As the demand for semiconductor devices increased, probe card manufacturers have invested in upgrading their production facilities. This has helped them stay competitive in the market and avoid falling behind. The global probe card market is expected to grow during the forecast period. It is primarily driven by the increased demand for electronic testing in the semiconductor industry.
Increasing demand for electronic testing
Electronic testing is a crucial process to ensure the quality of the product. The process involves a series of tests that are done from the component level to the final assembly.
These tests can help Probe Card Manufacturers to identify and address any problems before the final product is sold. They also ensure that the product is safe to use and meets all regulatory requirements.
The demand for electronic testing is increasing in the semiconductor industry due to rising investment in research and development. This has resulted in the need for specialized equipment and techniques to test electronics.
Increasing use of semiconductors in electronic devices and the growth in artificial intelligence and internet-connected devices are propelling the market positively. This is further expected to drive the growth of the market in the future.
The global probe card market is segmented on the basis of type, application, and region. Based on the type, the market is divided into cantilever probe card and MEMS probe card.
Increasing application of semi-conductors
The increasing application of semi-conductors is a major driver for the global probe card market. These semiconductors are used in various Probe Card Manufacturers and electrical equipment such as cars, home appliances, and medical devices.
In order to ensure the proper testing of these IC chips, a probe card is required. These cards connect with the IC chips' pads on the wafer using metallic needles or elements that transmit the electrical data and necessary test parameters.
For reliable and accurate probing, the materials used in probers must be durable and thermally stable. Solvay offers a portfolio of solutions to provide OEMs with more efficient heat transfer, improved durability and higher test yield for their probe cards.
The global probe card cleaning market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period. Laser cleaning is expected to gain a substantial share of the market due to its ability to selectively remove surface contamination without damaging the substrate.
Increasing demand for 3D printing
Increasing demand for 3D printing is attributed to the technology's ability to create customised products quickly and affordably. Traditional manufacturing, on the other hand, requires the production of customised products in large batches, which is time-consuming and inefficient.
The 3D printing process, also known as additive manufacturing, uses digital files to create three-dimensional objects layer by layer. Currently, plastic polymers are the most common materials used for 3D printing.
Probe Card Manufacturers of industrial goods use 3D printers for a variety of applications, including creating lightweight geometric objects and jigs. They can also print hard tooling, such as moulds for injection moulding and die casting.
In the medical industry, 3D printing can be used to produce customised prosthetics and implants. It can also be used to replicate models of organs from CT scans before surgery.
Increasing demand for MEMS and 3D ICs
The demand for MEMS and 3D ICs is increasing across the globe. The growth is fueled by the rise in the demand for smart wearables, autonomous vehicles and technological advancements. To Probe Card Manufacturers MEMS ICs, many different processes are used. These include through silicon vias (TSV), wafer bonding, wafer-level packaging and vacuum sealing.
Various processes also allow for hermetic packaging, which is essential for MEMS devices as they require temperature control and mechanical isolation. These approaches can involve glass frit bonding, eutectic bonding, gold-gold thermo-compression and silicon fusion bonding.
One process, developed by Toshiba, has been commercialized for pressure sensors. It is based on an SOI substrate and involves forming cavities through HF etching of buried oxide in the silicon device layer. The cavities are filled with a poly-silicon layer and then planarized to expose the monocrystalline silicon surface. This is then integrated with CMOS circuits. The result is a compact and cost-effective SoC solution.
