Lithography seen as bright spot despite flat growth
Silicon Strategies
03/07/2005, 1:46 PM ET
SAN JOSE, Calif. — After strong growth in 2004, the lithography-tool market will reach $4.8 billion in 2005 — or roughly flat from last year, according to The Information Network (New Tripoli, Pa.).
On the other hand, lithography is a bright spot in an otherwise down market for semiconductor equipment, according to the research firm. Non-lithography markets are expected to drop by nearly 10 percent in 2005 over 2004, the research firm said.
"The lithography market will be the only growth sector in the semiconductor equipment industry in 2005," said Robert N. Castellano, president of The Information Network, in a statement.
"We are now in a period of pushouts and cancellations," he said. "While unit shipments of lithography tool will drop 7 percent, average selling prices will increase at the same rate as tool shipments trend toward more expensive 193-nm DUV tools. Price increases won't be the norm for other processing tools, such as etch, deposition, or implant, and revenues will drop nearly 10 percent in 2005 across all these sectors."
In 2004, ASML Holding NV of the Netherlands led the total lithography market with a 39 percent share of shipments and a 50 percent share of revenue. "The 193-nm sector proved to be more of an equalizer market in 2004, as the share spread between ASML, Nikon, and Canon was only 8 percent in unit shipments," according to the report.
The future looks bright for the industry. Revenue growth for the lithography market will reach $6.4 billion in 2007, exceeding for the first time revenues of $6.0 billion registered in 2000.
However, unit shipments in 2007 will reach 602 units. In 2000, 1,083 units were shipped, 625 of which were the lower-priced i-line tools. By way of comparison, an i-line tool in 2000 cost less than $3 million, compared with a price tag of $16-to-21 million for a 193-nm tool in 2004. |
