INTERVIEW: Resonac to Propel Advanced Chip R&D

Silicon Valley, May 17 (Jiji Press)–Japanese chemicals maker Resonac Holdings Corp. will step up efforts to develop cutting-edge semiconductors at a newly opened joint research hub in Silicon Valley, Hidehito Takahashi, the company’s CEO, said in a recent interview. Takahashi said Resonac will pursue new technologies “at a high revolution” at the research and development center set up in April by 12 Japanese and U.S. companies active in chip businesses, also including major Japanese printing firm Toppan Holdings Inc. and U.S. chemicals giant 3M Co. The R&D center focuses on technologies for the back-end semiconductor manufacturing process of transforming wafers fabricated in the front-end process into finished products. Now that wafer miniaturization is coming close to a limit, “even the performance of chips for artificial intelligence needs to be improved in the back-end process,” Takahashi said. Also underscoring the importance of learning demand from technology giants early, he expressed hope that the Silicon Valley foothold helps establish smooth communication with client firms “from a concept stage.” With the new R&D base, “we can predict upcoming chip design trends and fresh demand for materials,” he added. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]