Semiconductor Wafer Polishing and Grinding Equipment Market Size (2024 - 2029)

Semiconductor Wafer Polishing and Grinding Equipment Market Analysis

The semiconductor wafer polishing and grinding equipment market is expected to register a CAGR of 4.1% during the forecast period. Wafer grinding and polishing processes form a vital step in the fabrication of semiconductor devices.

• The increasing demand in MEMS, IC manufacturing, optics, and compound semiconductors will boost the planarization in semiconductor devices. In the current market scenario, as almost all electronic devices, including laptops, smartphones, computers, etc., make use of Silicon ICs and other wafer-dependent packages, the demand for advanced grinding and polishing machinery is always on the rise.
• According to SEMI, silicon wafer shipments across the world in the second quarter of 2022 saw a 5% growth reaching 3,704 million square inches from 3,534 million square inches reported during the same quarter in the previous year. Such a market scenario is expected to unlock several new opportunities for the market in the near future.
• Further, the growing need for miniaturization in electronics (due to the demand for thinner wafers that consume low power) is expected to drive some advancements in the semiconductor wafer polishing and grinding equipment market over the forecast period.
• However, the recent advancements in etching, which offer more advantages compared to polishing techniques, are affecting the demand for polishing machinery. Moreover, the removal of partial defects through polishing with traditional CMP (chemical-mechanical-polishing) technology preserves the surface profile, making it extremely difficult for manufacturers and service providers involved in wafer reclaim activities.
• Covid-19 significantly disrupted the supply chain and production of semiconductors worldwide, especially in China, during the initial phase of 2020. However, the rising trends of digitalization due to the pandemic have increased the demand for semiconductor components, which is expected to have a positive impact on the market going forward.

Semiconductor Wafer Polishing and Grinding Equipment Industry Segmentation

Grinding and polishing are significant components of the semiconductor wafer fabrication process. They are often dependent on end-user customization and packaging requirements. Grinding is generally performed for wafer thinning, while polishing ensures a smooth and damage-free surface. However, in most of the latest equipment, the grinding and polishing tasks are integrated into a single device to overcome the drawbacks of performing these operations separately, and any grinding method causes particular damage to the wafer.

The Semiconductor Wafer Polishing and Grinding Equipment Market is Segmented by Geography (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Rest of the World). The market sizes and forecasts are provided in terms of value (USD million) for the above segments.