Did you know that 92% of consumers have a smartphone? Did you also know that Bakelite products play a critical role in making the smartphones and computers you use every day?
While phenolic resins are well-known as binders in wood, glass, and other materials, their role in manufacturing semiconductors and modern display technologies such as Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD) and Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) is another exciting application of multi-disciplinary science spanning photochemistry, physics, and engineering.
How it Works
Cresol novolacs, a type of phenolic resin, play a key role in the photolithography process, which is essential for manufacturing modern electronics.
- Photolithography is a process used to transfer intricate patterns onto a surface, such as a silicon wafer.
- These patterns become the tiny circuits that power high-performance devices like smartphones and TVs.
- Photoresists, which are light-sensitive materials, are at the heart of this process- and cresol novolacs are the foundation of these photoresists.
The process starts with applying a thin layer of photoresist containing cresol novolac onto a silicon wafer. After it’s baked to set the layer, it is exposed to UV light. The light changes the exposed parts.
A developer then removes these exposed areas, leaving behind the exact pattern needed for the formation of the integrated circuit after subsequent processing.
Our Products
The cresol novolacs, known for their optimal balance of chemical, physical and thermal properties make them perfect for photolithography. At Bakelite, we use ultra-high purity grades and carefully fine-tune cresol monomers and their ratios. Coupled with tight process controls, this ensures precise molecular weight and distribution, resulting in our superior PD-series cresol novolacs with extremely low trace metal content, which is crucial for high-precision electronics.
Bakelite’s Louisville plant features a dedicated reactor for producing these high-performance cresol novolacs, ensuring consistent quality for the electronics industry. So, the next time you use your smartphone, tablet, or TV, remember Bakelite’s role in bringing these technologies to life!
