Resonac to Form Japan-U.S. Consortium for Chip Back-End Technologies

Tokyo, July 8 (Jiji Press)--Resonac Holdings Corp. said Monday it will set up a consortium comprising 10 Japanese and U.S. semiconductor materials and equipment companies in Silicon Valley to develop technologies for the back-end process in semiconductor manufacturing.

Six companies from Japan, including Resonac, formerly Showa Denko K.K., and Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., and four from the United States will join the consortium, US-JOINT, said Resonac, which has expertise in materials for the back-end process.

The consortium, expected to start operations in 2025, will design advanced packaging technologies in a short period, while listening to client needs, Resonac said.

Resonac said it hopes the consortium will cooperate with U.S. technology giants such as Google LLC.

Investment in the back-end process in semiconductor manufacturing has been accelerating globally as innovation in miniaturization and other technologies for the front-end process, which involves forming circuits on wafers, has been reaching its limits.

"This new consortium of leading American and Japanese companies in the semiconductor industry is the latest example of our two nations joining forces to accelerate the development of advanced technologies of global importance," U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said in a statement.

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