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Thin Wafer Market worth over $9.5bn by 2027

Published Date: March 22, 2021

Thin Wafer Market size is set to surpass USD 9.5 billion by 2027, according to a new research report by Global Market Insights Inc.
 

The rising trend of miniaturization in semiconductor components among foundries and IDMs across the globe will drive the market growth. Thin wafer improves the performance of chipsets, sensors, and ICs while shrinking the package size at the same time. The continuous development in advanced packaging technology to achieve new process nodes is expected to increase the adoption of thin silicon wafers in the market. Foundry players are focusing on integrating new node technology in chipsets and ICs, further augmenting the market expansion.
 

The high cost associated with thin wafer manufacturing is one of the major factors restraining the market value. Thin wafer is highly fragile and susceptible to damage owing to external pressure or stress applied during the wafer processing. These wafers can break when high stress is applied while polishing, handling, and transportation. It can also result in structural defects, invisible cracks, and damages due to Electrostatic Discharges (ESD). To overcome these issues, market participants are implementing Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction techniques to reduce the damages in silicon wafers. However, these techniques are time-consuming and expensive, which are hindering the market revenue.
 

Increasing acceptance of >200 μm wafers in manufacturing passive integrated devices and power semiconductors

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The >200 μm segment held 30% of the thin wafer market share in 2020 and will witness 4% growth rate till 2027 led by growing usage of >200 μm wafers in manufacturing power SiC components and passive integrated devices. Majority of the semiconductor wafers are thinned down to a range between 100 μm to 200 μm. Wafers with a thickness between this range provide low-surface roughness, haze-free flatness, and enhanced heat management, which are suitable for passive integrated devices and power semiconductor applications. Technological advancements in wafer-level packaging will further augment the market demand.
 

Rising need for customized solutions is anticipated to spur the demand for 125 mm silicon wafers

The 125 mm segment is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6% through 2027. The demand for silicon wafers with 125 mm diameter is increasing rapidly impelled by a high requirement for customized thin wafer from various enterprises in the market. Thin silicon wafer with large diameters are difficult to process owing to the chances of break-down during the fabrication of chipsets and ICs. Market leaders are therefore focusing on providing customized 5” (125 mm) wafers, according to the required applications. Adding to this, the growing demand for Silicon-on-Insulators (SoI) wafers and Epitaxial (EPI) wafers developed on 125 mm wafer size is predicted to bring new opportunities for the industry growth over the coming years.
 

Browse key industry insights spread across 232 pages with 200 market data tables and 32 figures & charts from the report, “Thin Wafer Market Size, By Thickness (>200μm, 100μm - 199μm, 50μm - 99μm, 30μm - 49μm, 10μm - 29μm, <10μm), By Wafer Size (100 mm, 125 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm), By Process (Temporary Bonding & Debonding, {UV-release Adhesives, Thermal-release Adhesives, Solvent-release Adhesives}, Carrier-less Approach/Taiko Process), By Application (MEMS, CMOS Image Sensors, Memory, RF Devices, LED, Interposers, Logic), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Application Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2021 - 2027” in detail along with the table of contents:
https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/thin-wafer-market   

 

Superior wafer strength associated with the Taiko process will fuel the market progression

The carrier-less approach/Taiko process segment captured 30% of the revenue share in 2020 and will grow at a 4.5% CAGR by 2027 on account of several features offered by the Taiko process such as a reduction in wafer breakage and edge chipping while providing superior wafer strength. Thin wafers are highly fragile and require high-end equipment for wafer handling. This has inclined wafer manufacturer’s interest toward silicon strengthening techniques such as the Taiko process, fostering the industry revenue.
 

Advancements in new memory technologies will propel the demand for thin wafer in the market

The memory application segment held a market share of 40% in 2020 and is slated to expand at a CAGR of more than 6% till 2027 propelled by the rising innovation in new memory technologies such as NAND Flash memory, Low-Power Double-Data Rate (LPDDR5), and 3D stacked memory. Thin silicon wafers improve energy efficiency and maximize memory storage capacity. Memory manufacturers are therefore focusing on adopting thin wafer technology to capture high memory demand from data centers and High-Performance Computing (HPC) applications.
 

Increasing government initiatives to boost the domestic semiconductor industry will influence the North America market growth

The North America thin wafer market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7% through 2027. Growing chip shortage in the region is driving the government to initiate several subsidies and investment programs. For instance, in June 2020, U.S. lawmakers introduced a USD 22.8 billion bill to aid semiconductor manufacturers in the country. The bill focuses on offering up to 40% tax benefits and support incentives for research & development activities to local semiconductor manufacturers. Through this bill, the government aims to reduce dependency on China and other East Asian countries. Such favorable initiatives are expected to increase semiconductor production, adding growth opportunities for local suppliers of thin silicon wafers in North America.
 

Key players operating in the market are SK Siltron Co., Ltd., SOITEC, Siltronic AG, Shanghai Simgui Technology Co., Ltd., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., UniversityWafer, Inc., SUMCO CORPORATION, Silicon Valley Microelectronics, Inc. and GlobalWafers. These companies are focusing on inorganic growth strategies such as acquisition, collaboration, and new plant expansion to stay competitive in the market.

 

Authors: Preeti Wadhwani, Prasenjit Saha