Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) is one of the crucial steps used multiple times during the manufacture of semiconductors. This process is used at every layer of wafer for removing excess material and for creating a smooth surface with the help of a liquid known as CMP slurry. The CMP slurry is a liquid diffusion that contains microabrasive grains and active chemicals which are used in the process of chemical mechanical planarization. Moreover, CMP slurries are used in combination with CMP polishing naps and pads that are rotated and held against the wafer surface in the process of CMP.

Market Dynamics:

The growth in the semiconductor industry is driven by expanding applications of semiconductors in segments such as data processing, consumer’s electronics and others, which is driving demand for new technologies such as 3D packaging, 3D NANDs etc. This is expected to drive the CMP slurry market growth as CMP is crucial for delivering the above technologies. Moreover, the rising trend of new technology and demand for new and improved consumer electronics is favoring the overall growth of the market.
Moreover, product launches along with mergers and acquisition by key players in the CMP slurry market are contributing to the growth of the market. For instance, in August 2018, Cabot Micro, a producer of silica-based chemical-mechanical planarization slurries, announced plans to acquire KMG Chemicals,a leading supplier of high-purity cleaning chemicals used between chip-making steps. Through the acquisition, Cabot Micro aims to increase its sales in the U.S. markets.

Market Outlook:

Based on application, the silicon wafers segment is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period owing to the rising consumption of silicon wafers. For instance, a report published by SEMI, a global microelectronics industry association suggests that in the year 2017, nearly 3 billion square inches of silicon wafer were developed, polished, shipped and sliced. Moreover, the report suggests that in 2017, around 2,798 million square inches of silicon wafers were shipped to various supplies of electronic products. The aforementioned are the key factors driving the growth of overall CMP slurry market.

CMP slurry manufacturers are focusing on strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, product launches, and, partnerships to expand their product portfolio and consumer base. For instance, in January 2020, Entergris, a leader in specialty chemicals and advanced materials solutions, acquired Sinmat. Sinmat is a CMP slurry manufacturer based in Florida who produces and designs CMP slurries which are used to polish ultra-hard surface materials such as gallium nitride and silicon carbide. Through the acquisition, Entergris aims to increase its product portfolio by adding specialty CMP slurries to its chemicals portfolio. Moreover, in December 2017, Cerion launched a new cost-effective and flexible nanoparticle dispersions ideally suited for CMP slurries and other precision polishing applications.

Key players:

Key players operating in the global CMP slurry market are Versum Materials, Saint-Gobain, Eminess, Fujimi, Dow Chemicals, Cabot Microelectronic, FujiFilm, BASF, 3M, Evonik, and Hitachi Chemical among others.

Market Taxonomy:

On the basis of product, the global CMP slurry market is segmented into:

Aluminum Oxide
Cerium Oxide
Silica

On the basis of application, the global CMP slurry market is segmented into:

Silicon Wafers
Optical Substrates
Disk-Drive Components
Other Microelectronic Surfaces

On the basis of region, the global CMP slurry market is segmented into:

North America
- U.S.
- Canada
- Mexico
South America
- Brazil
- Argentina
- Rest of South America
Europe
- U.K.
- Germany
- Italy
- France
- Spain
- Russia
- Rest of Europe
Asia Pacific
- China
- India
- Japan
- South Korea
- ASEAN
- Australia
- Rest of Asia Pacific
Middle East
- GCC
- Israel
- Rest of Middle East
Africa
- Northern Africa
- Central Africa
- South Africa