Plasma Etching Equipment Market Size (2024 - 2029)

Plasma Etching Equipment Market Analysis

The Plasma Etching Equipment Market is expected to register a CAGR of 7.8% over the forecast period. The demand for plasma etching equipment is expected to be driven by the increasing importance of etching technology and related equipment with the use of etching processes to achieve even smaller dimensions over the forecast period. Plasma etching has enabled various modifications to address stringent process demands for miniaturization in the microelectronics industry.

• Plasma etching is a sophisticated, versatile technology that creates a wide range of devices. Today, semiconductor manufacturers are switching to the plasma etch system from traditional wet etching, as it consumes fewer chemicals and is more suitable for automation and single wafer manufacturing. Increasing demand for compact, energy-efficient electronic devices having improved performance is boosting the need for developing miniature semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs). For miniaturizing IC, the course has to undergo an advanced circuit fabrication process with small geometries and thus requires precise pattern transfer.
• Plasma etching is used extensively in the semiconductor and microelectromechanical systems industries. For instance, in manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs), isotropic etching is used to plasma clean circuits after machining and before electroplating. Anisotropic etching is used to form circuit patterns in wafers. This anisotropic plasma etching is highly energetic and called reactive ion etching (RIE).
• Moreover, massive technological upgradation taking place in the IoT application to offer technologically advanced intelligent devices to different consumers across the globe is also predicted to accelerate the demand for advanced semiconductors, thereby positively affecting the market's growth. With the growth in IoT applications, smart devices are increasing, giving rise to miniature semiconductors, thus raising the demand for plasma etching.
• Smartphones and other applications that require semiconductor ICs are other factors driving the overall demand for plasma etching in consumer electronics, automotive, and other industries, as technology advancements like wireless technologies (5G) and artificial intelligence have significantly impacted the trend of these sectors. Also, the increasing number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices is expected to force the semiconductor industry to invest in this equipment to attain intelligent products. The SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) revealed in its quarterly review of the silicon wafer industry that worldwide silicon wafer shipments grew 3.3% to 3,649 million square inches in the third quarter of 2021, which was a new industry high. Shipments of silicon wafers in the third quarter of 2021 increased by 16.4% over the same quarter the previous year, to 3,135 million square inches.
• However, this equipment is often costlier than wet-chemical etching equipment. Also, due to faster consumption of resists due to wet chemical etching, the selectivity offered by this equipment is reduced compared to wet-chemical etching equipment. These are some of the primary factors challenging the growth of the market.
• The COVID-19 pandemic halted the manufacturing of several items in the semiconductor production equipment industry, owing to continued lockdown in most regions across the world. Lockdown measures reduced demand for consumer electronic gadgets, which had a global impact on the semiconductor sector. The continued decline in worldwide demand and export shipments for automobiles provided a negative impact on the semiconductor market, which is currently slowing the demand for semiconductor manufacturing equipment. However, the demand is expected to gain traction gradually with the industrial activities returning back to the pre-pandemic level.

Plasma Etching Equipment Industry Segmentation

The scope of the study focuses on the market analysis of plasma etching equipment products worldwide. Market sizing encompasses the revenue generated through plasma etching equipment products analyzed worldwide and sold by various market players. The study also tracks the key market parameters, underlying growth influencers, and major vendors operating in the industry, which supports the market estimations and growth rates over the forecast period. the study further analyzes the overall impact of COVID-19 on the ecosystem. The report's scope encompasses market sizing and forecast for segmentation by type, application, and geography.