Photoresist Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Ancillary Type (Removers, Developers), By Product (ARF, KRF, G-Line And I-Line), By Application (Semiconductors And ICS, Printed Circuit Boards), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2025 - 2030

Photoresist Market Summary

The global photoresist market size was estimated at USD 4.96 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 6.70 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.24% from 2025 to 2030. Rising demand for advanced displays such as OLED and LCD panels is boosting the need for photoresists used in flat panel manufacturing.

This growth is driven by increasing consumer appetite for high-resolution smartphones, TVs, and wearable devices. The transition toward advanced semiconductor node fabrication is a dominant trend reshaping the photoresist market.

As integrated circuit geometries shrink below 5nm, there's a surging demand for chemically amplified and EUV (extreme ultraviolet) photoresists with exceptional resolution and pattern fidelity. This trend is underpinned by increasing investments in EUV lithography by major foundries such as TSMC, Samsung, and Intel, driving continuous innovation in resist chemistries and materials science.

Drivers, Opportunities & Restraints

The proliferation of connected devices across automotive, consumer electronics, and industrial sectors is significantly driving photoresist demand. With AI processors, 5G chipsets, and IoT sensors requiring ever-smaller transistors, the semiconductor industry is scaling production aggressively. This shift necessitates high-performance photoresist materials for both front-end and back-end lithographic processes, creating sustained upstream demand for advanced lithography consumables.

Emerging markets such as India and Vietnam, poised to become strategic semiconductor manufacturing hubs, represent a lucrative opportunity for photoresist suppliers. As governments in these regions deploy capital incentives to attract chip fabrication plants, the supporting ecosystem-including photoresist manufacturing and supply chains—stands to benefit. Early establishment of local production capabilities or strategic partnerships could position companies favorably within these high-growth markets.

Stringent environmental regulations surrounding the use of hazardous solvents and chemicals in photoresist formulations pose a substantial restraint. Compliance with REACH (EU), TSCA (U.S.), and other national safety frameworks increases operational costs and slows product approval timelines. Moreover, the push for green manufacturing adds pressure to reformulate existing products without compromising performance, creating technical and regulatory headwinds for manufacturers.

Market Concentration & Characteristics

The growth stage of the photoresist industry is medium, and the pace is accelerating. The industry exhibits a significant level of concentration, with key players dominating the landscape. Major companies like DuPont de Nemours, Inc., Lam Research, FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation, JSR Corporation, Sumitomo Chemical Advanced Technology, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., Allresist GmbH, MicroChemicals GmbH, and others play a significant role in shaping the market dynamics. These leading players often drive innovation within the market, introducing new products, technologies, and applications to meet evolving industry demands.

The industry demonstrates a high degree of innovation, driven by the urgent need for ultra-fine resolution in sub-5nm and EUV lithography processes. Companies are heavily investing in novel resist chemistries such as metal oxide resists and molecular resists, designed to meet the sensitivity and etch resistance requirements of next-gen semiconductor nodes.

There are currently no direct substitutes for photoresists that can match their performance in semiconductor and display lithography. However, innovations in maskless lithography, nanoimprint technologies, and dry processing methods are emerging as potential long-term alternatives in niche applications. These technologies are being explored to simplify patterning steps or reduce process cost, especially in low-volume or flexible electronics production. Nonetheless, their scalability and integration into existing high-throughput manufacturing lines remain limited, preserving photoresist’s dominant position.

Ancillary Type Insights & Trends

Anti-reflective coatings dominated the market, accounting for a share of 44.82% in 2024. The rapid adoption of multi-patterning lithography techniques in sub-7nm semiconductor production has escalated the demand for advanced anti-reflective coatings. These coatings are critical for mitigating reflectivity issues during high-resolution pattern transfer, especially in deep ultraviolet (DUV) and EUV processes. As chipmakers intensify focus on yield enhancement and precision patterning, the role of bottom and top ARC layers becomes increasingly vital in next-generation fabs.

The removers’ segment is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR of 5.92% through the forecast period. The push for environmentally responsible manufacturing in semiconductor and display fabrication is accelerating the development of low-toxicity, high-selectivity photoresist removers. With foundries aiming to reduce post-lithography defects and minimize substrate damage, there is heightened interest in new-generation removers that align with both performance and sustainability mandates. This shift is prompting key players to innovate in aqueous and solvent-based cleaning solutions.

Product Insights & Trends

ARF immersiondominated the market, accounting for a share of 44.0% in 2024. The growing complexity of advanced logic devices and memory chips is sustaining the relevance of argon fluoride (ArF) immersion lithography, especially for critical layers in 7nm to 28nm nodes. Despite the emergence of EUV, ARF immersion continues to be a workhorse technology due to its compatibility with high-volume manufacturing and existing lithography toolsets. Leading fabs leverage their precision for cost-effective patterning in volume production environments.

The ARF dry segment is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR of 5.44% through the forecast period, driven by the expansion of mature-node foundry services, which are crucial for automotive electronics, power ICs, and sensor technologies. As OEMs increasingly require robust and stable lithographic performance at 90nm and above, ARF dry remains essential for delivering line edge roughness control and process uniformity. Its economic efficiency supports its continued integration in legacy node fabrication.

Application Insights & Trends

Semiconductors and ICs dominated the market, accounting for a share of 42.33% in 2024. The global acceleration in AI-centric and high-performance computing (HPC) investments is fueling a strong uptick in demand for photoresists tailored for advanced semiconductor fabrication. Leading chipmakers are deploying cutting-edge nodes in logic and memory ICs to meet the processing power requirements of generative AI, cloud infrastructure, and autonomous systems. This surge directly amplifies the consumption of specialized photoresists that can deliver nanometer-scale precision.

The LCDs segment is projected to witness a substantial CAGR of 4.88% through the forecast period. The rebound in global TV panel production and steady demand for commercial display panels are reinforcing the need for photoresists in LCD fabrication. In particular, large-format panels and high-refresh-rate displays for gaming and digital signage applications are triggering the use of highly specialized photoresists that enable uniform alignment and etching. This market dynamic is further supported by capacity ramp-ups in Southeast Asia and China.

Regional Insights & Trends

North America photoresist market is driven by the strategic re-shoring of semiconductor manufacturing, underpinned by the CHIPS and Science Act which allocates over USD 50 billion to support domestic chip production. This initiative is prompting new fab construction and capacity expansions by Intel, TSMC, and Micron in the region. These developments are fueling upstream demand for high-performance photoresists and ancillary materials across advanced lithography applications.

U.S. Photoresist Market Trends

The photoresist market in the U.S. is driven by the surge in defense-grade and AI-integrated semiconductor development, which is catalyzing demand for photoresists with extreme precision and environmental stability. The push for sovereign chip production, particularly for military, aerospace, and HPC applications, has intensified the focus on secure, local supply chains. This is accelerating partnerships between domestic fabs and chemical suppliers for reliable access to advanced lithography materials.

Asia Pacific Photoresist Market Trends

The photoresist market in Asia Pacific dominated the global industry and accounted for the largest revenue share of 45.74% in 2024, due to the dense concentration of wafer fabs and display panel manufacturers. Countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan continue to lead in innovation and volume production of logic and memory chips, necessitating large-scale consumption of both EUV and DUV photoresists. Regional R&D efforts are also focused on next-gen resists, bolstering domestic material ecosystems.

The Chinese photoresist market’s driver is rooted in its strategic push for semiconductor self-sufficiency, fueled by the “Made in China 2025” policy and ongoing geopolitical pressure. Massive investments in local fab construction and material innovation, particularly under SMIC and Hua Hong Group, are increasing reliance on domestic photoresist production. Additionally, rising demand for LCDs, OLEDs, and consumer electronics is further amplifying the need for localized photoresist supply chains.

Europe Photoresist Market Trends

The photoresist market in Europe stems from its strategic vision to regain technological sovereignty in semiconductors, highlighted by the EU Chips Act, which mobilizes over €43 billion in public and private investments. Nations like Germany and France are incentivizing the establishment of new foundries and R&D hubs focused on automotive-grade and industrial chips. This push supports increased demand for tailored photoresist materials compatible with both mature and advanced nodes used in regional fabs.

Key Photoresist Market Companies Insights:

Key players operating in the photoresist market are undertaking various initiatives to strengthen their presence and increase the reach of their products and services. Strategies such as expansion activities and partnerships are key in propelling the market growth.

Recent Developments

• In January 2025, Lam Research announced that it had achieved a significant breakthrough by establishing a 28-nanometer pitch in high-resolution patterning using its dry photoresist technology. This innovation was expected to help semiconductor manufacturers produce smaller, more powerful chips more efficiently.

• In October 2024, DuPont expanded its photoresist manufacturing capacity at its Sasakami site in Niigata, Japan, by opening a new facility called the East Star Building. This expansion nearly doubled production capacity to meet growing global demand for semiconductor materials.

Photoresist Market Report Scope

Photoresist Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts volume & revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global photoresist market report on the basis of ancillary type, product, application, and region:

• Ancillary Type Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Anti-reflective Coatings

  • Removers

  • Developers

  • Other Ancillary Types

• Product Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • ARF Immersion

  • ARF Dry

  • KRF

  • G-Line and I-Line

• Application Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Semiconductors and ICS

  • LCDs

  • Printed Circuit Boards

  • Other Applications

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • UK

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

    • South Korea

    • Australia

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Argentina

  • Middle East & Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • South Africa

    • UAE