Japan's CMP polisher market is expanding amid advances in semiconductor miniaturization and 3D processing. Applications are broadening to silicon and SiC substrate processing, centered on front-end plants, and investment in large-scale equipment supporting 300mm wafers is gaining momentum.
The domestic CMP polisher market is becoming increasingly important as semiconductor manufacturing advances toward smaller geometries and 3D stacking. Major device manufacturers' front-end plants are the main sources of demand, while applications are expanding to silicon wafer substrate manufacturers and SiC substrate processing for power semiconductors. In recent years, the construction and expansion of advanced logic plants have driven active demand for large-scale equipment. Yen depreciation has also pushed up the price of imported equipment, encouraging moves toward domestic production.
By application, demand in the semiconductor sector is progressing through a mature phase, centered on higher value-added products and replacement demand for existing equipment. In scientific and technological research, meanwhile, demand is increasing for new materials development and next-generation device evaluation, driving interest in compact, versatile CMP equipment. Flexible specifications are particularly sought in power semiconductor and quantum-related research, and stable demand is expected.