Versum Materials to Open Semiconductor Materials R&D Lab

Electronic materials producer Versum Materials Inc. broke ground on a new research and development facility to develop new materials used to produce semiconductors on April 20 at its Hometown, PA chemical manufacturing site, a company press release announced Monday.

“Our Hometown facility continues to play an important role in our company’s success. This investment will facilitate significant advancements in the semiconductor industry, which is something the local community can take pride in,” said Jim Hart, senior leader in Versum’s global technology team, in a statement.

A spin-off of Air Products’ Material Technologies’ Electronic Materials Division, Tempe, AZ-based Versum produces high-purity chemicals and gases, delivery systems, and provides services. Researchers at the new facility will work on synthesizing and purifying new molecules “up to parts per trillion impurity levels,” the company said, and identify applications for the discoveries.

“These new organometallic compounds will be deposited on semiconductor wafers through various cutting edge technologies for semiconductor applications,” Versum’s press release elaborated.

30 new jobs will be created by the project, about half of which will be holders of advanced chemistry or chemical engineering degrees. Versum said it expects the project to be completed by the end of 2017.

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