Semiconductor Etch Equipment Market Size, Share, Opportunities, COVID-19 Impact, And Trends By Equipment Type (High-density Etch Equipment, Low-density Etch Equipment), By Etching Film Type (Conductor Etching, Dielectric Etching, Polysilicon Etching), By Application (Power Device, MEMS, Sensors, Logic And Memory, Others), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2023 To 2028

The semiconductor etch equipment market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.33% to reach US$34.142 billion in 2028 from US$25.375 billion in 2021.

Market Overview:

Etching is a critical operation in the semiconductor production cycle. This method removes material off the surface of the semiconductor to form patterns dependent on its applications. The expansion of the semiconductor wafer deposition and wafer processing industries is critical to the growth of the semiconductor etch equipment market. An increased emphasis on consumer electronics is one of the key factors driving market expansion. Furthermore, industrial automation, continual developments in consumer electronics, and the use of vehicle sensors are expanding the applications of semiconductors. Their popularity in practically all industrial verticals contributes to the market's expansion.

The rise in innovation in the consumer electronics market is paving the path for new etch technology cooperation across companies.

IoT and 5G gadgets have become quicker, smaller, and more multifunctional in recent years. This has given rise to advanced packaging technology-based production, in which a middle-end process has been inserted between the front-end and back-end processes in semiconductor manufacturing. As a result, in October 2019, IBM Japan, Ltd. and Panasonic Corporation's subsidiary, Panasonic Smart Factory Solutions Co., Ltd., announced a collaboration to develop and market a new high-value-added system to optimize the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) of customers' semiconductor manufacturing processes and achieve high-quality manufacturing. Panasonic is currently developing and marketing cutting-edge equipment and manufacturing methods that aid in the advancement of semiconductor production for advanced packaging. Dry etching equipment, plasma dicers to manufacture high-quality wafers, plasma cleaners to boost metal and resin adherence, and high-accuracy bonding devices are among the new gadgets and procedures. This experience will be integrated with techniques and technology created by IBM Japan for semiconductor production to assist Panasonic in developing smart factory technology.

The introduction of plasma etching technology will drive significant growth in the high-density etch equipment category.

Plasma etching is a vital procedure used in semiconductor manufacture for eliminating materials off unit surfaces, and it is the only economically feasible method for anisotropic surface removal. As the semiconductor industry strives to lower crucial feature sizes and increase device performance, etch processing problems are increasing as smaller features are treated with novel device designs. Higher density and aspect ratio features present new problems that necessitate extra innovation in a variety of wafer processing areas. Because of their complexity, these developments rely more and more on detailed physical, chemical, and computational models of plasma etch processes. For instance, Lam Research Corporation announced the launch of a completely transformed plasma etch technology and system solution in March 2020. According to the business, this technology is intended to give chipmakers with advanced functionality and extendibility needed for future innovation. According to the business, Lam's Sense.i platform provides unrivalled system intelligence in a compact, high-density architecture to enable process performance at the highest productivity, enabling logic and memory device roadmaps for the next decade.

The miniaturization of semiconductors necessitates the use of advanced etching technologies, such as conductor etching equipment.

Conductor etching equipment is commonly used to form the electrically active materials found in various portions of a semiconductor device. Even little variations in these microscopic semiconductor structures can result in an electrical fault that degrades device performance. During the forecasted period, the increasing demand for downsizing of semiconductor circuits is expected to stimulate the ever-increasing demand for various types of conductors etching equipment, as well as the necessity for high production of multi-film stacks with tiny faults. For example, Applied Materials, Inc. announced in August 2020 a new addition to its very successful Centris Sym3 etch product line, allowing chipmakers to accurately pattern and shape ever-smaller features in cutting-edge memory and logic devices. Applied's most advanced conductor etch system is the new Centris Sym3 Y. It employs cutting-edge RF pulsing technology to enable clients to produce densely packed, high-aspect-ratio structures in 3D NAND, DRAM, and logic, including FinFETs and upcoming gate-all-around architectures, by providing exceptionally high materials selectivity, depth control, and profile control.

The Asia Pacific region is estimated to have the fastest rate of growth.

The Asia-Pacific region accounts for the lion's share of worldwide semiconductor foundries. In Asia, China has mastered various chip technologies, according to a survey performed by the Semiconductor Sector Association in July 2021, and its commercial semiconductor industry is still very young. Nonetheless, the Chinese government is attempting to bridge the gap by investing an estimated $28.9 billion in October 2019. China is positioned to become more competitive in the semiconductor etch equipment industry due to rising markets. For instance, Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc. China (AMEC) celebrated a milestone for its capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) etch systems in November 2021 by shipping its 1500th station to a top Chinese semiconductor manufacturer. AMEC's etcher innovation continues to reinforce the company's position as an equipment leader, boost market share, and fuel growth.

India has also always had a lot of skills and resources for research and development. Many of the world's biggest semiconductor and WFE producers, as well as considerable R&D capabilities, are based in India. The availability of a technically skilled workforce greatly assists in product design and testing. For instance, Lam Research declared in September 2022 the inauguration of its second research and development (R&D) centre in India. The new centre will feature a "state-of-the-art" hardware engineering lab with deposition, etching, and wet processing devices, as well as AR/VR capabilities.

Semiconductor Etch Equipment Market Scope:

Segmentation:

• By equipment type
  • High-density Etch Equipment
  • Low-density Etch Equipment
• By etching film type
  • Conductor Etching
  • Dielectric Etching
  • Polysilicon Etching
• By application
  • Power Device
  • MEMS
  • Sensors
  • Logic and Memory
  • Others
• By geography
  • North America
    • USA
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • UK
    • Germany
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Others
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • UAE
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • India
    • South Korea
    • Australia
    • Others