According to the latest research study released by Technavio, the global semiconductor stepper system market is expected to reach over USD 6 billion by 2020.

This research report titled ‘Global Semiconductor Stepper System Market 2016-2020’, provides an in-depth analysis of market growth in terms of revenue and emerging market trends. This market research report also includes up to date analysis and forecasts for various market segments, including MEMS, advanced packaging, and LED devices.

“Due to an increasing demand for compact electronic devices in segments, such as consumer electronics, healthcare, and automotive, semiconductor IC manufacturers are forced to reduce the size of ICs. It has therefore given rise to the MEMS market, which is expected to experience a surge in its demand during the forecast period,” said Asif Gani, one of Technavio’s lead analysts for semiconductor equipment research.

“ICs are becoming denser with more transistors being installed in wafers, thus necessitating fine patterning. As the stepper system uses these processes, its demand for is likely to rise during the forecast period,” added Asif.

Segmentation of global semiconductor stepper system market by application 2015 (% share):

• MEMs: 40.94%
• Advanced Packaging: 31.50%
• LED Devices: 27.56%

(Source: Technavio research)

Global semiconductor stepper system market by MEMS application

The global semiconductor stepper system market for MEMS application contributed a total revenue of USD 2.55 billion in 2015. MEMS has wide variety of applications in the consumer electronics, automotive, medical, industrial, telecom, and defense sectors. Consumer electronics is the largest market for MEMS applications, with mobile devices accounting for the largest share. Mobile devices include smartphones and wearables, which are installed with different types of MEMS sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, and pressure sensors. These sensors are used for controlling screen orientation, gaming, navigation, and camera stabilization.

Global semiconductor stepper system market by LED devices application

The global semiconductor stepper system market for LED devices application contributed a total revenue of USD 1.71 billion in 2015. Stepper systems are used to manufacture LED devices with high brightness, including TVs, vehicle display screens, and tablet display screens. Lithography is a basic component in the manufacturing of LEDs. Technavio estimates an oversupply of semiconductor ICs in 2016 to reduce capital spending by semiconductor device manufacturers 2016, and it is expected to further reduce the demand for lithography and semiconductor stepper systems. However, the market will bounce back with the expected growth in semiconductor market from 2017 onwards.

Global semiconductor stepper system market by advanced packaging application

The global semiconductor stepper system market for advanced packaging application contributed a total revenue of USD 1.96 billion in 2015. As the semiconductor industry is moving toward miniaturization, manufacturers need to develop small-sized wafers with better performance and low cost. Therefore, advanced packaging technologies such as wafer-level packaging, flip-chip, and TSV provide better chip connectivity and low power consumption compared to conventional packaging techniques. These advantages drive the adoption of new technologies among manufacturers.