A subsidiary of China-based Hunan Kaimeite Gases has recently announced that its lithography gas product has been certified as a qualified supplier of Cymer, a subsidiary of Dutch chipmaking equipment manufacturer ASML. However, ASML indicates that the Chinese company has not confirmed the content of its announcement with ASML, thus the accuracy of the relevant content does not represent ASML's official view.
According to the announcement, the subsidiary of Kaimeite Gases which specializes in producing electronic specialty gas (ESG) received the certification letter from Cymer on February 2. The letter stated that Kaimeite ESG's lithography gas product has passed Cymer's review and has been added to the list of qualified suppliers.
Cymer is an "independently operated business within the ASML group" and is a leading provider of excimer laser light sources. Cymer invented and now develops, manufactures, and services deep-ultraviolet (DUV) light sources required for lithography technology, the most important part of semiconductor manufacturing. Its product combinations include excimer lasers that produce DUV by using Argon Fluoride (ArF) and Krypton Fluoride (KrF) gases.
Kaimeite stated that this certification is an acknowledgment by Cymer of the company's production capability and product quality in lithography gases. It's also a reflection of the company's comprehensive strength and competitive advantage in advanced production, cylinder inner wall, and gas analysis technology.
According to the claims on Chinese media Ijiwei, Kaimeite is not the first Chinese ESG manufacturer to be verified by ASML. Before Kaimeite, Guangdong Huate Gas's four self-developed hybrid gases were already certified by ASML back in 2017. The four gases are Argon/Fluorine/Neon (Ar/F/Ne), Krypton/Neon (Kr/Ne), Ar/Ne, and Kr/F/Ne.
