drop in CO2 production of upstream raw materials, as the operating rates of refineries and petrochemical plants have declined, leading to a substantial reduction in CO2 by-product output. Semiconductor manufacturers and suppliers typically hold about two weeks' worth of inventory, totaling approximately a month's usage. However, the industry generally believes that current inventory levels have fallen below this critical threshold.

Industry data shows that Samsung Electronics consumes about 1800 to 2000 tons of high-purity CO2 per month, while SK Hynix uses around 600 to 700 tons per month. Although production at both companies has not been interrupted, inventory buffers are continuously shrinking, and procurement efforts have significantly increased. Even with price increases, it is difficult to secure additional supply in the short term due to the physical constraint of upstream raw material shortages. The price of liquefied CO2 has risen by about 20% since the beginning of the year, and the industry expects the tight supply situation to continue until the end of the year. Major high-purity CO2 suppliers in South Korea include Taekyung Chemical, Sundo Chemical, Dongkwang Chemical, and SK Air Plus, with Taekyung Chemical being recognized as the industry leader.

High-purity CO2 is heavily used in the advanced process of supercritical cleaning, where CO2, in its supercritical state, combines the dissolving power of a liquid with the permeation ability of a gas. This allows it to penetrate deep into extremely narrow pattern gaps to remove residues and contaminants, which is crucial for advanced chips with tight pattern spaces and large step heights. CO2 raw material comes as a by-product from processes in refining, petrochemicals, and hydrogen production. The instability in global oil supply and demand caused by the US-Iran conflict and Middle East tensions has led to a decrease in domestic petrochemical plant operating rates, directly impacting the semiconductor material sector. As stated by material experts: "Following helium, anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, and PGMEA, now even CO2 is facing issues. The risk of Middle East oil is spilling over repeatedly into the semiconductor material field, indicating a deep intertwining of the materials supply chain with refining and petrochemical by-products."