12 October 2026 Formats | PDF | Category: Chemical & Material | Delivery: 24 to 72 Hours
High Selectivity Phosphoric Acid(HSP) Market Size Statistics
Market Size (2026): USD 364 Million
Forecast (2034): USD 625 Million
CAGR (2026–2034): 7.0%
Base Year: 2025 (USD 340 Million)
Leading Segment (2026): 3D NAND silicon nitride etching (fastest-growing: above-300-layer 3D NAND)
Leading Region (2026): Asia-Pacific
Core Trends: Rising 3D NAND layer counts toward 300+ are driving demand for higher-selectivity phosphoric acid, with suppliers localizing capacity near memory fabs.
High Selectivity Phosphoric Acid(HSP) Market Definition
High Selectivity Phosphoric Acid (HSP) products include ultra-pure phosphoric acid that can remove silicon nitride (SiN) without removing silicon oxide (SiO2). The market of this product is utilized in the production of 3D NAND flash memories. There, several layers of SiO2 and SiN are applied, but SiN layer is removed through a process involving heated phosphoric acid.
High Selectivity Phosphoric Acid(HSP) Market Overview 2026
The market of High Selectivity Phosphoric Acid (HSP) in 2026 is connected with specific types of phosphoric acid materials and formulations that are designed for processes where chemical selectivity and performance are required. Depending on the specific grade of HSP or its use in various applications, the terminology may differ, therefore, the market scope should correspond to the particular case being studied. Phosphoric acid can be applied in chemical processing, metal surface treatment, electronic manufacturing, fertilizer products, or industrial formulations, with higher purity grades being required for some technical purposes. Demand from the market depends on end-use requirements, product purity, processability, regulation compliance, and availability of raw materials.
One of the main growth drivers for the market will be the increasing production of three-dimensional NAND (3D NAND) flash memory chips. These chips require high-selectivity phosphoric acid to perform semiconductor wet etching in order to remove silicon nitride without removing silicon dioxide. With the development of more complicated multilayered memory structures, the demand for such features as etching performance, chemical purity, temperature and processability control will increase. The market is also driven by semiconductor fabrication capabilities, advanced memory chip manufacturing, chemicals availability, and qualification criteria from chip makers.
The focus for the year 2026 in regards to HSP will be on how the company serves the advanced semiconductor manufacturing needs, what type of products/what 3D NAND layer range triggers the demand, what are the leading manufacturers and the effects of regional production capacity on supply and price. Thermal-process HSP belongs to the identified product category while applications cover 3D NAND structure ranging from 96 layers and below up to advanced structures which exceed 300 layers. Competitive elements to take into account include etching selectivity, impurity control, production consistency, technical support and long-term supply agreement. They place high-selectivity phosphoric acid in the group of semiconductor process chemicals and not just any phosphoric acid products.
Further, the HSP market will rely on investments in advanced memory fabrication, shift to more complex 3D NAND with more layers, wet-etching process improvement and capability of the chemical providers to meet the increasingly stringent requirements in manufacturing. Potential risks in this business include stringent product qualification, complexity of manufacturing, concentration of supply and stability of performance in high volume semiconductor manufacturing. Useful information for market players will come from monitoring semiconductor capital expenditures, technology roadmap of memory manufacturers, capacity expansion of
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Trends 2026
Rising 3D NAND layer counts (the core trend)
SK hynix started mass production of 321 layers of NAND in late 2024, while 321 layers of QLC NAND for AI servers was due for delivery in the first half of 2026. Kioxia and SanDisk have announced a 332-layer design, and Samsung is rumored to be developing a 400-layer chip. Above-300 layers of 3D NAND will have the maximum growth within HSP applications, according to Lucintel. Each new layer pair means one more layer of silicon nitride to be etched away, and hence, it should increase etch per wafer.
AI-driven storage demand
Higher layer number trend is associated with AI data centers. According to SK hynix, its 321-layer QLC NAND is aimed at capacity-intensive SSDs designed for AI servers. This connects the need for HSPs with spending on memory and AI infrastructure.
Capacity localizing near memory fabs
A phosphoric acid plant is being established by Soulbrain within four miles of Samsung Taylor, with an initial investment of around $175 million.
Chinese capacity and domestic supply chains
According to Dataintelo, Chinese memory chip producers such as YMTC and CXMT have increased the production of 3D NAND and DRAM, while Chinese acid manufacturers support China’s domestic semiconductor supply chain. According to Lucintel, China is the world’s largest producer and consumer.
High Selectivity Phosphoric Acid(HSP) Market Growth Drivers 2026
Demand for advanced, high-density memory (primary driver)
According to Lucintel, growing demand for memory chip manufacturing and adoption of high-density NAND technology are the main growth drivers of the market. HSP is mostly used in the manufacture of 3D NAND and its demand is dependent on the NAND industry.
Rising 3D NAND layer counts
Layers for memory makers have been increasing. The world’s first 321-layer NAND flash was produced by SK hynix, while Kioxia and SanDisk have been showcasing a 332-layer technology. Lucintel says that NAND flash with over 300 layers will display the highest growth for HSP applications. For every added layer, there is an additional layer of silicon nitride to be etched away. This is my logic, but I do not have a source to back me up.
AI-driven storage demand
The CTO of Kioxia stated that the amount of data generated will grow massively, which will be fueled by the usage of AI technology, among other things. The goal of SK hynix is to provide ultra high capacity SSDs for AI servers using their 321 layers QLC.
Memory capacity expansion, especially in Asia
According to Dataintelo, Chinese memory manufacturers such as YMTC and CXMT have been increasing the production of 3D NAND and DRAM, while companies such as Samsung and SK hynix have been involved in a capacity expansion race driven by the need for memory due to AI. Increasing wafer starts will result in increased etch chemicals used.
Top Companies Covered in the High Selectivity Phosphoric Acid(HSP) Market are
- Soulbrain
- LTCAM Co.
- Xingfa Group
- Shanghai Sinyang
- Hubei Xingfa Chemicals Group
High Selectivity Phosphoric Acid(HSP) Market Company news 2026
Soulbrain
Soulbrain RASA TX received a grant of $11.6 million from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund, which was awarded in recognition of its Taylor location and headquarters. This facility will have the capability of producing 28,800 metric tons annually of high-purity phosphoric acid, and media sources suggest the first phase is 28,800 metric tons a year of high selectivity, high purity phosphoric acid.
Hubei Xingfa Chemicals Group
No dated 2026 announcement found. The company’s website says it is advancing multiple ultra-high-purity electronic chemical projects. This is undated, so I wouldn’t present it as 2026 news.
High Selectivity Phosphoric Acid(HSP) Market Segments
By Process Type
- Thermal process: Phosphoric acid produced by the thermal (phosphorus-based) route, then purified to high-selectivity grade. This is the process type named first in the published segmentation.
- Other processes: Alternative production and purification routes for high-purity acid, such as wet-process routes with advanced purification.
By Application (3D NAND Generation)
- 96-layer and below: Older 3D NAND generations that still use high-selectivity acid for silicon nitride removal. Demand is mature.
- 128-layer: A mainstream generation produced at scale by most memory makers.
- 176-layer: A mid-generation node that adds etch steps and tighter selectivity requirements.
By End Use
- 3D NAND flash manufacturing: The leading end use, since this acid is mainly used in 3D NAND production.
- Other semiconductor etch uses: Emerging uses such as removing silicon nitride layers in advanced logic structures, a small but watched area.
By Region
- Asia-Pacific: The top region, because consumption follows 3D NAND fabs in South Korea, China, Japan and Taiwan.
- North America: A smaller region with new local supply being built near memory fabs in Texas.
High Selectivity Phosphoric Acid(HSP) Market Regional Insights 2026
North America
North America is a minor market right now. The Taylor plant from Soulbrain will have an annual capacity of 28,800 metric tons of high-purity phosphoric acid, but according to a spokesperson from City of Taylor, construction has not yet started in August 2026. To put things into perspective, it is well above half of the total HSP produced worldwide in 2024 by QY Research, which was 50,356 metric tons.
Leading Brands: Soulbrain’s Texas plans.
South Korea:
Samsung and SK hynix drive the large South Korean market, which benefits from state-of-the-art layers increasing the etch requirement per wafer.
Leading Brands: Soulbrain, with supply to Samsung. The Elec reports that its semiconductor-material revenue rose 19.2% from the previous quarter in the second quarter of 2026.
China:
China is the fastest growing market with its growth fueled by internal memory growth and internal supply chains. Dataintelo mentions Chinese acid suppliers to China’s internal semiconductor supply chain.
Leading Brands: Shanghai Sinyang and Xingfa Group, both named in the HSP coverage.
Japan:
Japan is stable, built on Kioxia’s and its partners’ NAND operations.
Leading Brands: no HSP-specific supplier named in the reports reviewed. LTCAM’s location is unverified.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the high selectivity phosphoric acid market in 2026?
We estimate the market at USD 364 million in 2026, up from USD 340 million in the 2025 base year.
What is driving HSP market growth?
Demand for high-density flash memory drives. Lucintel highlights high-density memory chips production technologies and increasing use of high-density NAND and semiconductors process optimization. AI-enabled data storage needs and increased layering contribute to this.
What is high selectivity phosphoric acid used for?
It has a selective capability to remove silicon nitride layers without damaging silicon oxide. In the process of manufacturing 3D NAND, several layers of SiO2 and SiN are deposited, and then the SiN layer is selectively stripped using hot phosphoric acid.
How is HSP different from electronic-grade phosphoric acid?
Electronic-grade acid refers to the general high-purity category that can be used for cleaning and other purposes. HSP acid, on the other hand, refers to a narrow and more valuable acid that is used for selective nitride removal.
What technical specifications matter for HSP?
The concentration is normally above 85%, while selectivity will depend on the amount of silicon in the solution. Purity and consistency are important when the structure becomes taller and thinner.
What’s Included in This Report — High Selectivity Phosphoric Acid(HSP) Market
This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the High Selectivity Phosphoric Acid(HSP) Market, covering the following:
- Market definition and scope: What counts as high selectivity phosphoric acid, what is excluded (general electronic-grade, food-grade and industrial acid), and why published figures differ.
- Market size and forecast: 2025 base year (USD 340 million), 2026 size (USD 364 million) and the 2034 forecast (USD 625 million) at a 7.0% CAGR.
- Competitor benchmarking: A comparison of third-party research estimates, normalized for scope, showing how the independent values were derived.
- Segmentation analysis: Breakdown by process type, 3D NAND generation (96-layer and below through above-300-layer), end use and region, with the leading and fastest-growing segments identified.
- Regional insights: Shares, 2026 and 2034 sizes and growth rates for Asia-Pacific (with South Korea, China, Japan and others), North America, and Europe and Rest of World.
- Growth drivers, restraints and trends: What is pushing demand (higher-layer 3D NAND, AI storage demand, memory capacity expansion) and what could slow it (supplier concentration, memory-cycle exposure, process change), plus the core 2026 trend.
Why Buy This Research Report?
- Independent, scope-adjusted numbers: Published figures for this niche vary by roughly fifteen times, from about USD 147 million to over USD 2 billion. We compare them, adjust for scope and give one defensible HSP-specific estimate: USD 364 million in 2026, growing to USD 625 million by 2034.
- Transparent methodology: You see how each value was derived, including the volume-and-price cross-check, which sources were included or excluded, and why.
- Clear market definition: The report separates HSP from general electronic-grade and industrial phosphoric acid, so the numbers match what memory makers actually buy.
- Tied to 3D NAND demand: Growth drivers are linked to layer counts, AI storage demand and memory capacity expansion, which is how this market actually moves.
- Regional and supplier clarity: See where demand sits (Asia-Pacific, led by South Korea and China), who the core suppliers are, and where new local capacity is being built.
- Buyer guidance: Shows what procurement teams should look for in a supplier, with price context.
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