Global EUV Pellicle Materials Market Size, Share, Trends and Forecasts 2032

Key Findings

• The EUV pellicle materials market is gaining strategic importance with the increased adoption of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

• EUV pellicles protect photoresist from particle contamination during high-volume EUV wafer exposure, improving yield and reducing defectivity.

• Material innovations are focused on ultra-thin, high-transmittance membranes with exceptional thermal stability to withstand intense EUV radiation.

• Adoption of EUV pellicles is expanding as logic and memory manufacturers transition to sub-7nm and beyond nodes.

• Asia-Pacific leads demand due to robust semiconductor fabrication capacity expansion in China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan.

• Supply chain collaborations between pellicle material innovators, photomask manufacturers, and fab OEMs are strengthening ecosystem readiness.

• Substrate durability, uniformity, and transmittance trade-offs remain key technical considerations.

• Pellicle lifetime and cleaning/replacement strategies influence total cost of ownership for fabs.

• Standardization efforts around EUV pellicle specifications are ongoing to support high-volume manufacturing.

• Long-term growth prospects are tied to EUV adoption in logic, DRAM, and next-generation memory technologies.

EUV Pellicle Materials Market Size and Forecast

The global EUV pellicle materials market was valued at USD 0.68 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 2.95 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 21.3%. Market expansion is driven by accelerating deployment of EUV lithography systems in advanced logic and memory fabs, increasing wafer starts for sub-7nm technologies, and growing requirements for higher yield and lower defectivity. Development of pellicle materials with high EUV transmittance (>90%), mechanical robustness, and thermal resilience is facilitating broader adoption across production lines. Collaborative development programs with semiconductor equipment OEMs and foundries are reducing qualification cycles. As EUV becomes more entrenched in high-volume manufacturing, material demand and associated pellicle system upgrades are expected to increase substantially through 2032.

Market Overview

EUV pellicle materials are ultra-thin membranes placed over photomasks during EUV lithography to prevent airborne particles from contacting the mask surface and causing defects on wafers. These pellicles must balance extremely high EUV light transmittance, mechanical strength, thermal stability, and low contamination risk. Common candidate materials include silicon-based membranes, polymer composites, and engineered nanomaterials that can withstand EUV’s high photon energy while maintaining dimensional uniformity. EUV pellicles are critical enabling components for maintaining yields in advanced lithographic processes at leading-edge technology nodes. Their performance directly impacts fab throughput, defectivity rates, and overall cost-of-ownership for wafer fabrication. Ongoing innovations aim to extend pellicle lifetimes, improve ease of handling, and align performance with evolving EUV source power and throughput demands.

EUV Pellicle Materials – Value Chain & Margin Distribution

EUV Pellicle Materials – Market by Application Intensity

EUV Pellicle Materials – Readiness & Risk Matrix

Future Outlook

The EUV pellicle materials market is poised for strong growth as semiconductor manufacturers scale up EUV lithography across advanced nodes and production lines. Near-term growth will be driven by pellicle qualification and deployment within leading logic and memory fabs. Mid-term opportunities include innovations in pellicle membrane materials that can tolerate higher EUV source powers and longer lifetimes, reducing downtime for replacement or cleaning. Strategic collaborations and standardization initiatives between material innovators, equipment OEMs, and fabs will shorten technology qualification cycles and enable high-volume manufacturing readiness. Long-term expansion is expected as EUV technology extends into next-generation memory and specialty logic segments.

Global EUV Pellicle Materials Market Trends

• Increasing Penetration of EUV Lithography in Advanced Nodes
  The continued transition to sub-7nm and beyond technology nodes in logic and memory is driving strong demand for EUV pellicle materials to manage defectivity at scale. As EUV exposure tools become more widespread, consistent pellicle performance becomes critical to yield optimization and cost reduction.

• Innovation in High-Transmittance, High-Strength Membranes
  Material research is focused on membranes capable of >90% EUV transmittance while maintaining mechanical strength and thermal stability. Novel nanomaterials and engineered composite membranes are being explored to push performance boundaries.

• Standardization and Qualification Collaboration
  Foundries, OEMs, and material innovators are aligning on quality standards, qualification protocols, and lifecycle management practices. Collaborative qualification reduces time-to-production and risk for fabs adopting new pellicle materials.

• Supply Chain Consolidation and Strategic Alliances
  Given the critical role of pellicle materials in EUV, strategic partnerships and alliances are forming to secure supply, co-develop next-generation materials, and share risk in early commercialization phases.

• Cost and Lifecycle Optimization Strategies
  Fabs are optimizing pellicle replacement schedules and cleaning protocols to minimize total cost of ownership. Material durability and ease of handling are key differentiators driving purchasing decisions.

Market Growth Drivers

• High EUV Adoption in Advanced Logic and Memory Fabs
  Rapid expansion of wafer starts for EUV lithography increases demand for pellicle materials that can sustain high throughput with minimal defectivity.

• Need for Defectivity Control and Yield Improvement
  Pellicles reduce contact defects and improve overall yield, which is critical for high-value advanced nodes where defect costs are substantial.

• Technological Advancements in Material Science
  Progress in ultra-thin membrane technologies, nanomaterial engineering, and high-precision coating techniques enhances pellicle performance.

• Strategic Industry Collaborations
  Partnerships between material innovators, photomask manufacturers, and semiconductor OEMs accelerate commercial readiness and reduce qualification barriers.

• Growing Focus on Cost-Effective Manufacturing
  Efforts to extend pellicle lifetime and enhance durability contribute to reduced lifecycle costs and improved fab economics.

Challenges in the Market

• Thermal and Radiation Stability Constraints
  Maintaining material integrity under intense EUV radiation and heat load is complex, requiring ongoing material engineering improvements.

• Limited Qualified Supplier Base
  The number of suppliers capable of manufacturing pellicle materials meeting EUV requirements at scale remains small, affecting supply chain robustness.

• High Qualification Times for New Materials
  Stringent fab validation and qualification processes extend time-to-market for new pellicle material offerings.

• Cost Pressures in High-Volume Manufacturing
  Pellicle materials add to lithography operating costs; fabs require solutions that balance performance with cost considerations.

• Standardization Gaps Across the Industry
  Lack of universally adopted pellicle material standards can delay cross-customer adoption and interoperability.

EUV Pellicle Materials Market Segmentation

By Material Type

• Silicon-Based Pellicle Membranes

• Composite Nanomaterial Pellicles

• Polymer-Derived Pellicle Materials

• Hybrid Material Pellicles

By End-Use Application

• Advanced Logic Devices

• DRAM Manufacturing

• NAND/3D Flash Fabrication

• Specialty Foundry Processes

By Technology Compatibility

• Single Patterning EUV

• Multi Patterning EUV

• High-Throughput EUV Tools

By End User

• Integrated Device Manufacturers

• Foundries

• Photomask Suppliers

• Research Institutions

By Region

• Asia-Pacific

• North America

• Europe

• Middle East & Africa

• Latin America

Leading Key Players

• ASML Holding N.V.

• Gigaphoton Inc.

• Ushio Inc.

• Cymer (a division of ASML)

• Nikon Corporation

• Tokyo Electron Limited

• Coherent, Inc.

• SK Group (pellicle derivative research)

• Veeco Instruments Inc.

• Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

Recent Developments

• ASML Holding N.V. expanded pellicle material R&D collaborations with leading fabs to boost qualification throughput.

• Gigaphoton Inc. reported advancements in high-transmittance membrane coatings for next-generation EUV.

• Ushio Inc. introduced improved pellicle processing lines focused on lower particulate generation.

• Tokyo Electron Limited integrated in-situ pellicle monitoring tools to enhance process visibility.

• Coherent, Inc. announced partnerships for enhanced thermal-stable pellicle solutions.

This Market Report Will Answer the Following Questions

• What is the projected global market size of EUV pellicle materials through 2032?

• Which material types demonstrate the strongest performance and adoption?

• How does pellicle performance impact EUV lithography yield and defect control?

• Which applications and end users drive the highest demand?

• How does technology compatibility (single vs. multi patterning EUV) influence material requirements?

• Which regions are leading in market adoption and manufacturing?

• What are the main supply chain challenges and mitigation strategies?

• What role do collaborative R&D and standardization initiatives play?

• How do cost and lifecycle considerations influence purchasing decisions?

• What innovations will shape next-generation EUV pellicle materials?