Inpria Corporation

Inpria Corporation operates at the forefront of the semiconductor industry, specializing in advanced materials for the manufacturing of microchips. The company was established in 2007 as a spin-out from Oregon State University's Department of Chemistry, founded by Andrew Grenville and Douglas Keszler. The foundational technology emerged from research conducted in the lab of Doug Keszler, a distinguished professor of chemistry at OSU. Andrew Grenville, leveraging his prior experience as a lithography engineer at Intel, serves as the company's CEO.

Inpria's core business revolves around the design, development, and manufacturing of metal oxide photoresists for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. This technology is critical for semiconductor manufacturers—its primary clients—to produce smaller, more powerful, and energy-efficient chips for electronics like smartphones and computers. The company's business model is centered on selling these specialized chemical materials directly to major chipmakers, including industry giants like Samsung, TSMC, and Intel, who were also investors in the company. Revenue is generated through the sale of its suite of EUV metal oxide photoresists and associated ancillary materials.

The company's flagship product is a tin-oxide-based inorganic photoresist, a photoreactive liquid that enables a more precise and cost-effective chip manufacturing process. Unlike traditional polymer-based resists, Inpria's material uses organometallic building blocks that are significantly smaller, allowing for the creation of finer and more exact patterns on silicon wafers when exposed to EUV light. This high-absorbance material improves patterning resolution and reduces defects, addressing a key challenge in advanced semiconductor fabrication. A significant milestone was achieved in September 2021, when the Japanese firm JSR Corporation agreed to acquire Inpria for $514 million, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary. The acquisition followed multiple funding rounds where JSR had already become a significant shareholder, owning 21% of the company prior to the final deal.

Keywords: photoresist, semiconductor manufacturing, EUV lithography, metal oxide, nanoscale patterning, specialty chemicals, silicon wafers, microchips, JSR Corporation, Oregon State University