Semiconductor metrology/inspection equipment outperforms overall equipment market for only third time in 10 years

NEW TRIPOLI, USA: The semiconductor metrology/inspection equipment market grew 24.8 percent in 2011 while overall semiconductor equipment grew 9.3 percent, marking only the third time in 10 years, according to the report Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control in VLSI Manufacturing from The Information Network.

For 2011, the semiconductor metrology/inspection market outperformed the overall semiconductor equipment market, as it did in 2008 and 2005, growing only 24.8 percent, compared to an overall growth rate of 9.3 percent for the front-end equipment market according to preliminary findings.

Historically, sales of process control tools have mirrored sales of the entire front-end equipment market. Prior to 2003, metrology/inspection sales outperformed the overall front-end equipment market in six out of eight years.

In 2006, metrology/inspection revenues grew 14.5 percent compared to 23.2 percent for the total front-end equipment sector. In 2007, metrology/inspection revenues grew 8.4 percent compared to 10.6 percent for the total front-end equipment sector. In 2008, metrology/inspection revenues decreased 19.3 percent while the total front-end equipment sector decreased 33 percent. In 2009, metrology/inspection revenues decreased 46.3 percent while the total front-end equipment sector decreased 42.4 percent.

Semiconductor yields reached a level that sampling of wafers was relaxed in 2006, as end users (semiconductor manufacturers) found ways to minimize capital expenditures.

For 2011, the top three metrology/inspection suppliers were KLA-Tencor, Hitachi High Tech, and Applied Materials.Source: The Information Network, USA.