Semiconductor Metrology And Inspection Equipment Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

Semiconductor Metrology And Inspection Equipment Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The Semiconductor Metrology and Inspection Equipment Market size is expected to grow from USD 9.95 billion in 2023 to USD 12.82 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 5.20% during the forecast period (2023-2028).

Key Highlights

• Semiconductor metrology and inspection are essential for managing the semiconductor manufacturing process. There are 400 to 600 steps in the manufacturing process of semiconductor wafers, which are undertaken in the course of one to two months. If deficiencies occur early in the process, all the work undertaken in the subsequent time-consuming steps will be wasted. Metrology and inspection processes are established at critical points of the semiconductor manufacturing process to ensure that a specific yield can be confirmed and maintained.
• The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), led by increased demand for semiconductor devices across industries like consumer electronics, automotive, aerospace, etc., drives the semiconductor metrology and inspection market. The consumer electronics industry increasingly demands advanced and miniaturized semiconductor components and parts.
• Moreover, new manufacturing techniques and device architectures in production, which include 3D NAND, 3D finFET transistors, advanced self-aligned multiple patterning, and EUV lithography, are creating a paradigm shift in metrology/inspection demand.
• The demand for metrology equipment is further expected to gain traction with the increasing demand for electronic products. Technological advancements have made it possible for next-generation high-precision equipment to become standard features in the production lines.
• Enterprises operating in the semiconductor manufacturing space need additional metrology support occasionally. Technological advancement requires these enterprises to maintain a state-of-the-art measurement lab and engineering staff. However, modifying the metrology process in tune with the change in semiconductor equipment would necessitate the company to shell out a lot of expenditure to set up the required systems.
• The COVID-19 pandemic influenced the overall semiconductor manufacturing market from the demand and supply sides. In addition, the global lockdowns and closure of semiconductor plants fueled the supply shortage. The effects were also reflected in the studied market. However, many of these effects were short-term. Precautions by governments worldwide to support automotive and semiconductor sectors could help revive industry growth.

Semiconductor Metrology & Inspection Equipment Market Trends

Increasing Demand for Semiconductor Wafers in Consumer Electronics to Drive the Market Growth

• There has been widespread adoption of connected and smart devices worldwide. Traditional old devices and electronics possess some computational power and house several additional sensors in a confined space.
• Furthermore, metrology is crucial in designing semiconductors and maintaining low error rates, resulting in a longer device lifespan. The advancements in metrology have enabled organizations to produce semiconductors at large by bringing down error rates.
• Moreover, The smartphone is a significant consumer of semiconductors. The smartphone market has been very competitive in recent years. The increasing usage of mobile phones is further anticipated to drive the global market. For instance, according to Ericsson Mobility Report 2022, by the end of 2027, there will be 4.4 billion 5G subscriptions globally, accounting for 48 percent of all mobile subscriptions.
• As electronic devices are the prominent driver for the demand for semiconductors, the growing push to adopt 5G technology worldwide is expected to drive up the need for various electronic devices worldwide, positively impacting the market growth.

Asia-Pacific Expected to Witness Significant Growth in the Market

• The Asia-Pacific is one of the prominent regions for the semiconductor industry concerning manufacturing and consumption. According to SIA, Asia-Pacific is the largest regional semiconductor market, and China accounts for the most significant share in the region.
• Moreover, RTEC developed a new product, NovusEdge, for bare wafer edge and backside inspection. Edge die yield is becoming more critical as semiconductor manufacturing facilities attempt to save costs by reducing the wafer edge exclusion to produce a more significant number of yielding dies per wafer.
• Asia-Pacific has been a growing market for semiconductor equipment over the last few years. However, trade issues between the United States and China have presented uncertainty in the semiconductor metrology and inspection equipment market.
• Domestic semiconductor companies have been spending significantly to maintain their current market position by increasing their capacity and transitioning between technology nodes and wafer sizes. In the future, the demand is expected to be witnessed from the foundry in the region.
• Shaoxing Government and Shengyang Group formed a new joint venture in collaboration with Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), China, to support local demand and competition.

Semiconductor Metrology & Inspection Equipment Industry Overview

The semiconductor metrology and inspection equipment market is competitive, with the presence of many regional and international players. Innovation drives the market in product offerings, and each vendor invests in innovation.

In September 2022, the KLA Corporation announced its plans to build a new R&D and manufacturing center in Newport, Wales, United Kingdom. The new center will include a capital investment of over USD 100 million and create a 200,000-square-foot facility.

In July 2022, Onto Innovation Inc. announced the latest addition to its family of Acoustic Metrology products. The new Echo system expands the addressable market for in-line characterization of opaque films, estimated to be approximately USD 110 million. This is done by leveraging the principle of picosecond ultrasonics to deliver critical thickness metrology and material characterization for key technology transitions in the leading-edge DRAM and high-stack NAND memory markets.

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