Kumar Priyadarshi’s Post

10 Most In-Demand Raw Materials for Fabs & ATMP Units in India 1. Silicon Wafers (200 mm / 300 mm) - Foundation for almost all CMOS and power semiconductor chips. - Largest component of global fab materials spending (part of USD ~57B materials market). 2. Silicon Carbide (SiC) Wafers - Required for EVs, charging infrastructure, power devices, renewable energy converters. - Fastest-growing advanced materials subsegment globally (high CAGR). - India is aggressively promoting SiC wafer and device ecosystem under ISM 2.0. 3. Electronic-Grade Gases(N₂, Ar, H₂, NH₃, SiH₄, WF₆, CF₄, etc.) - Used in etching, deposition, annealing, epitaxy, and wafer cleaning. - Semiconductor gases make up a significant portion of global fab materials. - India lacks semiconductor-grade purification capacity — bulk gases exist, not fab-grade. -Big opportunity for global gas suppliers to set up plants locally. 4. Ultrapure Water (UPW) - Consumed in massive quantities in every wafer processing step. - Must meet extremely stringent purity and particle standards. - India’s policy assessment repeatedly flags UPW availability as a major constraint for fabs. - Requires specialized treatment plants integrated with fab design. 5. Wet Chemicals / Specialty Process Chemicals (HF, HCl, H₂SO₄, H₂O₂, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, etchants, solvents) - Used for cleaning, etching, stripping, and surface prep. - One of the largest fab material segments globally. - India has strong chemical industry capability but lacks ultra-high-purity (UHP) versions. - Significant upgrade opportunity for Indian chemical firms. 6. Photoresists & Ancillary Materials - Core material in lithography to create circuit patterns on wafers. - A major product category in global fab materials. - India has zero photoresist manufacturing at semiconductor grade today. 7. CMP Slurries & Polishing Pads -Critical for Chemical Mechanical Planarization, enabling ultra-flat wafer surfaces. - High-value, low-supplier segment globally (dominated by Cabot, DuPont, etc.). - Considered a high-technology, high-margin opportunity. 8. Photomasks / Reticles - Needed for lithography to transfer chip designs onto wafers. - Each chip design requires a full mask set — high recurring cost. - India lacks any advanced photomask facility; all masks imported. 9. Leadframes & Substrates (ATMP Essentials) - Form the base structure that holds the silicon die and connects it to the package. - Packaging materials market globally is ~USD 28B and growing (especially substrates). - India is building multiple ATMP/OSAT facilities → direct demand creation. 10. Bonding Wire, Solder Balls & Encapsulation Resins - Used in wire bonding, flip-chip packaging, advanced BGA/WLCSP packages. - Key packaging consumables in every ATMP factory. - India has almost no domestic production — import dependence 90–100%. ~~~~ If you are looking to invest in semiconductors and need expert insights, drop us a DM.