ACM Research Enhances Single-Wafer Hot SPM System with Sulfuric Acid Recycle Capability

FREMONT, Calif., Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ACM Research, Inc. (“ACM”) (NASDAQ: ACMR), a leading supplier of wafer processing solutions for semiconductor and advanced packaging applications, today announced an enhanced version of its 170°C Single-Wafer Hot Sulfuric Peroxide Mixture (“SPM”) system featuring a new sulfuric acid recycle capability. The system has been validated by a foundry customer across more than 50 process layers, demonstrating its ability to support a broad range of cleaning applications.

ACM’s Single-Wafer Hot SPM system achieves particle counts of 15 or fewer at 15 nm and above, significantly outperforming mainstream market solutions. Unlike conventional systems that require periodic deionized (“DI”) water rinsing to remove crystalline deposits caused by acid mist during hot SPM processing, ACM’s proprietary nozzle design effectively prevents such contamination, enabling stable cleaning performance without periodic DI water chamber cleaning. This design can help improve yields in both logic and memory applications while reducing equipment maintenance requirements.

The new sulfuric acid recycle capability achieves a 70% sulfuric acid recycle rate while maintaining particle control performance as demanded by customer specifications. The innovation is expected to save approximately 400 tons of sulfuric acid per tool annually, thus delivering significant environmental and cost benefits while meeting the stringent process requirements of semiconductor manufacturing.

“As semiconductor manufacturing becomes more complex, customers need technologies that can meet increasingly demanding process requirements while improving manufacturing efficiency,” said Dr. David Wang, President and Chief Executive Officer of ACM. “The continued advancement and customer validation of our Single-Wafer Hot SPM platform demonstrates ACM’s commitment to differentiated innovation and our ability to deliver solutions that address the evolving needs of semiconductor manufacturers.”

SPM is widely used in semiconductor manufacturing for photoresist stripping, organic polymer residue removal, metallic impurity and particle removal, and post-CMP cleaning. As semiconductor manufacturing processes become increasingly complex, manufacturers must balance demanding cleaning and particle-control requirements with the need to manage chemical consumption and operating efficiency. ACM’s Single-Wafer Hot SPM system is designed to address these requirements through single-wafer processing and differentiated process and chamber design.

The new sulfuric acid recycle capability further enhances the efficiency of ACM’s Single-Wafer Hot SPM platform. By recovering and reusing a significant portion of the sulfuric acid used during processing while maintaining particle control, the system enables manufacturers to reduce chemical consumption without compromising process performance. Validation across more than 50 process layers at the customer site further demonstrates the platform’s ability to support a broad range of cleaning applications.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “plans,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “designed,” and similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on ACM management’s current expectations and beliefs and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by the forward-looking statements. A description of certain of these risks, uncertainties and other matters can be found in filings ACM makes with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are available at www.sec.gov. Because forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, actual results and events may differ materially from results and events currently expected by ACM. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. ACM undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof or to reflect any change in its expectations with regard to these forward-looking statements or the occurrence of unanticipated events.

About ACM Research, Inc.

ACM develops, manufactures and sells semiconductor process equipment spanning cleaning, electroplating, stress-free polishing, vertical furnace processes, track, PECVD, and wafer- and panel-level packaging tools, enabling advanced and semi-critical semiconductor device manufacturing. ACM is committed to delivering customized, high-performance, cost-effective process solutions that semiconductor manufacturers can use in numerous manufacturing steps to improve productivity and product yield. For more information, visit www.acmr.com.

© ACM Research, Inc. The ACM Research logo is a trademark of ACM Research, Inc. For convenience, the trademark appears in this press release without the ™ symbol, but that practice does not mean ACM will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, its rights to such trademarks. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.