Wafer Cleaning Equipment Market

The wafer cleaning equipment market is expected to reach USD 16.5 billion by 2028 from USD 10.1 billion in 2023, at a CAGR of 10.4% during the 2023–2028 period.

A wafer stands as a slim slice or foundation crafted from semiconducting material, vital in the field of electronics for producing integrated circuits (ICs). These wafers are meticulously produced using exceptionally pure and defect-free substances like silicon. Before integration into devices, these wafers undergo meticulous chemical cleaning. Diverse options of automated, semi-automated, and manual wafer cleaning machinery are accessible, including single wafer spray systems, single wafer cryogenic systems, batch immersion cleaning systems, batch spray cleaning systems, and scrubbers. The choice of cleaning equipment is contingent upon factors such as wafer size, the nature of contaminants, throughput requirements, and the configurations of the intended devices.

Through the cleaning procedure, impurities adhering to the wafer's surface are eliminated, rendering them more suitable for utilization in semiconductor devices. These wafer cleaning tools find application in purifying silicon wafers, compound semiconductor device wafers, MEMS, flat-panel displays, read/write heads for hard disk drives, photomasks, and printed circuit boards (PCBs). There's a high demand for wafers in various applications such as MEMS, CIS, memory, RF devices, LEDs, interposers, and logic. As the demand for wafers continues to rise, the adoption of wafer cleaning equipment increases in order to conduct thorough and effective wafer fabrication and cleaning processes.

The market for wafer cleaning equipment is categorized by equipment type, including single wafer spray systems, single wafer cryogenic systems, batch immersion cleaning systems, batch spray cleaning systems, and scrubbers.

Wafer Cleaning Equipment Market Forecast to 2028

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Wafer Cleaning Equipment Market Dynamics

Driver: Growing demand for memory devices from AI-based servers

In recent years, there has been a significant surge in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) for various applications. The constantly growing generative AI market owing to the increasing popularity of AI-based chatbots such as ChatGPT is a major factor fueling the growth of the generative AI market. The growing popularity of such AI-based chatbots is expected to drive the demand for memory and storage devices, subsequently improving their average selling price (ASP) trends especially in the next 5 years. The improving price trend of memory and storage devices is also expected to help manufacturers of memory and storage devices to reduce excess inventory. The growing adoption of memory-based devices and subsequently increasing shipments of memory devices globally is expected to drive the growth of the semiconductor industry, thereby fueling the market growth for wafer cleaning equipment.

Restraint: Environmental concerns owing to emission of hazardous chemicals during wafer cleaning

Wafer cleaning is one of the most recurrent steps in the process manufacturing semiconductor devices. However, the growing trend of miniaturization and subsequently shrinking dimensions of devices have resulted in an increase in the levels of impurities. In the wafer fabrication and cleaning processes, some of the toxic chemicals and acids such as antimony (Sb), antimony trioxide (SbO3), arsenic pentafluoride (AsF5), arsenic (As), boron trichloride (BCl3), boron trifluoride (BF3), chlorine (Cl), germane (GeH4), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and oxidized carbon are used. All these chemicals are hazardous and toxic and have an adverse impact on human health and the environment. Hence, they must be used in a controlled environment. Furthermore, wet chemical cleaning process, a commonly used cleaning technology that helps in removing damage and contamination in the wafer uses substantial amounts of chemicals and acids which are harmful to the environment. However, technological advancements and the emergence of alternatives such as dry-cleaning processes such as plasma cleaning, short wavelength, and ultraviolet radiation is expected to reduce the adverse impact of wafer cleaning on the environment on a longer run.

Opportunity: Technological advancements

There have been several technological advancements related to compound semiconductor technologies in recent years. For instance, GaN semiconductor devices have witnessed several technological advancements that have driven their demand in various applications. Advancements in GaN crystal growth techniques such as metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and molecular epitaxy (MBE) are implemented in their manufacturing processes. These techniques deliver high-quality GaN materials with lower defect densities. Researchers are also exploring alternative substrates for GaN epitaxial layers such as GaN-on-Silicon technology as it reduces the cost of GaN devices and improves thermal performance, whereas GaN-on-GaN technology is emerging as it allows GaN semiconductor devices to have high breakdown tolerance and scalability. Constantly emerging technological advancements related to compound semiconductor devices is expected to create a surge in the production of discrete and integrated semiconductor devices such as transistors, diodes, amplifiers, ICs, etc., subsequently increasing the need for wafer cleaning.

Challenge: Longer construction timelines for new fabs in the US

The development of a new fab takes about 2 to 4 years in any country. However, the number of days taken in the US to develop a new fab is more than Japan, China, and Taiwan. The US has several environmental, health, and safety (EHS) regulations enforced by the federal governments that must be adhered to during the construction of a new semiconductor manufacturing facility. Though the regulations are instrumental in reducing the adverse environmental impact, they significantly reduce the pace of construction of new and advanced fabrication facilities in the US. Conventionally, the Clean Air Act (1970), and other hazardous waste regulations were the major regulations that were adhered to during the development of a new fabrication facility. However, the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ’s) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the passage of CHIPS Act in 2022 had further increased in the time taken for the construction of new fabrication facilities in the US as these regulations are applicable to all the projects funded by the federal governments. Stringent government regulations in the US are expected to significantly increase the time taken for the construction of new fabrication facilities in the country.

Wafer Cleaning Equipment Market Ecosystem

The single wafer spray system is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of the wafer cleaning equipment market during the forecast period

In the wafer cleaning process, contamination and impurities can have a detrimental effect on the performance of devices. These contaminations and impurities need to be removed during semiconductor manufacturing to obtain high-quality devices. On each successive decade, the dimensions of devices are shrinking and making the devices more exposed to mechanical forces applied to them during cleaning, possibly leading to defect formation. A single wafer spray cleaning system is a very promising cleaning system to remove impurities with minimal damage. In this cleaning system, a single wafer is placed for processing in a stationary spray column where the wafer is exposed to the mist of chemicals, such as SC-1, SC-2, and de-ionized water. During this process, the wafer is spun and rinsed. After spinning, the wafer is dried in an atmosphere of nitrogen (N2). These systems are quite expensive but are promising toward effective cleaning and causing minimal damage to a wafer.

Memory application is holds the largest market share in the wafer cleaning equipment market in 2022

Diverse forms of memory, including dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), and flash memory (NAND or NOR), find application in computers, laptops, digital music players, gaming devices, and mobile Internet devices. The creation of memory chips involves an initial process of cleaning an entire wafer from its rear surface, followed by the incorporation of the chip onto the wafer. This wafer is subjected to cleaning procedures facilitated by wafer cleaning equipment. In the present context, NAND flash memory has gained widespread usage in mobile electronics. As memory dimensions continue to decrease to the nanoscale, the cleansing and removal of defects from silicon wafers have emerged as pivotal tasks for achieving enhanced quality and efficiency. Precision cleaning is imperative for memory due to its sensitivity; inadequate cleaning can compromise its proper functionality.

Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the highest market share during the forecast period

For the past four and a half decades, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region has wielded significant influence within the semiconductor equipment sector, shaping its trajectory in remarkable ways. The evolution of California's Silicon Valley since the 1970s owes a considerable debt to the support extended by stakeholders in the APAC region.

In the upcoming forecast period, the APAC region is projected to maintain its prominent position in the wafer cleaning equipment market. This dominance can be attributed to several factors, including the availability of cost-effective labor in China, the strides taken in innovation and enhancement of fabrication facilities in Taiwan, and the continuous advancement of semiconductor equipment manufacturing capabilities in Japan. These factors collectively contribute to a range of cutting-edge advantages that bolster the prowess of the Asian semiconductor industry. In the APAC region, the wafer cleaning equipment market is primarily led by key players situated in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and China. Among these, South Korea and Taiwan are anticipated to emerge as global frontrunners within the wafer cleaning equipment market as of 2022.

Wafer Cleaning Equipment Market by Region

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Key Market Players

The major players in the wafer cleaning equipment companies include SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. (Japan), Tokyo Electron Limited (Japan), Applied Materials (US), LAM Research Corporation (US), Shibaura Mechatronics Corporation (Japan), PVA TePLA AG (Germany), Entregris Inc., (US), SEMES (US), Modutek.com (Japan), Veeco Instruments Inc. (US), Toho Technology (US), ULTRON SYSTEMS, INC. (US), Akrion Technologies (US), Axus Technology (US), SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION (Japan), etc. These companies have used both organic and inorganic growth strategies such as product launches, acquisitions, and partnerships to strengthen their position in the market.

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Scope of the Report

Wafer Cleaning Equipment Market Highlights

The study segments the wafer cleaning equipment market based on hardware, software, services, vertical, and region at the regional and global level.

Recent Developments

• In July 2023, Tokyo Electron Limited has announced the completion of its new development building at the Hosaka Office in Yamanashi Prefecture. This expansion enhances TEL's technology development capabilities, supporting the growth of products crucial for the semiconductor market's advancements.
• In January 2023, SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. has completed the construction of its new factory (S-Cube 4), dedicated to semiconductor production equipment. The facility was built at the existing Hikone Site and marks a significant development for the company's semiconductor manufacturing capabilities.
• In December 2022, SCREEN SPE introduces the SU-3400, a single wafer cleaning system with world-leading throughput and unique cleaning technologies. The system's innovative design with six-level stacked towers and downsized cleaning chambers reduces its footprint by 30%. Equipped with 24 chambers, the SU-3400 achieves a high practical processing capacity of up to 1,200 wafers per hour.
• In December 2022, SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. and imec have renewed their joint development agreement to collaborate on developing advanced and sustainable technologies. This partnership leverages SCREEN's expertise in wafer cleaning technology and imec's prowess in nanoelectronics and digital technologies.
• In November 2022, Lam Research Corporation acquired SEMSYSCO GmbH, a global provider of wet processing semiconductor equipment, from Gruenwald Equity and other investors. This acquisition has enriched Lam's capabilities in advanced packaging, particularly suitable for state-of-the-art logic chips and chiplet-based solutions catering to high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), and other data-intensive applications.

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