Semiconductors power the digital world, from smartphones and data centers to EVs, robotics and AI. As devices shrink and performance demands grow, meeting expectations starts with the right materials.
Semiconductors control how electrical charges, and therefore information, move through carefully engineered layers. This is done by depositing ultra‑thin metal films in precise locations so they are able to carry electrical and thermal signals in devices. The quality of these layers directly affects performance, lifetime and reliability. “As chips become smaller and structures more complex, material quality becomes even more critical”, explains Volker, Senior Sales Manager Global Semiconductor at Metal Deposition Solutions. “Small deviations can have a real impact on functionality.”
Why materials matter
At Umicore, advanced materials play a central role in semiconductor innovation. Through our Metal Deposition Solutions business, we support the semiconductor industry with solutions designed to enable next‑generation performance while improving reliability and cost efficiency.
Technology keeps evolving, and semiconductor manufacturing has to evolve with it. That evolution depends on how precisely we can engineer and control materials at microscopic scale.
Electroplating is a key process as it allows the deposition of ultra‑thin, highly controlled conductive layers, enabling the production of smaller, faster and more energy‑efficient microchips. These capabilities are essential for applications such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things, advanced connectivity and automotive systems.
Supporting advanced packaging
One of the major shifts in the semiconductor industry today is the move towards advanced packaging explains Volker: “Instead of focusing only on scaling individual chips, manufacturers increasingly rely on complex interconnections and integration to improve performance.”
Umicore’s patented IntraCu® copper electroplating additive system was developed specifically to support these next‑generation packaging approaches. “IntraCu® allows us to tailor copper properties to very specific application needs” Volker says. “It gives manufacturers greater control over electrical and mechanical performance, while also improving process stability.”
Efficiency is equally important. “Our solutions help reduce defects, extend process windows and limit material waste”, he adds. “That leads to more reliable production and a lower total cost of ownership.”
A broader materials ecosystem
Beyond copper additives, Umicore offers a broad portfolio supporting the full semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. High‑purity copper oxide powders enable stable metal replenishment in electrochemical deposition tools, while advanced electrode solutions contribute to improved process control and durability.
In addition, Umicore’s Thin Film Products business line supplies sputtering targets, evaporation materials and accessories used in thin‑film applications across advanced packaging, compound semiconductors and silicon front‑end processes. These products are at the heart of physical vapor deposition (PVD), yet another key technology to deposit the complex material architectures on the smallest scale.
It is thanks to this technology that the layer stacks in semiconductor chips and microelectronic applications become a reality, without them the technologies and tools surrounding us today wouldn’t exist. “What connects all these solutions is precision,” Volker notes. “Every material has to perform consistently, batch after batch, process after process.”
Enabling the technologies of tomorrow
As traditional scaling approaches reach their limits, innovation increasingly depends on materials and integration. Advanced materials are no longer just supporting components, they are key enablers of technological progress.
“Our goal is to help take semiconductors, and digitalization more broadly, to the next level,” Volker concludes.
By combining materials science, process expertise and close collaboration with our customers and equipment vendors, we contribute to technologies shaping today and future generations.
