In the semiconductor industry, waste generation is a pressing issue as various materials are disposed of during the production processes and general operations. In response, semiconductor companies are implementing measures to minimize their environmental footprint.

For SK hynix, the company is continually improving the sustainability of its operations through various initiatives in line with its ESG framework PRISM. To mark World Environment Day on June 5, the newsroom takes a closer look at SK hynix’s leading waste management system as the company moves toward establishing a circular economy¹.

¹Circular economy: An economic model of production and consumption in which final materials are reused and recycled back into the cycle as much as possible.

Advancing Sustainability Through World-Class Waste Management

SK hynix’s waste management practices include a significant focus on recycling. The company recycled around 96% of the total waste it produced in 2022, the most recent year for which data is available, amounting to 565,206 tons of recycled waste². This represents a marked increase from 2019 when the company recycled 365,562 tons, or approximately 88% of its total waste.

²From the SK hynix Sustainability Report 2023. Figures based on domestic (Icheon, Cheongju) and overseas (Wuxi, Chongqing) recycling rates.

The increase in SK hynix’s recycling rate over the years

In recognition of its waste management efforts, SK hynix has been awarded several certifications. The company received the platinum Zero Waste to Landfill (ZWTL)³ certification, the highest level available, in 2022 after all of the company’s domestic facilities diverted 100% of waste away from landfills.

Furthermore, SK hynix became the first large company to receive the South Korean Ministry of Environment’s Circulation Resource certification in 2019 for recycling discarded IC trays⁴. The company has since received the same accreditation for recycling its nonferrous metals, synthetic resin, and electrical and electronic equipment.

³Zero Waste to Landfill (ZWTL): A certification from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) that evaluates a company’s actual waste recycling rate and landfill volume based on its level of resource recycling and the final landfill volume of residuals generated during waste disposal. The platinum ZWTL accreditation is awarded to a facility which consistently achieves a landfill waste diversion rate of 100%.
⁴IC tray: Trays that protect semiconductor products from shock, electric waves, and high temperatures when such products are moved during the production stage of wafers.

Next-Generation Technology for Innovative Waste Management

In the semiconductor industry, the disposal of consumable materials such as wafers and chemical mechanical polishing (CMP)⁵ pads can also contribute to waste generation. To reduce the amount of wafer waste, SK hynix recycles wafers using its own Wafer Regeneration technology. This technology enables non-pattern wafers, which are generally disposed of due to defects, to be reused as high-quality test wafers by improving the surface quality through the wet strip and CMP processes. These regenerated wafers can be used 100 times more than reclaim wafers, a type of recycled non-pattern wafer previously used by SK hynix. Through this system of reusing and recycling, SK hynix aims to reduce economic costs by 86.2 billion won (USD 63.2 million) and social costs by 37 billion won (USD 27.1 million) by 2025.

⁵Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP): A process performed to polish and flatten the wafer surface with various chemical and mechanical solutions. It aims to ensure the even stacking of layers as thin films deposited onto the wafer surface may develop bumps and curves during the manufacturing process.

The company also made efforts to reduce the disposal of CMP pads. These pads generate substantial amounts of waste as they are the most heavily used consumable CMP material that require frequent replacements. As a solution, SK hynix developed a technology to recycle CMP pads. Using these recycled pads instead of the disposable pads will cut costs, significantly reduce pad waste by several tons annually, and decrease the emission of harmful gases when incinerated.

To continue its strong record in recycling, SK hynix has become the first semiconductor company to establish a roadmap for the active utilization of recycled and renewable materials in production. Through the roadmap, the company aims to raise the proportion of recycled materials used in its products to 25% by 2025 and more than 30% by 2030. To achieve these goals, the company plans to acquire relevant recycling technologies and build the required infrastructure.

Racing Toward a Circular Economy

Through its accredited waste management system, SK hynix is dedicated to achieving resource circulation by optimizing material usage and recycling. The company implements advanced technology to develop innovative recycling methods which can further improve its sustainability. Looking ahead, SK hynix will enhance its waste management and recycling efforts to help establish a global circular economy and realize a greener future.

The post World Environment Day: SK hynix’s Waste Management & Recycling Initiatives Pave a Greener Road Ahead first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

In February 2024, SK hynix became the first semiconductor company to unveil a mid- to long-term roadmap for bolstering the use of recycled materials. Through the roadmap, the company aims to raise the percentage of recycled materials used in its products to 25% by 2025 and to above 30% by 2030. The development of the neon recycling technology is expected to be a significant achievement for the company’s Material Recycling department in line with this roadmap.  

Figure 1. The process for recycling neon gas

Neon is one of the rare gases¹ and a key component of excimer laser gases², which are essential in the semiconductor lithography process³. As neon does not chemically decompose or transform when used as a laser light source, it can be recycled and reused through separation and purification processes. 

Taking advantage of this characteristic, SK hynix and TEMC succeeded in developing neon recycling technology. For the recycling process, a scrubber⁴ is used to capture the neon gas which is then collected in a tank following lithography. The neon gas is then selectively separated and purified using TEMC’s gas treatment process before being supplied to SK hynix for reuse in semiconductor manufacturing. Currently, the neon recovery rate, which is measured by multiplying emissions, capture volume, and purification yield, is at 72.7%. SK hynix plans to increase this rate to 77% by continuously improving the purification yield.

¹Rare gas: Gases including helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon that exist in low concentrations in the atmosphere. Largely used in industrial processes, they are difficult to mass produce and impossible to synthesize artificially.
²Excimer laser gases: A mixture of noble, halogen and buffer gases used for an excimer laser, a type of ultraviolet laser used in lithography.
³Lithography: The process of creating patterns onto a substrate, typically silicon wafers, with a laser to define the layout of electronic components.
⁴Scrubber: Equipment that filters and treats waste gases generated during the semiconductor manufacturing process.

One-Team Collaboration with Partners Expected to Cut Neon Purchasing Costs

Figure 2. SK hynix collaborated with materials and equipment partners to recycle neon gas

SK hynix was able to develop this technology as a result of close cooperation and synergy with its materials and equipment partners which boast expertise in their respective fields. The company plans to develop more of these partnerships with industry specialists in the future.   

The application of the recycling technology offers significant benefits. When used in semiconductor fabs, the neon recycling technology is expected to cut the cost of purchasing neon by KRW 40 billion (USD 30 million⁵) per year⁶. 

⁵Based on the KRW-USD exchange rate in March 2024.
⁶This figure is based on the unit cost of neon in 2022 and expected volume that will be used in one fab of the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster.

The First Step to Developing 10 Raw Material Recycling Technologies by 2025

Figure 3. (From left to right) Hwanuk Song, Buseup Song, and Youngjun Jeong of the Material Recycling department discuss recycling innovations

The Material Recycling department led the development of the neon recycling technology. As a subcommittee of the Carbon Management Committee⁷, it is responsible for securing recycling technologies for non-chemically modified materials and establishing a recycling-friendly fab environment based on these innovations. The subcommittee aims to recycle all materials that are not chemically decomposed and transformed during the semiconductor process. By 2025, it plans to develop recycling technologies for a total of ten raw materials, including neon, deuterium, hydrogen, and helium gases, as well as chemicals such as sulfuric acid. Looking further ahead, the company aims to complete a technology review for all non-chemically modified materials by 2030. 

⁷Carbon Management Committee: A company-wide organization involving research, manufacturing, facilities, environment, and procurement to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The committee leads initiatives such as low-power equipment development, process gas reduction, and energy reduction based on AI/DT technology.

Figure 4. The five stages of developing recycling technology

To achieve these goals, the subcommittee has categorized the development of recycling technologies into five stages based on technological maturity. As shown in Figure 4, the subcommittee aims to reach stage 3 (material evaluation) for ten raw materials including neon by 2025.  

Ultimately, SK hynix plans to overcome the uncertain supply of materials which are largely imported from overseas, thereby elevating the company’s competitiveness for years to come.   

The post SK hynix Teams Up With Local Partners to Develop Pioneering Neon Gas Recycling Tech first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

• Aims to increase the percentage of recycled materials to 25% by 2025, above 30% by 2030
• Sets goals and action plans, while encouraging participation from partners
• Moves towards a circular economy by joining forces with all stakeholders

Seoul, February 6, 2024

SK hynix Inc. (or “the company”, www.skhynix.com) announced today that it has established a roadmap to actively utilize recycled¹ and renewable² materials in production, marking the first case that a semiconductor company lays out such mid- to long-term plan.

¹Recycled Materials: Materials extracted, recovered and reprocessed from pre-consumer waste generated in the manufacturing process before arrival at end users or from post-consumer waste disposed of after use.
²Renewable Materials: Sustainable materials that originate from nature and can be regenerated naturally over time, ultimately not depleted (e.g. wood, etc.).

“In order to achieve Net Zero, or Carbon Neutrality, establishing a circular economy system centered on resource recycling has become an important task for countries and companies around the world,” SK hynix said. “In line with this trend, we have decided to preemptively establish and faithfully implement the goal of increasing the use of recycled materials in stages.”

Through this roadmap, SK hynix aims to raise the proportion of recycled materials used in the products currently manufactured by the company to 25% by 2025 and more than 30% (based on weight) by 2030.

As part of the plan, SK hynix will start with essential metals for semiconductor production, such as copper, tin, and gold, and replace them with recycled materials. Industry experts point out that metal materials are the most effective when it comes to resource circulation as they account for a large proportion of the weight of finished memory products and are difficult to replace with other materials.

The company also plans to make all-out efforts to promote resource circularity, including replacing the plastic packaging used to protect finished semiconductor products with recycled plastic.

To this end, SK hynix prepared an implementation system for the goals in the roadmap.

The company will strengthen certification procedures and quality evaluation for recycled materials purchased directly by the company, and decide whether to apply the materials included in the parts supplied by business partners after receiving and reviewing the quality evaluation. In addition, SK hynix plans to encourage its suppliers to join the efforts to obtain validation from publicly trusted external organizations, such as ISO 14021³, to verify the use and proportion of recycled materials. In this process, the company will provide its unsparing support to its suppliers if necessary.

³ISO 14021: Type 2 environmental label established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that manufacturers adopt to declare themselves environmentally friendly

“As a company that takes ESG management seriously, we intend to actively participate in the establishment of a global circular economy,” said Junho Song, Vice President and Head of Advanced Quality & Analysis, of SK hynix. “While implementing this roadmap, we will work together with all stakeholders in the semiconductor supply chain, including customers and suppliers, to achieve practical results.”

Disclaimer

These materials are not an offer for sale of the securities of SK hynix Inc. in the United States. The securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. SK hynix Inc. does not intend to register any offering in the United States or to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States.

About SK hynix Inc.

SK hynix Inc., headquartered in Korea, is the world’s top tier semiconductor supplier offering Dynamic Random Access Memory chips (“DRAM”), flash memory chips (“NAND flash”) and CMOS Image Sensors (“CIS”) for a wide range of distinguished customers globally. The Company’s shares are traded on the Korea Exchange, and the Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Further information about SK hynix is available at www.skhynix.com, news.skhynix.com.

Media Contact

SK hynix Inc.
Global Public Relations

Technical Leader
Sooyeon Lee
E-Mail: global_newsroom@skhynix.com

Technical Leader
Kanga Kong
E-Mail: global_newsroom@skhynix.com

The post SK hynix Unveils Roadmap for Use of Recycled Materials first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

¹Slurry: A polishing liquid applied to surfaces prone to contact. It is used to prevent scratches on the wafer’s surface and offset the instability of the process control.

In response, SK hynix has developed technology to recycle chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) pads, a consumable material used in the wafer polishing process. This article will introduce the members who created the technology: Jaewon Jo, Joowon Kang, Juncheol Lee, and Kyungwon Kim of the Cleaning and CMP (C&C) Technology department, and Heejun Kim of the Front End (FE) Procurement department. They spoke about the pad’s development process, overcoming key challenges, and their future plans.

CMP Process: The Groundwork for Producing High-Performance Chips

As semiconductors are created by stacking multiple layers of circuits and devices on a wafer, the CMP process ensures the even stacking of layers by grinding and removing any residual substances from the wafer’s surface. Without this critical step, the surface of circuits and devices would become uneven and lead to varying wiring widths and film thicknesses. This, in turn, would impede the smooth flow of electrical signals.

▲ An overview of the CMP process

Additionally, thin films deposited onto the surface of the wafer may develop bumps and curves during the manufacturing process. To remove these imperfections, the CMP process is performed to polish and flatten the wafer surface with various chemical and mechanical solutions. These include polishing pads with a rough, sandpaper-like surface that mechanically grinds the wafer’s surface. A chuck is also used to secure the wafer in place via a vacuum, while slurry is a chemical solution which polishes the wafer. Lastly, a pad conditioner minimizes frictional wear on the curved pad during the polishing process and maintains the pad’s surface by eliminating any wafer residue or slurry.

▲ Joowon Kang explains the significance of the CMP process

Technical Leader Joowon Kang emphasized the growing significance and role of the CMP process as semiconductors continue to advance in performance and miniaturization.

“As semiconductor chips become more advanced, more layers are deposited and finer circuits are created on the wafer,” said Kang. “This increases the number of polishing cycles, making it necessary to implement a more precise process.”

Recycling Pads: Preserving the Environment & Reducing Costs

As the role of the CMP process has grown, the use of consumable materials has skyrocketed and resulted in more waste. In fact, the amount of consumable waste in the semiconductor industry increased by around a quarter between 2019 and 2022.

Searching for solutions with related departments while taking into account productivity and ESG factors, Jaewon Jo, a team leader in the C&C Technology department, concluded that the most effective method to reduce this substantial waste was to focus on recycling the pads.

▲ A breakdown of the CMP materials used at SK hynix in 2022

“Pads generate a substantial amount of waste as they are the most heavily used consumable CMP material that require frequent replacements,” explained Jo. “Furthermore, the primary material of the pads is polyurethane, a polymeric compound extracted from petroleum that can take a lengthy time to degrade naturally and emits significant hazardous emissions when incinerated. In the end, it seemed that recycling the pads would minimize our environmental impact and also decrease costs by reducing the use of consumable materials.”

▲ Heejun Kim talks about the economic impact of recycling pads

According to Technical Leader Heejun Kim, SK hynix uses more than 10,000 pads every month. “We proactively explored recycling solutions as the use of pads has been on the rise in line with the semiconductor industry’s growth,” Kim said, recalling the inception of the technology’s development.

Developing a Technology for Recycling CMP Pads

▲ Jaewon Jo (center) elaborates on the required specifications for a recycled pad

There were several criteria to meet when developing the recycling pads, including high performance, equipment compatibility, environmental friendliness, and cost-effectiveness. In addition, there was a major hurdle to overcome to ensure the success of the project. It was essential for the pads to be developed using SK hynix’s very own technology.

“There was already a patent from a competitor in the market that recycled the pads,” said Jo. Recalling the early days of development, he said that his team “aimed to devise our own original solution that could be competitive in the market without infringing on existing patents.”

▲ Kyungwon Kim inspects the surface of a recycled pad sample

Accordingly, the team needed to combat an issue related to the surface pattern, which Technical Leader Kyungwon Kim identified as the pad’s most important aspect. “As the pad becomes unusable once its pattern wears out, we thought of recreating the pattern on the used pad so that it could perform at the same level as a new pad.” By recreating the pattern, the team aimed to improve the pad’s cost-effectiveness compared to competitor products.

▲ The development team discuss the specifications and possible patterns of the pads

Jo and Kyungwon Kim of the C&C Technology department collaborated with partner companies to research the specifications and methods for recreating the patterns on the recycled pads. Meanwhile, fellow team members Kang and Juncheol Lee inspected the recycled pad samples by applying them to the actual CMP process. Lastly, Heejun Kim from the FE Procurement department reviewed the economic feasibility of the recycled pads.

▲ Juncheol Lee explains the specifications of a recycled pad

In October 2023, just ten months after the start of the project, the team successfully developed recycled pads that matched the performance of new pads. “As data from the wafer test confirmed that there is no discernible difference in performance between new and recycled pads when applied to the actual mass production process, we plan to gradually introduce recycled pads to the Touch CMP² process starting next year,” said Lee. “This process is less complex compared to other CMP processes and carries a lower risk of errors.”

²Touch CMP: A process that wipes away small particles and residue from the wafer’s surface.

Kyungwon Kim expects that using recycled pads rather than conventional disposable pads in the Touch CMP process will save about KRW 1.2 billion (around USD 1 million) in costs. “Most importantly, with pad waste projected to fall by several tons annually through this process alone, the emission of harmful gases such as nitrogen oxide during incineration is also set to decrease,” he said.

▲ The CMP pad development team proudly holding samples of the recycled pads (from left to right: Joowon Kang, Juncheol Lee, Jaewon Jo, Kyungwon Kim, and Heejun Kim)

Expanding the Project’s Horizons in 2024

Looking ahead to 2024, the team plans to build on the success of their recycled pads project. “In the coming year, we plan to explore methods to make raw and base materials out of used pads to help mitigate environmental pollution and establish a virtuous cycle of resource utilization,” Kyungwon Kim said. “We will continue solving environmental challenges with sustainable technologies.”

The post Innovative Minds, Sustainable Solutions: The Journey of Recycling CMP Pads first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

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Water is an essential resource. Not only for our planet, but also for the technology we create. In fact, water and water management are crucial for the semiconductor industry. While many might not know it, the production of semiconductors requires a large amount of water, that left unregulated, can contribute to pollution and waste.

In the semiconductor manufacturing process, we rely on “Ultra-Pure Water,” or UPW, that is free of all ions, particles, chlorine or silica to produce semiconductor that are free of contaminants. Once used, this water is discharged from the system as “wastewater” that must be treated and properly discharged – or reused.

That’s why the use, reuse, treatment and effluent of water is an important issue for SK hynix, especially as demand for semiconductors continues to grow around the world.

For SK hynix, water management is a serious commitment that spans across our global network. SK hynix currently operates four sites in South Korea and China, and plans to establish another in Yongin, South Korea to accommodate the ever-growing demand for semiconductors.

Types and Definition of Water in the Semiconductor Industry

Water management in the semiconductor manufacturing industry can be classified into three areas:

1. Water-for-use: Manages proper quality and quantity of supply water quality for semiconductor manufacturing processes.
2. Wastewater management: Treats wastewater discharged from processes and facilities.
3. Recycle water: Secures industrial water effectively.

Water-for-use can be defined as “water used for a specific purpose” and there may be a difference in the quality of the water supplied according to the purpose of use. In the semiconductor industry, it is often classified into UPW, industrial water (water required for facilities), and residential water – which are all treated and supplied according to the properties of each water.

The water supply line of the SK hynix headquarters in Icheon is being operated in a dual system. Two water intake sources including the water pipe network from the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) are being operated stably. Through this, SK hynix is securing the stability of the water supply.

Figure 1. Water-for-use Process

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Wastewater can be defined as “water that cannot be used as it is, due to the liquid or solid water contaminants thereof.” In the semiconductor industry, wastewater is typically generated after the treatment of contaminants in the wafer cleaning process and air pollution prevention facility.

For wastewater treatment, SK hynix is operating a treatment system that includes advanced treatment such as activated carbon and a total phosphorous removing apparatus.

Recycle water can be defined as the water used for residential and industrial purposes, after being treated in facilities that make the sewage and wastewater reusable. In the semiconductor industry, water generated during the process is mainly treated and reused after securing the required water quality according to the place of use.

The water used, recycled, and circulated by SK hynix can be explained in Figure 2 below.

Figure 2. Diagram of Water Flow at SK hynix’s sites

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Figure 3. Reverse osmosis system

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Ultra-Pure Water (UPW) is water that has been purified to very strict specifications and is used primarily in the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries. The wastewater recycling system re-supplies the wastewater by treating it to the level of industrial water through the Ultra-Filtration (UF)¹ and Reverse Osmosis (RO)² processes in the wastewater treatment plant. The recycle water is supplied by classifying the supply destinations according to the required water quality. The UF is a filter treatment method that filters the water up to 2nm. The RO method is a process for obtaining clean water through a pressure stronger than the osmotic pressure and is mainly used when purifying seawater.

Figure 4. Water Recycle System of SK hynix

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Water Management Strategy and Goals of SK hynix

Semiconductors are a mainstay of the larger electronics industry, providing an essential function for many of the electronic devices we rely on every day.

As demand for semiconductors grows, so do the pressures on water usage, treatment and management within the industry. To rise to the challenge, SK hynix has established a series of initiatives to reclaim used wastewater, reduce waste and improve efficiency.

Through the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)³, SK hynix also plans to expand the eco-friendly product certification by evaluating and improving the water consumption and environmental impact in the entire product life cycle.

SK hynix plans to formulate “the definition of water in the semiconductor industry” through the World Semiconductor Council (WSC) and lead a joint effort towards water reclamation.

By 2021, SK hynix plans to improve the quality of discharged water by integrating wastewater that has been treated and discharged from some aged wastewater treatment facilities into an advanced integrated wastewater treatment facility. By 2022, The Company aims to reclaim an average of 62,000 tons of water per day on sites in South Korea.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), the main water quality index among legal standards, is managed within 10% compared to legal standards which is 30mg/ℓ (legal standard 30mg/ℓ, company standard 2.4mg/ℓ), and investment and maintenance are being promoted.

SK hynix is confident it will achieve these goals by establishing a recycle system at the rear end of the wastewater treatment plant and the forming a company-wide used water and wastewater reduction Task Force Team. We strive to maintain a healthy balance between economic and social values, and it is why we believe in creating technology for a better world.

Figure 5. (Left) Jang Hwan Moon TL / Environment Management Team,
(Center) No Hyeok Park Team Leader / Environment Management Team,
(Right) Hyuk Hwa Kwon TL / CR Team

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¹RO is a method of obtaining clean water through a pressure stronger than osmotic pressure. This method is mainly used for purifying seawater and can be used as an advanced water treatment system.
²UF is a filtering device that filters up to 2nm. This plays the role of screening before entering the RO system
³Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method of evaluating the environmental impact in consideration of the entire life cycle of the evaluated product. By using this method, the Company has been obtaining carbon/water footprint certification. LCA is a method for assessing the environmental impact of the entire life cycle of a product.

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