Thin Wafer Market Report 2025

The thin wafer market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $11.66 billion in 2024 to $12.78 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.6%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increased demand for miniaturized devices, rising adoption in semiconductor industry, cost reduction, growing consumer electronics market, growing demand for photovoltaic cells.

The thin wafer market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $18.56 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing use in automotive electronics, growing focus on renewable energy, focus on energy efficiency, demand for compact and lightweight devices. Major trends in the forecast period include rise in IoT and connected devices, advancements in semiconductor packaging, expansion of 5g technology, wafer-level chip scale packaging (WLCSP), technological innovations in wafer thinning.

The expanding smartphone and consumer electronics market is anticipated to drive the growth of the thin wafer market. Consumer electronics are defined as electronic devices designed for purchase and use by end-users for everyday, non-commercial, or non-professional purposes. These devices are powered by electricity or contain circuit boards. Thin wafers are utilized to fabricate integrated circuits and for high-density packaging in compact or microelectronic devices that power consumer electronics. Consequently, an increase in the smartphone and consumer electronics market will fuel market growth. For example, in February 2023, Uswitch Limited, a UK-based financial conduct authority, reported that starting in 2022, there were 71.8 million mobile connections in the UK, marking a 3.8% increase (approximately 2.6 million) over 2021. By 2025, the UK is expected to have a population of 68.3 million, with 95% (about 65 million people) projected to own smartphones. Additionally, a report from Shopify, a Canada-based multinational e-commerce company, indicated in December 2022 that spending on consumer electronics had risen by 20% since 2020. The largest segment within consumer electronics, smartphones, generated $481 billion in revenue in 2021, with projections suggesting it will exceed $500 billion by 2026. Therefore, the growth of the smartphone and consumer electronics market is propelling the growth of the thin wafer market.

The increasing adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) devices is expected to drive the growth of the thin wafer market in the future. The Internet of Things (IoT) encompasses the entire network of interconnected devices and the technology that facilitates communication between them and with the cloud. IoT devices are crucial in thin wafer manufacturing, as they enable real-time monitoring and data collection, optimize production processes, and improve quality control. For example, the State of IoT - Spring 2022 report by IoT Analytics revealed that in 2021, there were 12.2 billion active endpoints, representing an 8% rise in the total number of IoT connections. The IoT industry is projected to grow by 18%, reaching 14.4 billion active connections in 2022. Thus, the increasing adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) is propelling the growth of the thin wafer market.

Technological advancement is a significant trend in the thin wafer market. Major players in this sector are concentrating on developing new cleaning technologies to enhance their market position. For example, in May 2022, Soitec, a semiconductor company based in France, introduced a 200-mm SmartSiC-engineered substrate specifically designed for automotive applications. The launch of the 200mm SmartSiC wafer demonstrates improved performance of power electronics devices and greater energy efficiency for electric vehicles, highlighting Soitec's dedication to innovation and responding to industry needs.

Key companies in the thin wafer market are increasingly focusing on the introduction of innovative silicone film-forming emulsions to gain a competitive advantage. A silicone film-forming emulsion is a stable mixture of silicone-based polymers or resins dispersed in water, typically prepared as an emulsion. For instance, in October 2022, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., a chemical company from Japan, developed the industry's first silicone film-forming emulsion. This product offers several benefits, including the elimination of the need for a metallic curing catalyst, being a low-VOC (volatile organic compound) emulsion, and minimizing unwanted low-molecular-weight siloxanes. This new offering is intended for fiber-treatment applications and is part of a range of eco-friendly, safe, and user-friendly silicone emulsions.

In June 2022, Applied Materials, Inc., a US-based global provider of semiconductor materials engineering solutions, acquired Picosun Oy for an undisclosed sum. By acquiring Picosun’s atomic layer deposition technology, Applied aims to enhance its capabilities in the ICAPS markets, bolster its portfolio, and create more opportunities to increase the scale of its customers. Picosun Oy is a Finland-based innovative provider of atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology and thin wafer solutions for specialty semiconductors.

Major companies operating in the thin wafer market are 3M Company, Applied Materials Inc., Brewer Science Inc., DISCO Corporation, EV Group, GlobalWafers Co. Ltd., Shin-Estu Chemical Co. Ltd., Sil'tronix Silicon Technologies, SK Siltron Co. Ltd., SUMCO Corporation, SUSS MicroTec, Synova S A, Virginia Semiconductor Inc., ULVAC GmbH, Wafer Works Corporation, Atecom Technology Co. Ltd., UniversityWafer Inc., Mechatronic Systemtechnik GmbH, Soitec, My-Chip Production GmbH, Polishing Corporation of America, Kulicke & Soffa Industries Inc., LG Siltronic, Han's Laser Technology Industry Group Co. Ltd., ASM Pacific Technology Ltd., Aixtron SE, SPTS Technologies Limited.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the thin wafer market analysis in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the thin wafer market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the thin wafer market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Thin wafers, essential in semiconductor device production, are formed via mechanical grinding and stress reduction methods.

These wafers primarily come in sizes of 125 mm, 200 mm, and 300 mm. The 125 mm wafers serve as robust and shatterproof semiconductor bases. The manufacturing processes for thin wafers involve temporary bonding and debonding, along with carrier-less or taiko methods. Technologies applied include wafer grinding, polishing, and dicing. Thin wafers find application in various fields such as MEMS, CIS, RF devices, LED production, interposers, logic circuits, and other specialized uses.

The thin wafer market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides thin wafer market statistics, including thin wafer industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a thin wafer market share, detailed thin wafer market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the thin wafer industry. This thin wafer market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The thin wafer market consists of sales of silicon wafers and sapphire wafers. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods. The thin wafer market is segmented into silicon wafers, sapphire wafers and other wafers.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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