November 15, 2005, San Jose, CA--The markets for materials, tools, and equipment to produce nanoelectronics totaled $1.83 billion in 2005 and are forecasted to reach $4.22 billion by the year 2010 -- an increase of more than 150%, according to a new market research report from SEMI.
The report, "Global Nanoelectronics Markets and Opportunities," found that revolutionary nano materials, tools, and equipment accounted for 10% of the market or $189 million in 2005 and are expected to reach $866 million in 2010, led by growth in carbon nanotubes, nano imprint, and extreme ultraviolet lithography.
According to SEMI, over the next five years, commercial products based on carbon nanotubes, such as backlights and field-emission displays (FED), as well as a number of polymer and transmission films using nano-materials, will be commercialized. The use of nano-materials in the display sector will also allow the use of new manufacturing techniques such as inkjet and screen printing technologies. And nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) incorporating nano-wires and new forms of semiconductor memory using carbon nanotube materials, are also expected to be commercialized.
"The electronics industry is leading the commercialization of nanotechnology," said Lubab Sheet, senior director of nanotechnology at SEMI. "While the semiconductor and hard disk storage industries have used nano-scale features and materials for several years, nanotechnology is expected to play an increasingly disruptive role across the broader electronics industry."
SEMI surveyed nanoelectronic development activities in five electronics industry sectors: semiconductors, displays, hard disk storage, optoelectronics/sensors, and micro/nano-electromechanical systems. The report, Global Nanoelectronics Markets and Opportunities, was developed in cooperation with and support from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).
Some of the key findings include industries that are more focused on technology challenges including the semiconductor industry, are generally more conservative in adopting new technologies, while those focused more on cost challenges such as displays and hard disk storage are more willing to try new approaches.
The largest opportunities for nanomaterials suppliers are actually outside of the nanoelectronic industry, SEMI found. Construction materials, automotive, industrial chemicals, and even sporting goods require significant volumes of nano-materials with significantly lower technical requirements than electronics applications.