SK hynix announced on April 1 that it has successfully developed the industry’s first neon gas recycling technology with TEMC, a South Korean specialty gas manufacturer for the semiconductor sector. As recent geopolitical instability has increased uncertainty regarding the import-reliant supply of neon, SK hynix’s collaboration with local partners looks to tackle this issue and has led to a significant achievement within a year.
In February 2024, SK hynix became the first semiconductor company to unveil a mid- to long-term roadmap for bolstering the use of recycled materials. Through the roadmap, the company aims to raise the percentage of recycled materials used in its products to 25% by 2025 and to above 30% by 2030. The development of the neon recycling technology is expected to be a significant achievement for the company’s Material Recycling department in line with this roadmap.
Figure 1. The process for recycling neon gas
Neon is one of the rare gases1 and a key component of excimer laser gases2, which are essential in the semiconductor lithography process3. As neon does not chemically decompose or transform when used as a laser light source, it can be recycled and reused through separation and purification processes.
Taking advantage of this characteristic, SK hynix and TEMC succeeded in developing neon recycling technology. For the recycling process, a scrubber4 is used to capture the neon gas which is then collected in a tank following lithography. The neon gas is then selectively separated and purified using TEMC’s gas treatment process before being supplied to SK hynix for reuse in semiconductor manufacturing. Currently, the neon recovery rate, which is measured by multiplying emissions, capture volume, and purification yield, is at 72.7%. SK hynix plans to increase this rate to 77% by continuously improving the purification yield.
1Rare gas: Gases including helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon that exist in low concentrations in the atmosphere. Largely used in industrial processes, they are difficult to mass produce and impossible to synthesize artificially.
2Excimer laser gases: A mixture of noble, halogen and buffer gases used for an excimer laser, a type of ultraviolet laser used in lithography.
3Lithography: The process of creating patterns onto a substrate, typically silicon wafers, with a laser to define the layout of electronic components.
4Scrubber: Equipment that filters and treats waste gases generated during the semiconductor manufacturing process.
One-Team Collaboration with Partners Expected to Cut Neon Purchasing Costs
Figure 2. SK hynix collaborated with materials and equipment partners to recycle neon gas
SK hynix was able to develop this technology as a result of close cooperation and synergy with its materials and equipment partners which boast expertise in their respective fields. The company plans to develop more of these partnerships with industry specialists in the future.
The application of the recycling technology offers significant benefits. When used in semiconductor fabs, the neon recycling technology is expected to cut the cost of purchasing neon by KRW 40 billion (USD 30 million5) per year6.
5Based on the KRW-USD exchange rate in March 2024.
6This figure is based on the unit cost of neon in 2022 and expected volume that will be used in one fab of the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster.
The First Step to Developing 10 Raw Material Recycling Technologies by 2025
Figure 3. (From left to right) Hwanuk Song, Buseup Song, and Youngjun Jeong of the Material Recycling department discuss recycling innovations
The Material Recycling department led the development of the neon recycling technology. As a subcommittee of the Carbon Management Committee7, it is responsible for securing recycling technologies for non-chemically modified materials and establishing a recycling-friendly fab environment based on these innovations. The subcommittee aims to recycle all materials that are not chemically decomposed and transformed during the semiconductor process. By 2025, it plans to develop recycling technologies for a total of ten raw materials, including neon, deuterium, hydrogen, and helium gases, as well as chemicals such as sulfuric acid. Looking further ahead, the company aims to complete a technology review for all non-chemically modified materials by 2030.
7Carbon Management Committee: A company-wide organization involving research, manufacturing, facilities, environment, and procurement to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The committee leads initiatives such as low-power equipment development, process gas reduction, and energy reduction based on AI/DT technology.
Figure 4. The five stages of developing recycling technology
To achieve these goals, the subcommittee has categorized the development of recycling technologies into five stages based on technological maturity. As shown in Figure 4, the subcommittee aims to reach stage 3 (material evaluation) for ten raw materials including neon by 2025.
Ultimately, SK hynix plans to overcome the uncertain supply of materials which are largely imported from overseas, thereby elevating the company’s competitiveness for years to come.
