Molybdenum: Discover the future of semiconductors in South Korea

Published on January 28, 2026

3 minutes

Join us as we head to Hwaseong in South Korea. It’s here that Air Liquide has inaugurated the world's largest molybdenum-based precursor1 plant. Go behind the scenes at a site supporting the next generation of semiconductor chips, from highly-engineered molecules to revolutionary Subleem™ technology offer.

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South Korea: supplying a tech powerhouse

Hwaseong, South Korea. As soon as we arrive at the Air Liquide site, the intensity is immediately palpable. In these brand-new facilities, our experts are perfecting the high-purity materials that fuel the future of technology right before our eyes.

“To stay on top, innovation is more crucial than ever,” explains Oh Hyun Kim, General Manager of Air Liquide Electronics Korea, as he shows us around the facilities. "South Korea is the world’s second-largest semiconductor market and the absolute leader in memory chips. Top Korean semiconductor manufacturers are among the most advanced in the world, and they need a partner who can keep up with their rapid pace."

The molybdenum revolution: extreme purity

Here, technology is on the move. As chips shrink to the size of a few atoms, traditional materials are reaching their limits. That's where molybdenum comes in, marking the most significant material change the industry has seen in a decade. Emerging as a promising replacement for the traditional chip manufacturing material tungsten, the molybdenum “revolution” enables the next generations of advanced memory and logic chips driven by AI applications.

The expertise of the Hwaseong plant is essential for semiconductor manufacturers, as shown by the specialized purification units designed to reach an almost inconceivable level of purity: the “zero defect” standard, required by the industry. But the molecule is only part of the story. “The way materials are packaged is as important as purity,” explains Juho Lee, Hwaseong Site Manager, pointing to a row of specially engineered canisters. These canisters bridge the gap between Air Liquide's chemistry and the customer's precision tools, ensuring seamless integration into the manufacturing process.

Sublimation: converting solid molecules directly into gas

Handling solid precursors is a delicate exercise and is one of the most impressive technical feats, at the heart of the breakthrough Subleem™ offer. Air Liquide engineers have mastered the art of “sublimation,” which involves transforming these solid molecules into gas, directly inside customers' fabs (manufacturing plants).

“At Air Liquide, we were the very first to offer a complete solution,” confirms Wooho Son, Managing Director of Air Liquide Advanced Materials Korea. “We’re the first to make it possible for chipmakers to finally leverage molybdenum’s superior properties in their production, which is a game-changer.”

A strategic foothold in South Korea

The visit ends with a long-term perspective. The site is expanding, and the 80 experts currently on site will soon be joined by new teams. After building three new plants in the country in just two years, the Group's vision is clear: the future of the world's most advanced digital technologies is being played out here in South Korea.

1. Precursor: High-tech molecules used during chips’ manufacturing process. They serve as the foundation materials in processes like etching and deposition and build up the thin films on silicon wafers.

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Air Liquide has inaugurated the world's largest molybdenum-based precursor plant

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