Probe Card Market Market Size

Probe Card Market Analysis

The probe card market was valued at USD 2,769.7 million during the current year and is anticipated to reach USD 3,837.7 million by the end of the forecast period, registering a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period. The trend in 5G mobility and automotive Advanced Driver Assistance System sensors toward high-frequency and smaller devices creates substantial test challenges, leading to increased instrumentation and interface complexity.

• Further, in line with the rising demand for photonic solutions in the semiconductor sector, the requirements for corresponding ecosystems for optoelectronic components are growing, and thus semiconductor manufacturers with their own supply chains are changing their operating processes. In addition to the existing test infrastructure for electrical components, infrastructure for photonic component testing is being implemented. However, test houses offering services such as wafer-level testing for fabless manufacturers face the challenge of expanding or reimagining their test solutions toward photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
• To achieve great performance at cheap costs, IC makers are integrating novel chip-packaging alternatives, such as 2.5D ICs and 3D ICs, into their production processes. These advanced packaging solutions, which are still in their early stages, promise improved chip connections and lower power usage compared to conventional package arrangements. The adoption of advanced packaging technologies is projected to increase demand for semiconductor equipment. Modern semiconductor packaging technologies enable manufacturers to provide cutting-edge electronic products that follow the IoT and digitalization trends. Additionally, customer preference for smartwatches and IoT gadgets would increase the market for probe cards.
• In addition to the established tests for ICs, customers also look for test services for new and advanced types of PIC testing at the wafer level in the semiconductor industry. To that extent, in November 2021, RoodMicrotec announced that it used Jenoptik's UFO Probe Card technology for its PIC wafer-level testing. The UFO Probe Card from Jenoptik facilitates the testing of electrical and optical components with only one probe card-in parallel, not sequentially, as with previous solutions. Thus, wafer-level tests can be performed in a more time-saving manner, and the throughput is significantly increased.
• The COVID-19 pandemic impacted multiple global markets. The automotive, mobility, and civil aviation industries suffered drastically, though in very different ways. Moreover, the pandemic changed the perception of the global supply chain in manufacturing, where more localized value chains and regionalization came into the picture. These primarily served to reduce similar potential pandemic risks in the future. On the other hand, due to the rollout of the sub-6 GHz band and the expansion of 5G, the consumer market displayed a positive outlook and received significant support from radio-frequency (RF) MEMS. However, the smartphone market is aligned with decreased consumer spending.
• Further, one of the main obstacles preventing the expansion of the probe card market is the semiconductor industry's rapid technical advancements. The semiconductor market is highly competitive. The industry is characterized by frequent and quick technology changes, brief product life cycles, severe price erosion, and changing standards. The semiconductor sector is still undergoing rapid technical advancements. This is primarily due to the increasing complexity of integrated circuits (ICs), which are becoming smaller while gaining capability and speed. Design challenges in ICs are rising as a result of technological advancements, including the move toward larger wafer sizes, the creation of lower technology nodes like 10-nm and 7-nm, and progress in MEMS. Therefore, probing card manufacturers must overcome obstacles to create cutting-edge solutions that can accurately detect functional flaws in wafers.