TNSC has been designated to supply bulk gas as well as to design and construct the gas-related facilities for the pilot line of “M11M-1” which Rapidus is going to set up with an aim for the mass-production of next-generation semiconductors in Chitose City of Hokkaido.

Rapidus has a plan to operate a mass-production line from the latter part of 2020s after building up the pilot line splitting to two times to the first half of 2025 and the latter half of 2026. The construction period of the gas-related facilities for the pilot line is between July 2024 and May 2026, and designated to TNSC at this time are the construction of facilities and the gas supply for the two periods of time. The types of gas to be supplied are air-separation gases, carbonic acid, helium and hydrogen.

To supply gases, the company is going to build up “Taiyo Nissan Chitose Gas Center (named tentatively) inside the premises of Rapidus to provide 2 units of small ASU and a water electrolysis hydrogen generator.

As for carbonic acid, it will be procured by tank truck from Kyodo Tansan (Muroran City) in which Nippon Tansan is one of the investors. In addition, for the supply of helium the company will tie up with Taiyo Nissan Hokkaido.

Regarding the gas-related construction, there is not yet any detailed information about facilities to be introduced because the present situation is now just at the stage of having received an order for the designing of gas supplying equipment and the relative works.

However, judging from the fact that the company is gathering IGSS or something as to the next-generation supply supporting system in addition to the purifier and waste gas removing equipment, it seems that some more items of TNSC products could be installed to the pilot line.