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26 min ago 2 min read
Helium demand from the global semiconductor market is projected to grow to around 2.2 billion cubic feet (Bcf) in 2028 and up to 3 Bcf after the turn of the decade, from an estimated 1.8 Bcf this year.
108 new fabrication projects are expected to come online by 2028, with around 30 more fabs needed by 2030.
That was the update from Michael Corbett, Managing Partner at Linx Consulting, representing global semiconductor industry association SEMI at gasworld’s Helium Super Summit in Houston.
“How complicated these devices are, how many new fabs are going in, how the number of process steps increases for each wafer…those are going to be key drivers on…overall yield demand,” he noted.
Helium is critical in semiconductor manufacturing, used primarily to cool wafers during high-temperature processes like etching and deposition. These steps are energy-intensive, and helium helps maintain precise temperature control.
Corbett said the manufacturing challenges fabrication facilities face will continue to multiply as next-generation devices require greater degrees of control and atomic layer precision.
This comes as AI is expected to drive the semiconductor industry over the $1 trillion milestone this year, with a $2.3 trillion outlook forecasted for 2030.
Corbett identified cloud service providers (CSPs), such as Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta, as the key driver of AI.
“CSP companies are all now designing and utilising their own chips for AI, along with companies like Nvidia, so we see tremendous growth.”
