Gas supplier Air Liquide of Paris, France, which supplies precursors for semiconductor manufacturing, has agreed to acquire Voltaix Inc of Branchburg, NJ, USA, a manufacturer of materials used in the production of semiconductor devices and advanced solar cells. The acquisition is expected to close later this summer, pending applicable regulatory approvals.
Founded in 1986, Voltaix has expertise in silicon, germanium, and boron chemistries. It operates manufacturing facilities in the USA in Branchburg (New Jersey), High Springs (Florida) and Portland (Pennsylvania) and in South Korea in Sejong-si (South Chungcheong Province), and employs 185 staff.
Air Liquide says that it uses a comprehensive process for designing, screening and industrializing precursors in close cooperation with semiconductor manufacturers and process tool makers. In particular, as well as chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursors for sub-130nm technology (with capabilities ranging from ton-level of low-k materials down to few grams of sub-45nm R&D products), the ALOHA product line includes proprietary process solutions, such as AHEAD or TSA for the deposition of low-temperature silicon nitride, TDEAA as a non-pyrophoric TMA (trimethyl aluminium) substitute, or ToRuS for carbon-free, high-adhesion ruthenium ALD.
The acquisition of Voltaix complements Air Liquide’s ALOHA product line and brings synergies in molecule discovery and scale up. Air Liquide reckons that this should help to accelerate the introduction of a broader portfolio of new semiconductor manufacturing materials that will enable increases in computing power and connectivity.
“Joining the resources and expertise of our two companies will expand our product offering for semiconductor manufacturers around the world,” says Michael J. Graff, senior VP Americas and a member of Air Liquide’s executive committee. “Our continuous innovation on new molecules allows us to timely meet the growing consumer demand for increasingly powerful flat screens, tablets and smart phones,” he adds.
