The global MBE market is steadily growing, and China’s Pengcheng Semiconductor has broken through the technological monopoly.

01 Overview of the Global MBE Market

In 2021, globally Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) System Market The scale is approximately 550 million RMB, and this figure is projected to rise to 960 million RMB by 2028, implying that the market will continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.3% between 2022 and 2028. Molecular Beam Epitaxy System It plays a critical role in the fields of semiconductor and basic materials research. The main consumers—including industrialized nations such as Europe, the United States, Japan, and China—jointly account for more than 80 percent of the global market share.

Trace back Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) Technology the history, we find that it originates from Vacuum deposition method and is based on Alser’s in-depth study in 1968 of the reaction kinetics underlying the interaction between gallium arsenide atoms and the GaAs surface. This technique was further refined and popularized in the early 1970s by Zhuo Yihe at Bell Labs in the United States, laying a solid foundation for the development of ultra-thin-layer microstructural materials and related semiconductor science and technology. As a flexible epitaxial film-growing technique, molecular beam epitaxy allows the growth of high-quality thin films or the fabrication of materials that meet specific structural requirements by projecting thermally evaporated atomic or molecular beams onto a clean substrate oriented and maintained at a precise temperature under ultra-high vacuum conditions.

Looking ahead, the market for molecular beam epitaxy systems is expected to continue its steady growth. As a core piece of equipment for research into new materials and processes in semiconductors and photovoltaics, the global molecular beam epitaxy system market reached US$81.48 million in 2020 and is projected to reach US$111 million by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.26%. This trend signals the continued prosperity of the molecular beam epitaxy systems market worldwide.

02 China Market and Corporate Performance

Europe is currently the world's largest production region for molecular beam epitaxy systems. Its products are widely exported to numerous countries around the world, and... China, on the other hand, relies primarily on imports. However, Chinese national enterprises Pengcheng Semiconductor Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (abbreviated as: Pengcheng Semiconductor) We have launched the “Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) System” solution, aimed at breaking our reliance on imports. Pengcheng Semiconductor’s molecular beam epitaxy thin-film growth equipment enables epitaxial growth processes on specific substrate materials, including the fabrication of molecular self-assembled structures, superlattices, quantum wells, and one-dimensional nanowires. Additionally, this equipment can be used for process verification and epitaxial wafer production for both second- and third-generation semiconductors.

Pengcheng Semiconductor's equipment It supports high-quality epitaxial growth of semiconductor materials, boasts comprehensive functionality, and has reached an internationally leading technological level. Its MBE system not only features a full range of capabilities but also possesses significant technical advantages. It can successfully achieve epitaxial growth of second-generation semiconductor materials, such as gallium arsenide, as well as third-generation semiconductor materials like silicon carbide and gallium nitride. This groundbreaking achievement further solidifies our technological leadership in the semiconductor field.

03 Equipment Composition and Technical Specifications

MBE equipment The system comprises multiple chamber units and critical components, all of which have been independently developed and designed to achieve high performance. In 2005, this project was the first in China to complete the R&D, design, and manufacturing of a fully domestically produced MBE system, thereby achieving independent control and self-reliance. Pengcheng Semiconductor has independently designed core components such as the MBE ultra-high-vacuum epitaxial growth chamber, process control system and software, in-situ real-time monitoring instrument based on RHEED, linear electron gun, high-temperature beam source furnace, beam source furnace power supply, high-temperature sample stage, and film thickness measurement device. These innovative designs have enabled Pengcheng Semiconductor’s MBE system to reach an internationally leading level in both performance and precision, effectively breaking the monopoly held by foreign products.

Equipment composition:

• Sample injection chamber Used for the entry and exit of samples, it is equipped with a multi-disc sample storage function capable of holding up to six substrates.
• Preprocessing Room It is used for vacuum plasma stripping cleaning, vacuum high-temperature degassing, and other preliminary process treatments before the sample enters the epitaxy chamber.
• Extension Room An ultra-high-vacuum clean vacuum chamber specifically designed for molecular beam epitaxy processes.

Extreme vacuum and temperature control for each chamber. Achieves internationally advanced standards, features flexible configuration, and is suitable for a variety of processes. Its key technical specifications include:

• Sample Loading Chamber: The ultimate vacuum reaches 5.0 × 10^-5 Pa, and it can accommodate up to 6 samples with diameters ranging from φ2 inches to φ4 inches.
• Preprocessing Chamber: The ultimate vacuum is 5 × 10^-7 Pa, and the sample stage heating temperature ranges from room temperature to 850℃ ± 1℃.
• Extender Chamber: The ultimate vacuum reaches 2.0 × 10^-8 Pa, and the sample stage heating temperature range is from room temperature to 1200℃ ± 1℃.

04 Products and Application Examples

Component Design Meeting both high-vacuum and high-temperature requirements, and leveraging advanced technologies, this system provides robust support for precise epitaxial growth. Not only is the MBE system fully functional, but it also boasts significant technological advantages. It can successfully achieve epitaxial growth of a wide variety of semiconductor materials.

Pengcheng Semiconductor's equipment It has been successfully applied to the production of specific new materials, demonstrating its technological potential and continuing to drive innovation in technology. The equipment utilizes molecular beam epitaxy equipment independently developed by Pengcheng Semiconductor, which has enabled the successful growth of Bi2-xSbxTe3 material. Pengcheng Semiconductor continues to deepen its expertise in the field of molecular beam epitaxy technology and consistently breaks through key technical challenges.

Looking ahead, Pengcheng Semiconductor will closely monitor market trends and actively cultivate deep insights into end-user applications and customer needs, thereby strengthening its close ties with customers. Pengcheng Semiconductor’s goal is to provide customers with distinctive value-added services that support their business growth. At the same time, driven by gratitude, Pengcheng Semiconductor will continue to innovate itself relentlessly, striving to achieve new and greater breakthroughs at the forefront of semiconductor epitaxy technology.