Air Liquide invests >160M USD in Arizona for ultra‑pure gases for advanced chips
- Air Liquide will invest over 160 million US dollars to build, own and operate a large-scale production facility in Arizona.
- The facility is scheduled to begin operations in 2028 and will supply ultra-high-purity gases to a global leader’s fab expansion for advanced semiconductor nodes.
- It will produce ultra-pure, low-carbon hydrogen with on-site carbon capture; captured CO2 will be liquefied and purified to meet the customer's high-purity gas needs.
- Air Liquide will operate hydrogen production and carbon capture units directly on-site at the customer's fab and leverage existing local infrastructure; hydrogen will be used in wafer manufacturing, annealing and oxide removal.
Investment and scope
Air Liquide will invest over 160 million US dollars to build, own and operate a new large-scale production facility in Arizona to supply essential ultra-high purity gases to the latest fab expansion of a global leader in advanced semiconductor nodes. The facility is set to begin operations in 2028.
On-site hydrogen production and carbon capture
The state-of-the-art facility will deliver, among other gases, ultra-pure, low-carbon hydrogen with carbon capture technology. Air Liquide will operate hydrogen production and carbon capture units directly on-site at the customer's fab. CO2 captured on-site will be liquefied and purified to supply the customer's high-purity gas needs, contributing to a lower carbon footprint for the hydrogen used in chip manufacturing.
Operational integration and usage
The Group will leverage existing local infrastructure to maximize operational efficiency and position operations at the customer's doorstep. Hydrogen from the plant will be used in wafer manufacturing, annealing and removing surface oxides during the most sensitive chip manufacturing processes.
Executive comment
Matthieu Giard said: "This new investment underscores advanced chip manufacturers’ confidence in Air Liquide’s capacity to ensure reliable, cost-effective supply of critical ultra-pure gases required to power the AI revolution domestically, sustainably and with uncompromising quality."
Source: Air Liquide