EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET (EUV) LITHOGRAPHY MARKET ANALYSIS

Global extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography market growth  can be hampered due to high cost involved with EUV lithography equipment and technology. The EUV lithography tools and machinery required for semiconductor manufacturing purposes are extremely expensive with the current cost of a single EUV scanner being US$ 120 million. EUV lithography scans require stable and uninterrupted power beams which can only be produced using complex and expensive laser-produced plasma sources. This high initial capital expenditure required for setting up an EUV lithography line has been a deterrent for many semiconductor foundries, especially smaller ones with limited budgets. The costs of maintenance and regular upgradation of these EUV machines are also high due to their complexity. With ongoing research and development as well as larger scale production, the costs of EUV lithography are expected to reduce gradually but the current high prices remain a major roadblock for greater adoption of this next-generation lithography technology.

Market Opportunity - Expansion of Semiconductor Market in Emerging Economies

Global extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography market can witness growth due to expansion of the overall semiconductor market in emerging economies. Countries like China, India, Brazil, Indonesia and others are witnessing tremendous economic development, and this boosts growth of various industries and increases demand for electronic products. This positively impacts the semiconductor industry of these nations. The market for devices like smartphones and computers witness exponential growth in the developing world. This growing necessity for sophisticated semiconductors provides significant scope for EUV lithography technology to be implemented on a wider scale in the semiconductor industries of emerging economies going forward.