According to www.ico-optics.org, a naphtha supply crunch—triggered by reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz since March 2026—is disrupting photoresist availability for semiconductor manufacturing across Asia, threatening EUV lithography and advanced-node chip production.
Geopolitical Shock Hits Core Chemical Feedstock
The source states that turmoil in the Middle East has squeezed a key naphtha route, cutting into supplies derived from crude oil and natural gas. Naphtha is a foundational feedstock in the chemical synthesis of photoresists—the light-sensitive materials essential for patterning silicon wafers during lithography. As EUV lithography becomes standard for sub-7nm nodes, photoresist purity requirements have intensified, making supply continuity especially critical.
Exposure Concentrated in Memory & Lithography Hubs
The report identifies Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix as especially vulnerable due to their centralized memory and logic supply chains. Major Japanese suppliers have reportedly raised alarms with these Korean firms about looming raw-material shortages. According to the report, regional suppliers are now being tapped more heavily for critical inputs as global supply lines tighten.
Ripple Effects Across High-Tech Sectors
The shortage threatens not only wafer fab yields but also delivery timelines for chips used in:
- AI accelerators
- Data-center chips
- Automotive electronics
Photoresist constraints could delay advanced-node production, push costs higher, and stall product launches. The source states this isn’t just another capacity crunch—it’s evidence that geopolitical events can directly impact the ‘nuts and bolts’ of high-tech manufacturing.
Paths to Resilience
Industry leaders and policymakers may consider diversifying feedstock sources, expanding regional photoresist supply networks, and building strategic inventories of critical chemicals. The report recommends long-term contracts with multiple producers, investment in alternative chemistry formulations, and scenario planning that explicitly incorporates geopolitical risk. These steps could reduce single-point vulnerabilities across the supply chain.
Source: www.ico-optics.org
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
