SEMI reported the figures in its 2018 Photomask Characterization Summary.
SEMI's report said the photomask market is expected to grow 3% in both 2019 and 2020, driven especially by advanced technology feature sizes (less than 45nm) and Asia-Pacific manufacturing growth. In 2018, Taiwan was the largest photomask regional market for the eighth-straight year, and is forecasted to hold that top spot through at least 2020. Korea was the second-largest market for a second-straight year.
"The $4.04 billion in photomask revenues in 2018 accounted for 13 percent of the total wafer fabrication materials market, behind silicon and semiconductor gases, shrinking in proportion from 18 percent of the total share in 2003." SEMI said. "While captive photomask shops have become increasingly important to the total photomask market, captive suppliers lost 1 percent market share, dropping to 64 percent share in 2018 from 65 percent in 2017. In 2013, captive mask shops represented 31 percent of the photomask market."
