Sales of Optoelectronics, Sensors, and Discretes Set Record in 2011

ELECTRONICS.CA PUBLICATIONS, the electronics industry market research and knowledge network, announces the availability of a new report entitled "Market Analysis And Forecast For Optoelectronics, Sensors And Discretes".

Strong demand for MEMS-based sensors, Fiber-optic laser Transmitters, CMOS image sensors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and power transistors enabled the optoelectronic, sensor/actuator, and discrete semiconductors marketplace to grow by a slightly better-than-average 8% in 2011 to a new record-high $57.4 billion despite a substantial pullback in most product categories at the end of the year. The new annual report forecasts a 7% increase in total O-S-D sales in 2012 to $61.6 billion, with nearly all of the product categories in the three market segments expected to achieve modest growth this year.

The new 348-page O-S-D Report shows the strongest 2012 growth rates occurring in acceleration/yaw sensors (+21%), laser transmitters (+18%), pressure sensors (+15%), magnetic-field sensors (+14%), and actuators (+11%). Solid-state lamp sales, which grew 16% in 2011 on the strength of high-brightness LEDs, are expected to rise just 10% in 2012 primarily due to price erosion from a buildup of inventories in some device categories as growth rates in LED-backlit display applications slow and suppliers wait for new room-lighting products to gain wider acceptance worldwide. The 2012 O-S-D Report expects relatively slow sales growth in high-brightness white LEDs until 2014, when expensive solid-state lights finally become cheap enough to compete with conventional lighting products in mainstream end-user markets.

Motion-activated user interfaces, embedded automatic controls, and location-aware features in cellphones and portable electronics will continue to drive up sales of sensors built with microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology. The detailed five-year forecast in the 2012 O-S-D Report also shows power transistors and related discrete semiconductors steadily climbing to record sales levels due to the spread of battery-operated electronics, renewable energy systems, hybrid and electric vehicles, and the global emphasis on reductions in electricity consumption. CMOS image sensors are also expected to see another wave of strong growth from new imaging applications and machine-vision designs, which will include automotive safety systems and intelligent surveillance networks.

The semiconductor universe consists of integrated circuits (ICs) and optoelectronic, sensor, and discrete (O-S-D) components. Although often overlooked in the past, the O-S-D market segments now command more attention due to a number of high-growth product categories that have consistently outperformed ICs and several "hot" emerging technologies that have moved into volume production. Among these technologies are microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for sensors and actuators and high-brightness light-emitting diodes (HB-LEDs) for solid-state lighting applications.

The report covers all the product categories of the optoelectronics, sensors/actuators, and discretes markets, which together accounted for nearly 18% of total semiconductor sales in 2011 compared to about 14% in 2000.

Details of the new report, table of contents and ordering information can be found on Electronics.ca Publications' website. View the report: Market Analysis And Forecast For Optoelectronics, Sensors And Discretes