Semiconductor Wet Etch Systems Market - Forecasts from 2023 to 2028

Semiconductor wet etch systems market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2.51% from a market size of US$10.125 billion in 2021 to US$12.046 billion in 2028.

A semiconductor wet etch system is a piece of equipment used in the semiconductor manufacturing process. It works by selectively removing specific layers or regions of a semiconductor wafer through chemical solutions, and it involves immersing the wafer in a chemical solution, or etchant, that dissolves or removes the targeted material from the surface of the wafer. Wet etch systems have several components, including a chemical delivery system, a wafer handling mechanism, and a control system. The chemical delivery system supplies the etchant to the wafer surface, while the wafer handling mechanism moves the wafer into and out of the etchant bath. The control system regulates the temperature, flow rate, and other parameters to ensure that the etching process is performed accurately and consistently. Wet etch systems are essential for semiconductor fabrication processes and are required to manufacture a wide range of devices, including microprocessors, memory chips, and sensors. The semiconductor wet etch systems market is expected to be driven by the increasing demand for semiconductors, technological advancements, the growing adoption of advanced packaging technologies, and the growth of the automotive and aerospace industries over the forecast period.

Market Drivers

Rise in demand for solar technology

The growing demand for sustainable energy sources is driving the market for solar technology and systems, increasing the consumption of crystalline silicon PV cells. The rising growth of crystalline silicon solar cells will result in increased consumption of wet etch systems as wet anisotropic etching is majorly consumed to provide surface texturing to crystalline silicon solar cells to reduce light reflection and increase the productivity of these solar cells. The Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy in the US reported that the majority of solar cells found in commercially accessible solar systems and panels are crystalline silicon solar cells contributing to approximately more than 85% of the solar market due to their efficient energy conversion rates ranging from more than 20% for multi-crystalline solar cells and more than 25% for solo-crystal solar cells. In addition, the US Department of Energy is launching new initiatives to enhance the efficiencies of these solar cells. This further creates an opportunity for the expansion of the semiconductor wet etch system market, as it can aid in improving the productivity of these cells.

Growth in production activities of aerospace and automotive production

In the aerospace and automotive industries, wet etch systems are extensively consumed to manufacture components such as sensors, MEMS devices, and power electronics critical for electronic applications used in safety and control systems. For instance, Microstructures are created using wet anisotropic etching in silicon bulk micromachining for various MEMS applications. Therefore, the rise in the automotive and aerospace industry's production of automobiles and aerial vehicles promotes the use of semiconductor wet etch systems in their manufacturing processes. For instance, according to the data from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, the number of vehicles produced in India increased from 4.3 million in December 2021 to 5.4 million in December 2022. In addition, the development of EV technology by major companies such as Tesla and Ford is driving the demand for EVs worldwide, which will further expand the automotive industry. For example, the number of international EV sales amounted to 6.6 million units in 2022, increasing more than 50% from its value in 2021 as per the statistics released by the International Energy Agency.

The rising consumption of dry etching processes remains a key factor impeding market growth.

The replacement of wet etching with dry etching in certain products and technologies being developed in the electronics industry restrains developing the semiconductor wet etch system market. For instance, in June 2022, Apple Inc. announced that its display suppliers, including LG Display and Samsung, would develop OLED panels using a dry etching process for manufacturing its future iPads. Traditionally, the wet etching process is employed to manufacture OLED screens; however, Samsung Display is replacing it with an advanced dry etching process which could reduce semiconductor wet etch system usage in the electronics sector. In addition, the constant research and development investment by various research institutes and labs is leading to the development of new dry etching technologies, which could further compromise the demand for wet etch systems. For example, Nagoya University in Japan collaborated with Hitachi Ltd. to introduce a new dry etching technique called wet-like plasma etching to be applied on metal carbides of IC chips in data centers and smartphones in March 2023.

Asia Pacific holds a prominent share of the semiconductor wet etch system market and is expected to witness robust growth in the forecast period.

The expansion of the semiconductor sector fueled by technological advancements is fueling the growth of the region's semiconductor wet etch system market. Wet etch systems are used in various semiconductor manufacturing processes, such as wafer cleaning, patterned wafer etching, and device isolation, in conjunction with other semiconductor equipment, such as lithography and deposition systems, to fabricate complex integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices. In addition, the increasing adoption of advanced packaging technologies such as 3D packaging and heterogeneous integration is also driving the demand for wet etch systems since these technologies require complex wet etching processes to create intricate structures and patterns.

Market Segmentation:

By Application

• Chemical Delivery System
• O-Rings and Seals
• UPW Piping System
• Wafer Containers
• Structural Parts

By Geography

• North America
• USA
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Others
• Europe
• Germany
• France
• United Kingdom
• Spain
• Others
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Israel
• Others
• Asia Pacific
• China
• Japan
• India
• South Korea
• Indonesia
• Taiwan
• Others