In the fields of image sensors, analog and power semiconductors
Fab equipment investment is expected to surge through next year.


It is projected that next year's investment in semiconductor fab equipment will increase by approximately 24% compared to this year.

According to the 'World Fab Forecast' report released on the 10th by the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI), semiconductor fab equipment investment in 2021 is expected to reach $67.7 billion, an increase of approximately 24% compared to 2020.

According to the report, memory fabs are expected to see the largest investment at $30 billion, followed by logic fabs and foundries at $29 billion.

In the 3D NAND memory sector, fab equipment spending is expected to increase 30% this year and rise another 17% in 2021. In the DRAM sector, fab equipment spending is expected to decline 11% this year but surge 50% next year. Investments in logic fabs and foundries are expected to decline 11% this year but increase 16% next year.

Fab equipment investment for image sensors is expected to surge 60% this year and increase 36% next year. Fab equipment investment for analog semiconductors is expected to grow 40% this year and 13% next year. Fab equipment investments for power semiconductors are expected to surge 67% next year after rising 16% this year.

According to the report, fab investment in 2019 fell 8% compared to 2018, and while investment is expected to increase starting in the second half of 2020, it is expected to fall 4% compared to 2019.

Meanwhile, SEMI, which had forecast in February that global fab equipment investment in the first quarter of 2020 would decline by 26% compared to the previous quarter, has now revised its forecast upward to a 15% decline.

While fab equipment investment is expected to increase starting in the second half of this year, uncertainty due to COVID-19 persists. In May alone, 40 million people in the US were temporarily laid off due to the COVID-19-induced recession, and consumer spending on general electronics is expected to decline.

However, demand for memory and IT-related devices is expected to increase due to factors such as cloud services, server expansion, and increased gaming consumption, which is expected to have a positive impact on fab investment.