Status : Published | Published On : May, 2023 | Report Code : VRSME9036 | Industry : Semiconductor & Electronics | Available Format : | Page : 215 |
The Wafer Cleaning Equipment Market is projected to experience substantial growth, with an estimated increase from USD 7.2 billion in 2023 to USD 13.6 billion by 2030. This growth is expected to occur at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.95% between the years 2025 and 2030. Wafer cleaning equipment plays a crucial role in eliminating chemical substances and particle impurities from semiconductor surfaces while maintaining their quality. The process of wafer cleaning is essential for eliminating residues and improving the overall performance of semiconductors used across multiple industries.
There is a growth in terms of adoption rate in developing regions because of the increasing number of cleaning methods during manufacturing, which propels the growth of the wafer cleaning equipment market. There is an increase in the demand for tablets and smartphones, the electronics sector, the semiconductor industry, micro-electrochemical systems, and the increasing trend for silicon-based sensors in IoT for wafers in 3D structure will propel the market growth for wafer cleaning equipment. Nevertheless, the usage of dangerous chemicals and harmful gases in the wafer cleaning process can cause environmental issues that are restraining the growth of the wafer-cleaning equipment market.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the wafer-cleaning equipment market also. The demand for consumer electronic devices has declined and the operation of semiconductor equipment manufacturing industries is affected due to the lockdown in many countries it had a global impact on the wafer cleaning equipment market. There is a continuous decline in the demand and export shipment of automotive vehicles which will negatively impact the wafer cleaning equipment market. However, the market for wafer cleaning equipment market is anticipated to revive due to the increase in demand in the healthcare sector. The increasing adoption of MEMS technology in patient monitoring devices due to COVID-19, rising demand for NAND memory in smart devices, an increasing number of critical steps in the wafer cleaning sequence, increasing usage of silicon-based sensors, chips, and diodes in IoT applications, and ongoing radical miniaturization of electronic are some of the key factors boosting the growth of the wafer cleaning equipment market.
Market Segmentation
Insight by Equipment
Based on equipment, the wafer cleaning equipment market is segmented into a single wafer spray system, single wafer cryogenic system, batch immersion cleaning system, batch spray cleaning system, and scrubber. The single wafer spray system is expected to have a high CAGR because it has reduced the chances of contamination and wafer damage ability. It also has high-precision features. The batch spray cleaning system is anticipated to have a dominant share in the wafer cleaning equipment market. This growth is attributed to the various benefits present in the system and includes processing multiple wafers at a time, saves time, and cleaning cost. In order to achieve economies of scale, batch processing is used for volume manufacturing. The batch spray cleaning system can perform the functions of a single wafer processing system and batch immersion cleaning system.
Insight by Wafer Size
Based on wafer size, the market is divided into 125mm, 200mm, and 300mm. The 300mm wafer market is anticipated to dominate and holds the largest share in the market. There is a growth of the 300mm wafer segment because of its use in LEDs, MEMS, ICs, and many other electronic and semiconductor devices. The market for 300mm is expected to have less impact in the COVID-19 pandemic because MEMS are used for patient monitoring. The electronics manufacturers prefer 300mm wafers as they produce a large number of devices in a single batch. Thus, many companies are developing their semiconductor device based on 300mm wafers.
Insight by Technology
Based on technology, the market is subdivided into the wet chemical cleaning process, vapor dry cleaning process, aqueous cleaning process, cryogenic aerosols & supercritical fluid cleaning process, and emerging technologies. Wafer cleaning is used to remove chemical and particle impurities from the semiconductor’s surface without damage to the substrate layer. In order to clean the surface, numerous processes such as wet chemical cleaning, vapour dry cleaning, and supercritical fluid processes are used that prevent roughness and corrosion on the surface. Emerging technologies such as microelectronics cleaning equipment are used to clean, write, and read HD drives, photo-masks, printed circuit boards, MEMS, silicon wafers, flat panel displays, and compound semiconductor devices component. Microelectronic cleaning uses various technologies and includes supercritical fluid, cryogenic aerosol, aqueous, dry, and wet chemical cleaning. These techniques can process wafers in groups, called a batch wafer, or individually, called single wafer cleaning.
Insight by Application
Based on application, the market is divided into MEMS, CIS, memory, RF devices, LED, and others. The LED application is anticipated to have a high CAGR during the forecast period 2021-2027. This growth is attributed due to the increasing demand for LED lighting. There is an increase in demand for LEDs for commercial use which propels the growth of the global wafer cleaning equipment market. MEMS, memory devices, and semiconductors wafers are relatively small, reliable, and an essential component to build an electronic device. The wafer cleaning plays an important role in the execution of an electronic device, which will accelerate the growth during the forecast period. MEMS technology is anticipated to have a high CAGR because of its use in consumer electronics, automotive industries, industrial, healthcare, and smart farming applications. There is a surge in demand for MEMs in the medical sector during the COVID-19 pandemic as it is used as a portable patient monitoring device globally. RF devices are integrated with consumer electronics and for identity solutions like identification tags and smart cards. The end-users are demanding ultra-smooth surfaces and ultra-clean wafers to integrate into these devices.
Report Metric |
Details |
Historical Period |
2018 - 2023 |
Base Year Considered |
2024 |
Forecast Period |
2025 - 2030 |
Market Size in 2023 |
U.S.D. 7.2 Billion |
Revenue Forecast in 2030 |
U.S.D. 13.6 Billion |
Growth Rate |
9.95% |
Segments Covered in the Report |
By Equipment, By Wafer size, By Technology and By Application |
Report Scope |
Market Trends, Drivers, and Restraints; Revenue Estimation and Forecast; Segmentation Analysis; Impact of COVID-19; Companies’ Strategic Developments; Market Share Analysis of Key Players; Company Profiling |
Regions Covered in the Report |
North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Rest of the World |
Industry Dynamics
Industry Trends
There is a growth in the number of cleaning steps in the wafer manufacturing industry which propels the growth of the wafer cleaning equipment market. Furthermore, chemical impurities and contaminants affect the performance, productivity, efficiency, and reliability of semiconductor devices, leading to the increased use of microelectronics cleaning equipment in the industry. There is an increase in demand for consumer electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets which will stimulate the growth of the wafer cleaning equipment market. However, interruption of investment plans for capacity expansion by wafer manufacturers because of the COVID-19 pandemic may hamper the growth of the industry.
Growth Drivers
The market growth of wafer cleaning equipment is driven by various factors, including the rising usage of smartphones and tablets, the expansion of the electronics and semiconductor industry, the growing demand for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), advancements in cleaning technology, the increasing number of cleaning steps in wafer manufacturing, and the integration of new technologies. Additionally, the commercial sector's increasing demand for LED lights further emphasizes the importance of maintaining silicon wafers in the electronics industry. These factors collectively shape the future prospects of the wafer cleaning equipment market.
Challenges
Environmental hazards related to dangerous chemicals, biohazard waste, and gases produced during the wafer cleaning process are some of the challenges which restrict the growth of the wafer cleaning equipment market. So, the government has made regulations to handle such problems. There is a lack of skilled professionals, stringent policies, and changing quality standards may hamper the growth of the wafer cleaning equipment market at a global level. Furthermore, the complex nature associated with miniaturized structures of circuits and concern regarding accurate material is a challenging factor for the wafer cleaning equipment market. Also, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a delay in investment plans for capacity expansion for semiconductor industries which will hamper the growth of the market.
Opportunities
There is an increase in demand for silicon-based sensors in IoT which will create many opportunities in the wafer cleaning equipment market globally. There is also an increase in demand for silicon wafers for use in 3D applications and that will create lucrative opportunities for the growth of the market. There are many opportunities for the existing players to enter the value chain of the wafer cleaning equipment industry like the expansion of the semiconductor equipment manufacturing industry in China, rising demand for portable health monitoring solutions in the COVID-19 pandemic, and business expansion and advancement in fabrication opportunities available in emerging economies such as Japan, China, and Taiwan.
Geographic Overview
Geographically, APAC holds a significant share in the market as it is home to most of the major semiconductor devices and has a favourable economic condition. It is the fastest-growing region in the industry because of the increase in demand for consumer electronics. The increasing investments and business expansion capabilities act as a central point for the growth of the wafer cleaning equipment market in the Asia Pacific region. Countries such as Australia, India, China, and Japan are adopting new technologies (Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality) enabled smartphones and tablets, which is expected to raise the global market demand for Wafer Cleaning Equipment. North America shows slight growth in the semiconductor device market over the coming years.
Competitive Insight
The wafer cleaning equipment market is a competitive market where the key players are offering technologically advanced products. Companies are focusing on organic and inorganic growth strategies such as product innovations, joint ventures, collaborations, partnerships, agreements, mergers and acquisitions, and expansions to strengthen their position in the market. Companies such as SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. (Japan), Tokyo Electron Limited (Japan), Applied Materials, Inc. (US), LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION (US), and SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION (Japan) cater to the needs of the customers by providing efficient wafer cleaning equipment and solutions with a presence in the majority of countries.
Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd., a SCREEN Holdings Group company, has finalized development of its new SU-3400 single wafer cleaning system. The SU-3400 provides world-leading throughput combined with a range of unique cleaning technologies. The new system provides a range of unique cleaning technologies to deliver world-leading productivity and high processing performance.
Tokyo Electron, Chipmaking equipment maker could see competition for generative artificial intelligence lift earnings in 2024. The semiconductor industry is expected to enjoy a major boost as technology companies around the world race to develop generative AI, such as ChatGPT. While Nvidia currently dominates the market for graphics processing units, which let AI models learn from large amounts of data. Chipmakers looking to ride the wave have started contacting the company about its GPU-making equipment. "The number of semiconductors needed for generative AI servers will likely increase,"
LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION launched the Sense.i platform which is a revolutionary space-saving architecture that transforms plasma etch technology and system solution. It is designed to provide chipmakers with critical etch capabilities and etch profile control for maximum yield and lower wafer cost.
SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. signed an agreement with Applied Materials, Inc. (US), a manufacturer of semiconductor chips for consumer electronics, to collaborate on process development at Applied Materials’ new R&D facility. The agreement is expected to bring together SCREEN’s expertise in wafer cleaning technology with Applied Materials’ leadership in materials engineering solutions.
Some of the key players operating in the wafer cleaning equipment market: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd., Tokyo Electron Limited, Applied Materials, Inc., LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION, SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION, SEMES Co., Ltd., Modutek Corporation, PVA TePla AG, Entegris, Inc., and Veeco Instruments Inc.
The Wafer Cleaning Equipment Market report offers a comprehensive market segmentation analysis along with an estimation for the forecast period 2025–2030.
Segments Covered in the Report
Region Covered in the Report
Source VynZ Research
Source VynZ Research
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