Thin Film Measurement Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

Thin Film Measurement Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

The thin film measurement market is evaluated at US$226.982 million for the year 2022 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% to reach a market size of US$304.749 million by the year 2029.

Thin film measurement includes a range of methods that are essential for describing and evaluating the characteristics of thin films, which are widely used in industries such as coatings, semiconductors, and optics. Of the approaches used, ellipsometry is the only non-destructive optical method that can measure refractive index and layer thickness. By using light wave interference patterns, interferometric techniques provide very accurate assessments of surface profiles and thickness.

Additionally, by using X-rays to examine reflected patterns, X-ray reflectometry (XRR) may provide information on the density, roughness, and thickness of films. Together, these methods give companies and researchers the ability to evaluate and regulate the critical properties of thin films, assuring their best performance in a variety of technological applications. The advancement of materials science, nanotechnology, and other cutting-edge sciences is greatly dependent on the ongoing improvement of thin film measuring methods.

Thin Film Measurement is a widely used technique across various industries like Healthcare, Automotive, Aerospace, Electronics, etc. for purposes like insulating layers between the conductors, hardness coating for scratch and wear resistance, passivation, diffusion barriers, etc.

MARKET TRENDS:

Several different applications require thin film measurement systems to ensure the correct thickness, roughness, composition, and other relevant features in their products. This has made film measurement a widely used technique across various industrial segments, especially the semiconductor industry, and with the booming industrialization, its demand is expected to increase to provide high-quality and featured products. Apart from its diverse applications, its growing use across electronics and healthcare is a factor that can positively impact its demand in the future.

One of the major restraints for the market is the increasing use of non-destructive film measurement techniques which can hamper the growth of other destructive film measurement techniques.

MARKET DRIVERS:

Growing automation and semiconductor applications may upsurge the market.

With the rapid industrialization across various regions, the need to meet the quality standards to survive the competition has increased over the years. This holds a great opportunity for the Thin Film Measurement market to provide quality standards for the products and achieve cost optimization simultaneously. Thin Film Measurement is applied in semiconductors that form the basis of automation across various industries.

Thin Film Measurement is used to measure the thickness of non-metallic semiconductor process films and besides that, the technology can also identify the cause of failure in integrated circuits. Film Measurement plays a crucial role in the miniaturization of semiconductors and with the growing automation, and high prevalence of IoT, its demand is expected to increase with the semiconductor market’s growth.

Its other areas include the process of silicon etching, where the film measurement is used to measure the etch rate membrane thickness, and uniformity. Apart from that, automotive, electronics, and aerospace use hard coats and other protective coatings, and film monitoring becomes an essential part of measuring the appropriate thickness to maintain quality control.
Growing healthcare investment is anticipated to propel the market.

Besides its automation and semiconductor application, thin-film measurement is also applied in the medical sector, and with the growing investment in the healthcare segment, this market stands a chance of expansion. For instance, in optics, the film measurement is used to measure anti-reflection, increased reflection coatings, and high-pass, low-pass, and bandpass filters.

Besides that, thin-film measurement also plays an important role in lens coating where the process is used to measure anti-reflectance coatings on lenses as well as hard coat and hydrophobic layer thickness. In the medical area, thin-film measurement is widely used to enhance the durability and performance of the devices which in turn provides comfort and ease to the patients and doctors during examination and surgeries.

MARKET RESTRAINTS:

Preference for non-destructive measurement techniques may hamper the market.

Industries usually prefer non-destructive film measurement techniques over destructive film measurement as, during non-destructive techniques, the material does not go through any physical damage and can be used afterward. This prevents the excess wastage of the product which increases during destructive techniques. This is expected to hamper the growth of the market because some destructive film measurements like dry film thickness gauge might not come in handy to everyone.

Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the major regional market.

The factors driving the Asia Pacific thin film measuring market are in line with the region's growing industrial landscape and technological advances. The demand for accurate thin film measuring technologies is driven by the region's increasing semiconductor sector, which is a cornerstone of its technical strength and assures the quality and dependability of semiconductor devices.

In addition, the fast assimilation of nanotechnology in several industries, such as electronics and healthcare, increases the demand for sophisticated thin-film characterization instruments. The need for measuring systems that provide precise insights into thickness, composition, and other crucial characteristics is growing as businesses depend more on nanomaterials and thin films for improved functionality.

In the Asia Pacific region, China is expected to be the largest market.

China is expected to become the largest market for thin film measuring in the Asia Pacific area. This significance stems from several elements that support the nation's dynamic industrial environment and technical breakthroughs. Thin film measuring methods are crucial instruments for guaranteeing the quality and performance of semiconductor components, as demonstrated by the substantial investments in research and development made by China's growing semiconductor sector.

The country's vigorous involvement in nanotechnology applications in several industries further supports the need for accurate thin film characterization instruments. The persistent enlargement of production plants, in conjunction with an emphasis on ingenuity, highlights China's important role in propelling the development of the thin film measuring industry inside the Asia Pacific region.

Key Developments:

In June 2023, the new TCM0403T series of noise reduction common mode filters for high-speed interface differential gearbox (0.45 x 0.3 x 0.23 mm - L x W x H) was launched by TDK Corporation The coil conductor pattern is created by the use of TDK's fine patterning, which is a thin-film manufacturing technique developed via the advancement of TDK's magnetic heads.
In January 2023, k-Space Associates, Inc. announced the release of the kSA XRF, their newest thin film metrology instrument. For materials that are too thin for accurate optical measurements, it determines the thickness of the layer. The measurement of semiconductor and dielectric layers on glass panels, wafers, and susceptors for use in solar, power, and other thin-film devices has been demonstrated to be possible using this approach.

Segmentation:

By Film Type
Dry Film
Wet Film
By Technology
Eddy Current
Magnetic Induction
Optical
Ultrasonic
By Industry Vertical
Automotive
Aerospace
Food and Beverage
Electrical and Electronics
Healthcare
Manufacturing
By Geography
North America
USA
Canada
Mexico
South America
Brazil
Argentina
Others
Europe
United Kingdom
Germany
France
Spain
Others
Middle East and Africa
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Israel
Others
Asia Pacific
China
Japan
India
South Korea
Taiwan
Thailand
Indonesia
Others