Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis by Wafer Size (200 mm and less than 200 mm, 300 mm), Wafer Type (RF-SOI, FD-SOI), Technology (Smart Cut), Product, Application (Consumer Electronics, Automotive) - Global Forecast to 2026

Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis by Wafer Size (200 mm and less than 200 mm, 300 mm), Wafer Type (RF-SOI, FD-SOI), Technology (Smart Cut), Product, Application (Consumer Electronics, Automotive) - Global Forecast to 2026

The global SOI market is projected to reach USD 2.3 billion by 2026 from an estimated USD 1.1 billion in 2021, at a CAGR of 17.2% from 2021 to 2026. The rising demand for 5G in mobile communications and the increasing adoption of AI and ML in consumer electronics are the major driving factors for the growth of the SOI market.

“The market for 300 mm segment is expected to grow at the higher CAGR during the forecast period.”

The 300 mm segment is expected to record a higher CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of the market for the 300 mm segment can be attributed to the increasing global demand for smartphones, consumer electronics, automobiles, and IoT devices as 300 mm wafers are mainly used in these applications. Moreover, the rising demand for 300 mm SOI wafers is also driven by their use in emerging applications such as image sensors, and the requirement for high data transmission speed in data centers. Companies are also focusing on investments to increase the production capacity for 300 mm SOI wafers.

“The RF-SOI segment held the major share of the SOI market in 2020.”

In 2020, RF-SOI wafers held the largest share of the SOI market. The growth of the market for RF-SOI wafers can be attributed to the rising demand for RF front-end modules in smartphones, laptops, and tablets. All the smartphones use RF-SOI wafers. The increasing demand for other components such as digital and RF chips is also driving the market for RF-SOI wafers. The front-end module consists of a number of components, including power amplifiers, antenna tuners, low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), filters, and RF switches. Switch chips and tuners, meanwhile, are based on RF-SOI. RF switches to route signals from one component to another, and tuners help the antenna adjust to any frequency band. In addition, the rising demand for 4G LTE advanced and 5G applications is also driving the growth of the RF-SOI market. Moreover, the companies are focusing on expansion to increase production to meet the soaring demand.

“The market for smart cut technology segment is expected to grow at the higher CAGR during the forecast period.”

The smart cut technology is expected to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of smart cut technology is attributed to its adoption in a large industrial platform including major SOI wafer manufacturing companies across the world. Smart cut is the proprietary technology of Soitec. The company licenses this technology to major SOI manufacturers such as Globalwafers Co., Ltd., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., and SUMCO Corporation. Moreover, the rising demand for smart cut technology in the manufacturing of SOI wafers of size 200 mm and less than 200 mm, and 300 mm is also driving the growth of this segment. Smart cut technology enables on-wafer thickness uniformity of ± 1 nm with overall distribution, on all wafers.

“The market for MEMS devices segment is expected to grow at the higher CAGR during the forecast period.”

The MEMS devices segment is expected to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of the MEMS devices segment is attributed to the rising use of SOI wafers in MEMS devices for consumer electronics, automotive, and industrial applications. MEMS sensors leverage silicon’s unique mechanical properties to integrate mechanical structures that can sense acceleration, rotation, angular rate, vibration, displacement, heading, and other physical and environmental properties. SOI-based MEMS devices are highly reliable and compact, can carry out high-speed operations, and are used in accelerometers, gyroscopes, inertial measurement units (IMU), MEMS microphones, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, proximity sensors, and humidity sensors.

“The consumer electronics application held the largest share of the SOI market in 2020, and this trend is expected to continue during the forecast period.”

In 2020, the consumer electronics segment accounted for the largest share of the SOI market. SOI wafers are essential components used in various consumer electronic products such as smartphones, wearable devices, portable devices, personal computers, laptops, television sets, tablets, and set-top boxes. Currently, social gatherings have been banned to curb the spread of COVID-19, people are working from homes, as well as lessons are being imparted to students through online media. This has increased demand for smartphones, tablets, laptops, and computers. Moreover, people are purchasing portable health check-up devices such as smartwatches, wearable bands, and digital temperature sensing devices to stay healthy and maintain good health. Thus, an increase in consumer electronic devices is expected to fuel the demand for SOI-based products and drive the growth of the SOI market.

“Based on region, APAC is expected to account for the highest CAGR of the SOI market by 2026”

In 2026, the SOI market in APAC is expected to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of the market in APAC can be attributed to the rising demand for consumer electronics such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and smart wearables. Moreover, the increased investments and expansions of several semiconductor foundry players and wafer manufacturers in this region are also fueling the growth of the SOI market in APAC.

In-depth interviews have been conducted with chief executive officers (CEOs), marketing managers, and other executives from various key organizations operating in the SOI marketplace.
By Company Type: Tier 1 – 45%, Tier 2 – 30%, and Tier 3 – 25%
By Designation: C-level Executives – 35%, Managers – 30%, and Others – 35%
By Region: North America – 27%, Europe – 40%, and APAC – 33%

Soitec (France); Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. (Japan); GlobalWafers Co., Ltd. (Taiwan); SUMCO Corporation (Japan); Shanghai Simgui Technology Co., Ltd. (China); GLOBALFOUNDRIES (US); STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland); Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (Israel); NXP Semiconductors N.V. (Netherlands); Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Japan); are some of the key players in the SOI market.

The study includes an in-depth competitive analysis of these key players in the SOI market, with their company profiles, recent developments, and key market strategies.

Research Coverage

The report defines, describes, and forecasts the SOI market based on wafer size, wafer type, technology, product, application, and region. It provides detailed information regarding factors such as drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges influencing the growth of the SOI market. It also analyzes product launches, expansions, partnerships, collaborations, contracts, and agreements, carried out by the key players to grow in the market.

Key Benefits of Buying the Report

This report will help market leaders/new entrants in this industry with information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall SOI market and the subsegments. The report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to better position their businesses and plan suitable go-to-market strategies. The report will also help stakeholders to understand the pulse of the market and provide them with information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.