Fujifilm announces new advanced semiconductor materials facility in South Korea

 

 

Last week, Fujifilm announced plans to build an advanced semiconductor materials manufacturing facility in PyeongTaek City in the Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. The plant will manufacture color filter materials for image sensors. The manufacturing facility will be Fujifilm's second in South Korea, joining an existing plant that produces Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) slurries. These slurries are used to polish and level semiconductor surfaces.

Fujifilm's announcement states that the company already "boasts over 80% global share in color filter materials for image sensors," per Fujifilm's internal data. The new manufacturing facility aims to bolster the company's strength, and the plant will feature "cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities and state-of-the-art evaluation equipment to enable the production of high-quality and high-performance products."

It's unclear for what products the color filters will be used. Fujifilm mentions that image sensors are a type of semiconductor that converts light into electrical signals, as we know, and that image sensors are used in a wide variety of products, including digital cameras, smartphones and other devices, such as autonomous vehicles and security devices. Fujifilm also states that it expects the image sensor market to grow by 7% per year. However, the press release doesn't mention Fujifilm's X or GFX cameras specifically.

 

It's unclear if any color filter materials manufactured at the new plant in South Korea will be used for Fujifilm's digital cameras, such as its X Series or GFX cameras.

Given Fujifilm's 80% market share of color filter materials for image sensors, it's no surprise that the company has multiple existing production sites, including plants in Japan and Taiwan. The new manufacturing plant in South Korea will facilitate the production of color filter materials that target a broader wavelength range.

The release mentions Wave Control Mosaic (WCM), specifically. Fujifilm describes WCM as follows: "Wave Control Mosaic and Color Mosaic technology comprises a series of pigmented, negative tone, photosensitive imaging materials used to produce color filter arrays and optical layers. The Wave Control Mosaic and Color Mosaic technology provides color filters with high transparency and colorimetric purity and also includes black materials for efficient light blocking / shielding needs. These Wave Control Mosaic and Color Mosaic materials are used by manufacturers worldwide to produce color filters for incorporation into leading-edge Image Sensor (IS) devices and other sensing devices.

You can read much more about Fujifilm's semiconductor business on Fujifilm's business website. In total, Fujifilm lists 35 semiconductor products and solutions for various imaging needs, including enterprise, consumer and medical applications. The new plant in South Korea is already under construction, and Fujifilm anticipates it to begin operations in the spring of 2024.

(Via DPReview)