According to the "2025 Critical Materials Report: Quartz Materials" released by electronic materials consulting company TECHCET, the market for quartz processing components used in semiconductor manufacturing is expected to grow by nearly 10% in 2025, and the market size is expected to reach $2.33 billion. This growth follows a 5.5% increase in 2024, reflecting the continued strength of the equipment sector despite the uneven pace of recovery across the industry. Looking ahead to the medium to long term, the quartz machined parts market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.0% between 2024 and 2029.
Quartz materials run through the entire industrial chain of semiconductors from "sand to chips", and are the underlying materials that support high-end manufacturing. In the future, with the popularization of EUV lithography and third-generation semiconductors (such as SiC and GaN), the characteristics of quartz materials in terms of high temperature resistance and light transmittance will be further highlighted, becoming the key cornerstone of continuous innovation in the semiconductor industry.
Technical Challenges and Trends
Purity and cost:
Semiconductor-grade quartz products require the control of metal impurities (e.g., Fe, Na) < 1ppm, and the complex production process (e.g., electron beam melting, chemical vapor deposition CVD) leads to high prices (quartz crucibles can cost tens of thousands of dollars per unit).
Upgrading of the demand for advanced processes:
With the evolution of the manufacturing process to below 3nm, higher requirements are put forward for the surface roughness (Ra<0.1nm) and dimensional accuracy (±0.001mm) of quartz parts, which need to rely on ultra-precision machining technology (such as magnetorheological polishing).
Alternative material competition:
In some scenarios (such as high-temperature oxidation), ceramics (such as Al₂O₃, SiC) have begun to replace quartz, but the comprehensive properties (light transmittance and cost) of quartz are still irreplaceable.
image: The Quartz Materials Market is Expected to Grow by 2025
The main driving force for the expansion of the market is the rising demand for advanced chip applications, especially in the field of artificial intelligence and high-performance storage. While some product lines, such as 3D NAND, are still in the recovery phase, demand in other areas remains strong. Hot-worked quartz parts are growing faster than traditional cold-worked products, as hot-working technologies now enable the formation of complex geometries that previously required cold working, with higher structural strength. The market revenue of hot-processed quartz parts is expected to reach $1.22 billion in 2025, while the market size of cold-processed quartz parts will also increase to $1.11 billion.
At the same time, the market for quartz blanks (e.g. quartz rods, tubes, plates and synthetic quartz) is also strong. Revenue is expected to reach $868 million in 2025, up from $791 million in 2024. Synthetic quartz is becoming more and more popular due to its high purity to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of advanced manufacturing processes for material cleanliness.
Despite the positive market outlook, the industry still faces a number of challenges, including geopolitical risks, rising raw material prices, and a shortage of highly skilled talent (such as skilled glassblowing workers) in some regions. In response to changes in the international environment, China and other countries are accelerating their localization development, and a number of emerging companies have entered the market, striving to achieve independent and controllable supply chains. At the same time, some mature quartz manufacturers in China have also begun to deploy overseas and expand the international market. Overall, the continued growth of the semiconductor industry will continue to be a major driver of the high-purity quartz materials market.
