EDACafe Industry Predictions for 2023 – Plasma-Therm

By Jim Garstka, VP Sales & Business Development, Plasma-Therm

Jim Garstka

 Global Digitalization Will Drive Market Demand

The coming year will prove to be another exciting period of technological advances in the semiconductor industry, as our daily lives continue to become more digitized. Consumer applications that will continue to grow in 2023 include electric and autonomous vehicles, augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence and hyperscale data centers – all of which have driven growth the past few years and are expected to accelerate in the coming year as market demand rises.

So, what is driving the advances that are making these consumer applications more affordable, effective and power-efficient? Wide-bandgap compound semiconductors such as silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN) and gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) are some of the critical materials behind these emerging technologies. These materials are essential to the growing power device market – which is forecasted to grow at a rapid compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 34% between now and 2027, according to the Yole Group’s Power SiC 2022 report. This bodes well for Plasma-Therm and other equipment providers with proven expertise in providing solutions for these materials, including our broad offering of etch, thin-film deposition and rapid thermal processing products. Chip manufacturers will increasingly need to work with suppliers who have the tool and material expertise to optimize processes that produce high-performance, energy-efficient chips, and we expect 2023 to be another banner year in these high-growth specialty markets.

In addition, we expect to see heightened emphasis on R&D and scientific spending in 2023 in response to the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act and the European Chips Act. This is a significant opportunity, with governments making unprecedented investments in the semiconductor industry. Plasma-Therm has actively supported R&D efforts for nearly 50 years, working on advanced R&D applications and projects at research labs, universities and government institutions around the world, serving as both a research partner and a supplier. We’re excited about the R&D and commercial opportunities that are on the horizon for 2023 with these strategic investments starting to be disbursed in their respective regions.

There are many opportunities for growth in the semiconductor industry in the coming year, especially for companies that specialize in advanced materials and process technology and with strong track records of collaboration. At Plasma-Therm, we are eager to tackle new projects and programs by continuing to serve as an agile partner and technology collaborator to be part of advancing the future.

About Author:

Jim joined Plasma-Therm in 2020 as VP of Sales & Business Development. He is a seasoned C-suite executive with more than 20 years of proven experience in sales, marketing and business development. He is responsible for all aspects of sales operations and revenue growth at Plasma-Therm. Before Plasma-Therm, Jim held various executive positions at several semiconductor-related OEMs. He has a B.S. in industrial engineering and operations research from the University of Massachusetts.

Category: Predictions

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