Semiconductors: how Air Liquide transforms the infinitely small into computing power for AI

As the global leader in gases and services for this field, Air Liquide is at the heart of this revolution and designs the invisible building blocks of tomorrow’s chips. Laurent Langellier, Director of Air Liquide Advanced Materials, explains how our  teams are transforming advanced materials for etching and deposition engineering into digital power.

What role do advanced materials play in this race for performance?

While our ultra-pure industrial gases (nitrogen, hydrogen) ensure process stability, our advanced molecules are the actual building blocks of the chips themselves. We’re developing the materials that physically get deposited inside the chips or help “to print” their intricate design. The unique properties of these materials enable our customers to manufacture the next generations of chips, whether they are logic chips, such as the processors that power artificial intelligence and the “brains” inside our smartphones, or memory chips that store our data.

Also, in this industry, size is everything. Our materials enable deposition and etching processes on silicon with nanometer-scale precision—up to 80,000 times smaller than a human hair, while meeting our customers’ needs for higher performance. And this is where Air Liquide Advanced Materials’ unique innovation capabilities play a key role.In fact, half of our patents in the electronics field are related to these advanced materials. With over 40 years of expertise, we are more than just a supplier, we are a strategic partner. We co-develop the essential solutions for tomorrow’s chips, hand in hand with our partners and customers. A great example of this is Molybdenum. We pioneered molybdenum-based materials, making us the very first partner capable of supporting semiconductor manufacturers in successfully adopting this game-changing material, a promising alternative to tungsten.

With over 40 years of expertise, we are more than just a supplier, we are a strategic partner.

In that regard, how do you see the future of collaboration between Air Liquide Advanced Materials and the semiconductor giants?

The semiconductor industry is incredibly fast and it demands constant innovation. Air Liquide is already the strategic partner to the world’s largest chip manufacturers, and our mission is to keep pace with them. Thanks to our unique innovation capacity and our ability to transition from laboratory research to large-scale production, our teams are dedicated to meeting the extremely high quality standards required by our customers. We continue to invest to anticipate the next technological breakthroughs, while offering integrated solutions that simplify manufacturing processes. 

Our customers also request security of supply, in a complex global environment. We currently operate 11 Advanced Materials Centers located close to all major technology hubs in Asia, the United States, and Europe. In particular, we have just reached a historic milestone with the inauguration in Taichung of our first large-scale advanced materials production site in Taiwan, one of the most dynamic semiconductor hubs, home to the world's most advanced chip manufacturers. Located at the heart of this ecosystem, this new plant helps secure the supply chain for industry leaders while accelerating the race toward extreme miniaturization, through direct collaboration with our customers.

What new challenges are you facing?

The first challenge lies in the speed of the AI-driven transformation, which is accelerating the need for innovation and the introduction of new materials to the market at an unprecedented rate. In particular, the explosion of generative AI and cloud computing is creating unprecedented demand for next-generation chips with improved connectivity, computing power, and energy efficiency. Faced with this rapid pace, our comprehensive system of innovation, management, and high-volume manufacturing allows us to meet expectations in an unmatched way.

Beyond this drive for pure performance, another challenge lies in reconciling this cutting-edge technology with a strong commitment to environmental responsibility. We address this through molecular innovation. The most concrete example is our enScribe™ etching gas range. By replacing traditional gases with high Global Warming Potential (GWP) with these new molecules, we have already helped prevent the emission of over 100,000 metric tons of CO₂-equivalent per year for our customers. Our goal is clear: to prove that cutting-edge technological performance can—and must—go hand in hand with reducing the digital industry’s environmental footprint.