Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) has started expanding its production capacity of high-purity chlorine at its Kawasaki Plant to meet growing demand for use in the manufacture of semiconductors and liquid crystal displays (LCDs).

Specifically, the purification capacity will increase from 300 tons a year to 1,000 tons a year, and the filling capacity from 300 tons a year to 600 tons a year, both by the end of first half, 2007. Depending on the growth in demand, the filling capacity will be further increased to 1,000 tons a year by the end of 2008.

High-purity chlorine has been used mainly as an etching gas in the manufacture of semiconductors. However, its demand is now growing fast as an etching gas in LCD production for the process of providing arrays of thin-film transistors on the glass substrate. The fast growth in demand reflects the increased production of large flat panel displays.

In the manufacture of semiconductors, a variety of gases are used to cope with the progress of miniaturization of electronic devices. Although there has been a partial change in the types of gases used, demand for high-purity chlorine is expected to remain stable. Thus, the high-purity chlorine market is forecast to grow to three-times the 2005 level by 2010.

SDK is providing 18 different types of specialty gases for the three applications of etching, chamber cleaning and film-forming. Under the ongoing three-year consolidated business plan, the "Passion Project," SDK classifies its business in semiconductor-processing materials, including specialty gases, as one of the "growth drivers." SDK is planning to increase the annual sales of semiconductor-processing materials to 30 billion yen by 2008, by developing new materials and meeting customer requirements.