China Developing Chipmaking Photoresist Supply Chain

China is making significant progress in developing its own supply chain for high-purity photoresists, a critical component in advanced chip manufacturing. This comes as China strives to build a self-sufficient semiconductor industry. The Importance of Photoresists Photoresists are essential for creating chips on advanced production nodes. They are categorized by exposure wavelengths, including: Broadband UV (300–450nm) G-line (436nm) I-line (365nm) KrF (248nm) ArF (193nm) EUV (13.5nm) Electron beam types The most advanced photoresists, KrF, ArF, and EUV, are dominated by major players from Japan and the U.S., such as JSR, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo, Shin-Etsu Chemical, Sumitomo Chemical, Fujifilm, and DuPont. China's Progress Chinese companies such as Shanghai Sinyang, Rachem, and Bcpharma have made progress in producing entry-level photoresists, but they face challenges in competing in the high-end market. Currently, China's domestic penetration rates remain low for these types: Approximately 20% f…