Participants cut the ribbon during the opening ceremony of Merck's new chip materials R&D center in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Attendees include Kim Woo-kyu, managing director of Merck Korea (third from left), Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon (sixth from left) and Merck Electronics CEO Kai Beckmann (seventh from left). (Merck Korea)

German technology firm Merck said Thursday it has opened its latest spin-on-dielectric (SOD) application center in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province in a bid to respond quickly to its customer needs here.

The company held the opening ceremony of the latest facility at the production site that same day. Attendees include senior executives of Merck and its key clients, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.

The new facility, the second of its kind in Asia, is equipped with advanced technology for measuring and analyzing SOD materials coated on silicon dioxide films and will be operating as part of Merck’s global research and development network.

SOD is an essential material used in semiconductor manufacturing. It is used to insulate and isolate different layers of semiconductor devices, facilitating the miniaturization and performance enhancement of electronic components.

The facility will accelerate the development of SOD materials for advanced memory and logic chips in response to the growing trend of artificial intelligence within the semiconductor market.

This is part of Merck’s announcement made in 2021 that it would spend 600 million euros ($634 million) in Korea by 2025 to expand its production capacity and bolster R&D capabilities in the chip material industry. According to the company, it has already spent more than half that amount.

“Today’s opening marks another significant step in our journey to drive innovation in the semiconductor industry,” said Kai Beckmann, a member of Merck’s executive board and CEO of the electronics division. “The breakthroughs that will come from this lab will help shape the future of semiconductor technology, allowing us to meet the rapidly evolving demands of the digital world.”

“As a leading material intelligence leader in the global electronics industry, Merck is dedicated to supporting its Korean customers, a global leader in the semiconductor market. ... This time, we have opened the SOD application center in Korea. It marks a significant part of Merck's strategy to enhance its capabilities as an innovation and production hub in Korea,” said Kim Woo-kyu, managing director of Merck Korea.