Focused Ion Beam (FIB) Industry in the Age of Covid-19

Presently, Focused ion beam (FIB) has become one of the most specific masks less nano-fabrication tools. With the use of both bottom-up and top-down fabrication, the tool improves the accuracy of the FIB fabrication technique. Furthermore, the advancements and powerful techniques including energy dispersive spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and other properties, have led to increasing the popularity of FIB amongst engineers and scientists. FIB has gain popularity in a variety of branches of science and engineering for characterization and material modification.

In recent years, the semiconductor industry has witnessed an increase in the investments for research and development in materials science and biomaterials. Furthermore, there has been an increased demand for FIB-based failure analysis equipment by the electronics industry. However, the unwanted arrival of an unprecedented pandemic caused several impacts on the semiconductor industry, therefore, affecting the FIB market, globally.

How the Industry is responding to Covid-19 Outbreak

The global lockdown due to the pandemic has affected almost every industry. Where certain industries have stronger fortifications, others are still struggling to reset to a redesigned normal. However, in response to the crisis, the FIB industry is mainly focusing to safeguard its workers, conflict the virus, and support its critical systems to maintain continuity. Also, the major market players have developed comprehensive measures to guard employees and uphold smart business stability.

The key market players are strategically heading forward with their plans and projects, investments, and production processes. The other subsectors have adopted a remote working system to stabilize the companies. Yet the industry has suffered through supply chain disruptions. Due to which there has been a shortage of materials for manufacturing FIB-based and other equipment. Moreover, the consumer demand patterns are shifting and the global supply chain is getting re-routed, as the government in several regions is initiating significant relaxations.

The companies are continuously adopting new and unreliable market conditions. Also, the relaxations imposed by the government have aided the market players in order to stabilize the economic benefits. Owing to which the companies are also proceeding to invest for new projects. The manufacturing firms have also started to carry out their processes at a lower scale with respect to social distancing.

FIB equipment is majorly used in the semiconductor industry and 3D imaging techniques. The market players, on the other hand, are working for further developments. These factors would aid market growth. According to a report published by Allied Market Research, the Focused ion beam (FIB) market is projected to reach $4.9 billion, registering a CAGR of 7.4% from 2016 to 2022. Furthermore, the development of new ion sources such as helium, lithium, and others, and growth in demand for FIB micro equipment would assist the market to grow exponentially. In addition, a surge in the advancement of nano-FIB equipment and further research and development in the market would usher a number of opportunities, in the near future.

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