A photoresist (also known simply as a resist) is a light-sensitive material used in several processes, such as photolithography and photoengraving, to form a patterned coating on a surface. This process is crucial in the electronic industry.

Lithography is the longest and most difficult process in the entire integrated circuit manufacturing process, which takes about 50% of IC manufacturing and costs about 1/3 of IC production costs. Photoresist is the most important consumable in the photolithography process, and the quality of the photoresist has an important influence on the photolithography process.

In photolithography, the pattern is transferred from the mask to the silicon wafer to prepare for subsequent etching steps. In the photolithography process, a layer of photoresist needs to be coated on the silicon wafer. After exposure to ultraviolet rays, the chemical properties of the photoresist change. After development, the exposed photoresist will be removed, so that The circuit pattern is transferred from the mask to the photoresist. After the etching process, the circuit pattern is transferred from the photoresist to the silicon wafer. During the etching process, the photoresist plays a protective role against corrosion.

The following figure is the flow chart of photoresist application:

Figure 1.   Photoresist Working Process

Source: Secondary Sources, Expert Interviews and QYResearch, 2020

Global Photoresist Key Players:

Table 1.   Global Photoresist Key Players and Products

Players

Products

Dow

DOW™

Fujifilm

ArF (193nm)/ KrF (248nm)

Tokyo Ohka Kogyo

Rubber type Negative photoresist/ Photoresist for g-line/ Photoresist   for i-line/ Photoresist for KrF/ Photoresist for ArF/ Photoresist for ArF   Immersion/ Photoresist for EUV/ Electron beam photoresist

Shin-Etsu Chemical

SIPR series/SEPR series/SAIL series/SEVR series/SHB series/ODL series

JSR Corporation

248 and 193nm positive and negative tone photoresists

Sumitomo

Dry and immersion-type Arf, Krf, and i-line photoresists

Everlight Chemical

Touch Panel Photoresist

Dongjin Semichem

ArF Imm/ArF Dry/KrF/i-Line

Eternal Materials

202J/ 332J/ APR300T/ APR400/ E7600/ E7700/ E9000/ HP-3600/ HQ-6500/ HT/ LDF/   LIP/ NIT/ UD/ UDF

Hitachi Chemical

"PHOTEC" -RD Series/ "PHOTEC" -SL Series / DL Series/   "PHOTEC" -RY Series/ "PHOTEC" -H Series/ "PHOTEC"   -HM Series

Chang Chun Group

LONGLITE®

Source: Secondary Sources, Expert Interviews and QYResearch, 2020

At present, the global photoresist market is basically monopolized by Japanese and American companies. Photoresist is a high-tech barrier material, and its production process is complex, and its purity requirements are high. Japan ’s JSR, Tokyo Yinghua, Shin-Etsu Chemical, and Fuji Electronics have accounted for more than 70% of the global market share and are in a monopoly position.

Figure 2.   Global Photoresist Company Market Share in 2019

Source: Secondary Sources, Expert Interviews and QYResearch, 2020

Photoresist Classification

Photoresists are mainly divided into two categories, namely Positive Photoresist and Negative Photoresist

Specific introduction about photoresist classification

Positive photoresist

A positive photoresist is a type of photoresist in which the portion of the photoresist that is exposed to light becomes soluble to the photoresist developer. The unexposed portion of the photoresist remains insoluble to the photoresist developer.0

Negative photoresist

A negative photoresist is a type of photoresist in which the portion of the photoresist that is exposed to light becomes insoluble to the photoresist developer. The unexposed portion of the photoresist is dissolved by the photoresist developer.

Table 2.   Differences between Positive photoresist and Negative photoresist

Characteristic

Positive

Negative

Adhesion to silicon

Fair

Excellent

Relative cost

More expensive

Less expensive

Developer base

Aqueous

Organic

Solubility in the developer

Exposed region   is soluble

Exposed region   is insoluble

Minimum feature

0.5 μm

2 μm

Step coverage

Better

Lower

Wet chemical resistance

Fair

Excellent

Source: Secondary Sources, Expert Interviews and QYResearch, 2020

Photoresist Application

Photoresist is a key electronic chemical in the microfabrication technology of electronic products. It is mainly used in the microfabrication of products such as integrated circuits (IC), liquid crystal displays (LCD), touch screens (TP), and light emitting diodes (LED). Packaging, magnetic heads, and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) are also widely used. Photoresist matching chemicals are special chemicals used in the photolithography process, mainly including tackifiers, thinners, developing solutions, stripping solutions, cleaning agents, etc.

Table 3.   Classification of Photoresist by Application Landscape

Classification

Main Specific Types

Semiconductor Photoresist

g-line photoresist, i-line   photoresist, KrF photoresist, ArF photoresist, etc.

LCD Photoresist

Colour photoresist and black photoresist,   LCD spacer photoresist, TFT wiring photoresist, etc.

PCB Photoresist

Dry film photoresist, wet film   photoresist, photo imaging solder resist ink, etc.

Source: Secondary Sources, Expert Interviews and QYResearch, 2020

Global and China Photoresist Market Size

Due to the high technical barriers of photoresist, the domestic high-end photoresist market is basically monopolized by foreign companies. Especially high-resolution KrF and ArF photoresists are basically occupied by Japanese and American companies.

The following picture shows the global semiconductor photoresist revenue and growth rate

Figure 3.   Global Photoresist Revenue 2015-2026 (US$ Million)

Surce: Secondary Sources, Expert Interviews and QYResearch, 2020

Since the COVID-19 virus outbreak in December 2019, the disease has spread to almost 100 countries around the globe with the World Health Organization declaring it a public health emergency. The global impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are already starting to be felt and will significantly affect the Photoresist market in 2020.

COVID-19 can affect the global economy in three main ways: by directly affecting production and demand, by creating supply chain and market disruption, and by its financial impact on firms and financial markets.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought effects on many aspects, like flight cancellations; travel bans and quarantines; restaurants closed; all indoor events restricted; over forty countries state of emergency declared; massive slowing of the supply chain; stock market volatility; falling business confidence, growing panic among the population, and uncertainty about future.

This report also analyses the impact of Coronavirus COVID-19 on the Photoresist industry.

Based on our recent survey, we have several different scenarios about the Photoresist YoY growth rate for 2020. The probable scenario is expected to grow by a xx% in 2020 and the revenue will be xx in 2020 from US$ xx million in 2019. The market size of Photoresist will reach US$ xx in 2026, with a CAGR of xx% from 2020 to 2026.

Chinese photoresist manufacturers mainly produce PCB photoresists, and the production scale of panel photoresists and semiconductor photoresists is relatively small. Among domestically produced photoresists, PCB photoresists account for 94%, while LCD photoresists and semiconductor photoresists account for only 3% and 2%, respectively.

Figure 4.   China Photoresist Products Type Share in 2019

Source: Secondary Sources, Expert Interviews and QYResearch, 2020

Figure 5.   China Photoresist Market Size 2015-2026 (US$ Million)

Source: Secondary Sources, Expert Interviews and QYResearch, 2020

In terms of photoresist demand in China, the demand for photoresist in 2015 was 7440 kilotons, and the demand for 2019 was 11200 kilotons, with a compound annual growth rate of 14.69%. The domestic demand for photoresist in 2026 is estimated to be xx kilotons.

Semiconductor materials are the cornerstone of the semiconductor industry. In the manufacturing process of integrated circuit chips, each step requires the use of corresponding materials. The quality of the materials affects the quality of the final integrated circuit chip. Photoresist is one of the varieties with the highest technical barriers in semiconductor materials. There are many types of photoresist products and strong specificity, which is a typical technology-intensive industry. Different photoresist exposure light sources, reaction mechanisms, manufacturing processes, film-forming characteristics, precision of processing graphic lines and other performance requirements are different, resulting in different requirements for material solubility, etching resistance, photosensitive performance, and heat resistance. Therefore, the raw materials used in each type of photoresist are special in chemical structure and performance, and require the use of special photoresist chemicals of different quality levels.

At present, the epidemic of New Coronary Pneumonia is spreading around the world. The outbreak of the global epidemic will have a certain impact on the pattern of the semiconductor industry, especially the intensification of the epidemic in Japan, Europe and the United States will affect the supply of semiconductor materials. China can accelerate the development of semiconductor materials at this time, and Chinese semiconductor materials companies will usher in a golden development period.

Figure 6.   China Photoresist Demand and Growth Rate 2015-2026 (Kilotons)

Source: Secondary Sources, Expert Interviews and QYResearch, 2020Global Photoresist Chemicals Market: Drivers and Restrains

The research report has incorporated the analysis of different factors that augment the market’s growth. It constitutes trends, restraints, and drivers that transform the market in either a positive or negative manner. This section also provides the scope of different segments and applications that can potentially influence the market in the future. The detailed information is based on current trends and historic milestones. This section also provides an analysis of the volume of production about the global market and also about each type from 2015 to 2026. This section mentions the volume of production by region from 2015 to 2026. Pricing analysis is included in the report according to each type from the year 2015 to 2026, manufacturer from 2015 to 2020, region from 2015 to 2020, and global price from 2015 to 2026.

A thorough evaluation of the restrains included in the report portrays the contrast to drivers and gives room for strategic planning. Factors that overshadow the market growth are pivotal as they can be understood to devise different bends for getting hold of the lucrative opportunities that are present in the ever-growing market. Additionally, insights into market expert’s opinions have been taken to understand the market better.

Market Segment Analysis

The research report includes specific segments by Type and by Application. Each type provides information about the production during the forecast period of 2015 to 2026. Application segment also provides consumption during the forecast period of 2015 to 2026. Understanding the segments helps in identifying the importance of different factors that aid the market growth.

Segment by Type

Positive Photoresist

Negative Photoresist

Segment by Application

Semiconductors & ICS

LCDs

Printed Circuit Boards

Others

Global Photoresist Chemicals Market: Regional Analysis

The report offers in-depth assessment of the growth and other aspects of the Photoresist Chemicals market in important regions, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Mexico, and Brazil, etc. Key regions covered in the report are North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

The report has been curated after observing and studying various factors that determine regional growth such as economic, environmental, social, technological, and political status of the particular region. Analysts have studied the data of revenue, production, and manufacturers of each region. This section analyses region-wise revenue and volume for the forecast period of 2015 to 2026. These analyses will help the reader to understand the potential worth of investment in a particular region.

Global Photoresist Chemicals Market: Competitive Landscape

This section of the report identifies various key manufacturers of the market. It helps the reader understand the strategies and collaborations that players are focusing on combat competition in the market. The comprehensive report provides a significant microscopic look at the market. The reader can identify the footprints of the manufacturers by knowing about the global revenue of manufacturers, the global price of manufacturers, and production by manufacturers during the forecast period of 2015 to 2019.

The major players in the market include DowDuPont, Fujifilm Electronic Materials, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo, Merck Group, JSR Corporation, LG Chem, Shin-Etsu Chemical, Sumitomo, Chimei, Daxin, Everlight Chemical, Dongjin Semichem, Asahi Kasei, Eternal Materials, Hitachi Chemical, Chang Chun Group,  etc.

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