What SAMCO does

Samco Inc. is a Japanese semiconductor and thin-film plasma processing equipment manufacturer founded in 1979 in Kyoto by Osamu Tsuji. Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE: 6387), the company operates with 101-250 employees and has accumulated an installed base of nearly 5,000 systems across 35+ countries over its 46-year history. Its product portfolio spans three core process families: deposition (atomic layer deposition, anode- and cathode-coupled PECVD, liquid-source CVD), etching (ICP-RIE, deep reactive ion etching via Bosch process, atomic layer etching, reactive ion etching, and XeF2 isotropic etching), and surface treatment (Aqua Plasma, plasma cleaning, UV ozone cleaning). Differentiated, proprietary technologies include the Hyper Symmetrical Tornado Coil (HSTC) ICP source capable of 2 kW or more RF power with high uniformity, atomic layer etching systems, anode/cathode switching PECVD configurations, and Aqua Plasma surface treatment. The equipment supports wafer sizes from 3-inch to 8-inch and serves applications in GaN, GaAs, InP, SiC and other compound semiconductors, as well as silicon-based devices, MEMS, photonics, quantum devices, and advanced packaging.

The company's commercial model is direct enterprise sales of capital equipment, supplemented by regional distributors (e.g., Ezzi Vision in Australia and New Zealand) and branch offices in Bengaluru, India and the United States. Revenue is generated through quote-based hardware sales of R&D and production-scale systems and related technical support services, with multi-year contracts typical for installation and service. Pricing varies with chamber configuration, wafer size, automation level, and optional features; no public pricing is disclosed. Go-to-market combines direct sales, industry conference presence (SEMICON India, ALD/ALE, CS MANTECH, UGIM), co-hosted technical seminars (such as Kyoto Day with TOWA Corporation in India), and university outreach including MoUs and equipment placements at institutions such as IIT Delhi, DTU Nanolab, III-V Lab, University of Adelaide, and Institute of Science Tokyo.

Samco's customer base is horizontally segmented across semiconductor manufacturers producing compound-semiconductor and silicon-based devices for power, RF, photonics, and sensor applications, academic and government research institutions (Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, Tohoku University, Toyohashi University of Technology, Osaka Metropolitan University, Kyushu Institute of Technology, and others), and emerging-technology companies working on quantum and photonic devices. In late 2024 and 2025 the firm completed a new Advanced Technology Development Center featuring a Class 1,000 cleanroom of approximately 860 square meters at its Kyoto headquarters, launched a combined ICP-RIE/ALE system, signed an MoU with IIT Delhi, and received recognition through features in FORTUNE Businessweek (2024) and TIME Magazine (2025), as well as an Honorary Doctorate for founder-chairman Osamu Tsuji.

Name

SAMCO

Legal name

Samco Inc.

Website

https://samcointl.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Samco Inc. is a Japanese semiconductor equipment manufacturer that designs and sells thin-film plasma processing systems—atomic layer deposition, etching, and surface treatment equipment—to semiconductor manufacturers and academic research institutions worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Semiconductor Processing Equipment

NAICS

Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (33441)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Thin-Film Deposition Materials (PVD/CVD/ALD Targets & Precursors) (HDAHAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wet Process Chemicals (Etchants/Cleaners/Strippers/SC-1/SC-2/BOE) (HDAHAGAF), Etchants & Cleaning Formulations (RCA, Piranha, Specialty Cleans) (IMAEAKAF), Embedded & HMI Electronics Manufacturing (Industrial PCs, HMIs, Panel PCs) (IMAGAGAD)

Keywords

• Semiconductor processing equipment
• Thin-film deposition systems
• Plasma etching systems
• Compound semiconductor fabrication
• Surface treatment systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Clara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Semiconductor Equipment Sales: Samco generates revenue primarily through the sale of semiconductor processing equipment including deposition systems (ALD, PECVD), etching systems (ICP-RIE, DRIE, ALE, RIE), and surface treatment systems. Equipment ranges from compact R&D systems to full production systems, with pricing based on specifications, chamber configuration, and wafer size capabilities.
2. Technical Support and Services: The company provides technical support services including installation, maintenance, and process optimization for its equipment installed at customer sites worldwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Samco (Samco Inc.) designs and manufactures thin-film plasma processing equipment for semiconductor fabrication, spanning deposition (ALD, PECVD), etching (ICP-RIE, DRIE, ALE, RIE) and surface treatment (Aqua Plasma, UV Ozone) systems. It specializes in compound semiconductor processing for GaN, GaAs, InP, SiC and silicon devices, serving both R&D and production customers globally.

Product overview

Samco provides a comprehensive portfolio of semiconductor processing equipment for thin-film deposition, etching, and surface treatment. The product line includes Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) systems (AD-8002LPC dual-chamber, AD-800LP), Anode and Cathode PECVD systems (PD-220NL, PD-2201LC, PD-3800L, PD-200STL), Inductively Coupled Plasma Reactive Ion Etching (ICP-RIE) systems (RIE-400iP, RIE-400iPC, RIE-800iP), Silicon Deep RIE (DRIE) systems, standard RIE systems (RIE-10NR, RIE-200NL), Atomic Layer Etching (ALE) systems, XeF2 etching systems, and surface treatment systems including Aqua Plasma®, plasma cleaning, and UV ozone cleaners. These systems serve both R&D and production needs across compound semiconductors, power devices, MEMS, photonics, and advanced packaging applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AD-8002LPC Dual-chamber Plasma Enhanced ALD system with integrated vacuum cassette chamber and two independent process chambers, supporting both thermal ALD and PEALD for oxide, nitride and conductive thin films with atomic-level thickness control and conformality over complex topographies. For semiconductor R&D and production users.
• AD-800LP Plasma Enhanced ALD system equipped with a proprietary ICP Tornado Plasma source for stable high-pressure plasma generation, enabling precise atomic-level control over film thickness for oxide, nitride and conductive films.
• Anode PECVD Systems Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition systems depositing silicon-based films (silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, amorphous silicon) with superior thickness uniformity and stress control.
• Cathode PECVD Systems Cathode-coupled PECVD systems applying RF to the lower/substrate electrode for high-density, conformal film deposition at rapid rates, with anode/cathode switching capability for versatile processing.
• PD-220NL Compact load lock PECVD system depositing silicon-based films over a 220mm diameter area with dual-frequency (13.56 MHz + 400 kHz) configuration for superior process control.
• PD-2201LC Cassette loading PECVD system for depositing silicon-based films with a space-saving footprint, featuring superior thickness uniformity and stress control for mass production with excellent repeatability.
• PD-3800L Loadlock PECVD system with a large reaction chamber and batch processing of multiple wafers via carrier tray loading, depositing films over a 360mm diameter area with superior uniformity and stress control.
• ALE Systems Atomic Layer Etching systems enabling atomic-scale precision for controlled material removal with uniform and selective etching for advanced semiconductor fabrication.
• RIE-400iP Compact load lock ICP-RIE plasma etching system with high-density inductively coupled plasma for precise etching on wafers up to 4 inch, featuring temperature-controlled electrode and high-flow exhaust for GaN, GaAs, InP, SiC and other materials.
• RIE-400iPC Cassette loading ICP-RIE plasma etching system utilizing high-density inductively coupled plasma for precise etching on wafers up to 4 inch with exceptional process repeatability and stability.
• RIE-800iP Load lock ICP-RIE plasma etching system for wafers up to 8 inch with the proprietary Hyper Symmetrical Tornado Coil (HSTC) ICP source providing high RF power (2 kW or more) for compound semiconductors, SiC and high-speed SiO2 processing.
• RIE-400iP-ALE ICP-RIE system with integrated Atomic Layer Etching capability for III-V semiconductor materials including GaN, GaAs and InP; supplied to the University of Adelaide as Australia's first ALE installation.
• Si DRIE Systems Silicon Deep Reactive Ion Etching systems using the Bosch Process for high aspect ratio etching with excellent selectivity, ideal for MEMS and packaging applications.
• RIE-10NR Low-cost, high-performance fully automatic reactive ion etching system with touchscreen interface for processing wafers up to 220mm, featuring highly selective anisotropic etching with a global installed base of over 400 (500+) systems.
• RIE-200NL Load lock reactive ion etching system with symmetrical evacuation design for improved repeatability and corrosive gas compatibility, supporting chlorine-based etching of compound semiconductors and materials including Si, SiO2, SiN, Poly-Si, Al, Mo, Pt and polyimide.
• XeF2 Systems Xenon Difluoride (XeF2) etching systems for specialized isotropic etching applications.
• Aqua Plasma® Proprietary aqua plasma technology systems for wafer cleaning, surface modification and hydrophilization, used for photoresist ashing, stripping, descum processes and improved plating solution penetration.
• Plasma Cleaning Systems Plasma-based cleaning systems for surface treatment, wettability improvement and adhesion enhancement in semiconductor fabrication.
• UV Ozone Cleaning Systems UV ozone cleaning systems for surface contamination removal and hydrophilization treatment.
• Technical Support & Services Technical support services including installation, maintenance and process optimization for Samco equipment installed at customer sites worldwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000+ systems installed globally
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered key and core.

• Ezzi VisionkeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 October 2025Sole Australian distributor for Samco equipment since 2007. Ezzi Vision provides sales, distribution, and support for vacuum products and thin film coating equipment to universities, research institutions, and scientific institutes across Australia and New Zealand.
• University of AdelaidecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Supply of RIE-400iP-ALE system for Australia's first Atomic Layer Etching (ALE) facility at the University's Quantum Materials and Device Fabrication Lab. Supported by AUD $1M Australian Research Council LIEF grant.
• Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 September 2025MoU signed September 3, 2025 for academic exchange and research cooperation. Collaboration areas include joint seminars, workshops, research programs, and faculty/student exchanges in semiconductor and energy-related technologies. Samco has been supplying equipment to IIT Delhi including PD-2203L multi-chamber plasma CVD system for solar cell research.
• TOWA CorporationkeyGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 August 2025Co-hosted 'Kyoto Day' technical seminar in New Delhi on September 1, 2025, bringing together approximately 50+ semiconductor engineers and researchers. Both Kyoto-based companies showcased their technologies ahead of SEMICON India 2025.
• III-V LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 July 2024France-based research laboratory acquired two RIE-400iP ICP-RIE systems to support advanced III-V semiconductor and silicon integration research activities.
• Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (OST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2023Partnership launched December 2023 to support European R&D, providing RIE-10NR and UV-2 systems for microtechnology and photonics research in Switzerland at OST's RhySearch facility.
• DTU NanolabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDenmark's national nanofabrication facility expanding silicon DRIE infrastructure with Samco's cassette-loading RIE-800iPBC system to support advanced MEMS, photonics, and microfabrication research.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SENTECH Instruments: SENTECH specializes in plasma-enhanced CVD, ALD, and ICP/RIE systems for research and small-scale production, closely matching Samco's R&D-grade equipment portfolio in compound-semiconductor and photonics applications.
• Oxford Instruments: Oxford Instruments' Plasma Technology division manufactures plasma etch and deposition systems (ALD, ICP-RIE, PECVD) for compound semiconductors, MEMS, and photonics R&D and production — directly overlapping Samco's core product portfolio and customer base.
• Plasma-Therm: Plasma-Therm supplies plasma etch (ICP-RIE, DRIE) and PECVD/ALD systems for compound semiconductors, MEMS, and photonics, targeting similar university and emerging-production customers as Samco.
• SPTS Technologies (KLA): SPTS provides plasma etch and CVD/PECVD equipment used in compound-semiconductor, MEMS, and advanced packaging — directly comparable to Samco's deposition and etch product lines.

Broad incumbents

• Tokyo Electron (TEL): Tokyo Electron is a major Japanese semiconductor equipment vendor with broad deposition and etch offerings, including compound-semiconductor systems — directly competing with Samco especially in the Japanese and Asian R&D and production markets.
• ULVAC: ULVAC is a Japanese vacuum and thin-film equipment manufacturer with deposition and etch systems serving semiconductor, electronics, and compound-semiconductor markets — comparable to Samco's vacuum-based thin-film portfolio.
• Applied Materials: Applied Materials is the largest semiconductor equipment company, with broad deposition (ALD/PECVD) and etch portfolios including offerings in compound-semiconductor processing where Samco specializes.
• Lam Research: Lam Research is a global leader in plasma etch and deposition equipment across memory, logic, and specialty/compound semiconductor applications — a much larger incumbent adjacent to Samco's etch franchise.
• Veeco Instruments: Veeco manufactures MOCVD, ALD, and etch/deposition systems for compound semiconductors, photonics, and advanced packaging — overlapping with Samco's compound-semiconductor and photonics focus areas.

Emerging players

• Trion Technology: Trion Technology supplies plasma etch and PECVD systems primarily for R&D and pilot production in compound semiconductors, competing with Samco at the smaller end of the equipment market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/samcointl
• YouTubevimeo.com/user86888704
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/samco-inc.
• Instagraminstagram.com/think_samco

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SAMCO