Thin film deposition processes play a critical role in the production of high-density, high-performance microelectronic products. Considerable progress has been achieved in the development of deposition processes -- and in the development of the reactor systems in which they are carried out. This report discusses the technology trends, products, applications, and suppliers of materials and equipment. It also gives insights to suppliers for future user needs and should assist them in long range planning, new product development and product improvement. This report compares some of the issues impacting users of different deposition tools, including: APCVD (SACVD), LPCVD, PECVD, HDPCVD, ALCVD, PVD, ALD. Details of the new report, table of contents and ordering information can be found on Electronics.ca Publications" web site. View the report: Thin Film Deposition: Trends, Key Issues, Market Analysis.
Electronics.ca Publications is a world-class research network and publishing company whose focus is technology and market research for the electronics industry.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Thin Film Deposition: Trends, Key Issues, Market Analysis
Home Audio Equipment Market Report
ELECTRONICS.CA PUBLICATIONS announces the availability of a comprehensive global report on Home Audio Equipment markets. Global market for Home Audio Equipment is projected to reach US$21 billion by 2020, driven by continued technological advancements, increasing consumer preference for high quality audio, and declining average unit prices of audio products.
Home Audio Equipment represents a huge market after television in the consumer electronics industry. Factors propelling growth in the industry include incessant developmental of innovative products with technologically advanced features and growing consumer preference for high quality audio products. Consumers are increasingly preferring audio systems with superior visual appearance, innovative features, and enhanced aesthetic design. Demand is on rise for portable audio equipment that integrate USB drives and have the capability to stream high-quality audio content from the Internet. Developments in digital technology in tandem with changing media options from traditional systems to contemporary systems such as speaker docks and soundbars for audio playback are also contributing towards market growth.
Device networking and streaming are emerging trends in the home audio market. The market for networked home audio devices is expected to surge during the analysis period, driven by networked speakers and dedicated speaker docks. Although networked devices represent a relatively small share in these markets at present, the coming years are forecast to witness strong growth. Another key trend in the market is the increasing demand for wireless systems that connect multiple devices wirelessly. The market for wireless devices is driven by growing customers’ penchant for unrestricted mobility, high quality sound, and appealing designs. The market is expected to gain from continuous decline in average unit prices of audio products, mainly due to improvements in production technologies that help reduce manufacturing costs.
As stated by the new market research report on Home Audio Equipment, the United States represents the single largest market worldwide. Growth in the market is led by technology developments, and increased consumer spending on audio components in tandem with rise in unit sales of flat-panel high definition televisions as a result of falling prices. Asia-Pacific is forecast to emerge as the fastest growing market with a CAGR of 4.9% in volume terms over the analysis period. Rapid economic growth, and increasing disposable incomes in most Asian countries are driving sales of home audio equipment in the region. Home radios represents the largest product market in volume terms, while Home Theater in a Box (HTiB) ranks the fastest growing market.
Major players covered in the report include Bose Corporation, Boston Acoustics, Creative Technologies Ltd., Harman International Industries Inc., LG Electronics, Koninklijke (“Royal”) Philips Electronics NV, Onkyo Corporation, Pioneer Corporation, Polk Audio, Samsung Group, Sonos, Inc., Sony Corporation and VOXX International Corporation among others.
The research report titled “Home Audio Equipment: A Global Strategic Business Report” provides a comprehensive review of market trends, drivers, and strategic industry activities of major companies worldwide. The report provides market estimates and projections in thousand units and million dollars for all major geographic markets including the US, Canada, Japan, Europe (France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, Russia and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, India and Rest of Asia Pacific), Middle East & Africa, and Latin America (Brazil and Rest of Latin America). The report also analyzes the global and regional markets for Home Audio Equipment by product segments such as Home Audio Systems, Home Audio Separate Components, Home Theater in a Box and Home Radios.
Details of the new report, table of contents and ordering information can be found on Electronics.ca Publications’ web site. View the report: Home Audio Equipment: A Global Strategic Business Report.
Home Audio Equipment Market Report
Future Key Technologies in the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Market
ELECTRONICS.CA PUBLICATIONS announces the availability of a new market research report entitled “Power Electronics for Electric Vehicles 2013-2023: Forecasts, Technologies, Players”. This report forecasts the future key technologies and players in the electric and hybrid vehicle market. According to this report, the market for electric vehicle inverters will grow from an estimated $10billion to around $18billion between 2013 and 2023. As the demand for inverters is already established in the automation and industrial control industries, this additional significant complementary market will create new sectors and opportunities for both existing suppliers and new players on the market – particularly for those who specialise in electric vehicle knowledge and can provide highly integrated electric powertrain systems.
Currently, inverters in light electric vehicles such as e-bikes currently dominate the market in terms of volume with high demand in Asia. However, according to the report, by 2023 inverters in passenger vehicles will dominate by market value as high volume production is established.
Greater overall system efficiency will be achieved, resulting in a reduction of package size and system cost, the adoption of new materials and control algorithms, and a move towards higher levels of system integration.
Key technologies such as power device materials, power capacitors and cooling technologies all assist in driving electric vehicle inverter design advances. The report states that these will assist in producing step changes in performance, size and reliability over the next decade. Silicon Carbide and Gallium Nitrate will be the most notable of these materials, but packaging and reliability issues will restrict their use until the end of the decade.
Future Key Technologies in the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Market
Monday, February 23, 2015
Worldwide Demand for Lighting Fixtures
Worldwide demand for lighting fixtures is projected to increase at a 7% annual rate through 2018 to $174.5 billion, improving upon growth that was recorded during the 2008-2013 period. Advances will be bolstered by industrialization efforts in developing nations. Specifically, locations that maintain significant and fast growing construction and motor vehicle production markets, such as India and China, will post the fastest gains in lighting fixture demand. In addition, the rebounding economies in much of the developed world will facilitate rising lighting fixture sales. Furthermore, the continued adoption of higher value lighting fixtures that are optimized for use with more efficient light sources, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), will fuel demand.
China to account for largest share of new demand
In 2013, China comprised 24 percent of worldwide demand for lighting fixtures. China is expected to account for the largest share of additional global demand through 2018 with 37 percent of sales gains. The country will continue to experience robust growth because of its rapidly growing construction spending, including a number of large-scale lighting fixture retrofit projects, and its status as the world’s largest motor vehicle manufacturer. However, India will increase at the fastest rate, driven by the country’s continuing expansion of its electric grid, modernization of its building stock, and growth of the nation’s vehicle production industry.
Key US market to see above-average growth
The US, which was the second largest national market in 2013 with 18 percent of global sales, is projected to achieve above-average gains, even as the rest of the developed world posts more moderate growth rates. Advances in the US lighting fixture market are largely the result of an ongoing economic rebound. However, sales increases in much of Western Europe, and Japan and Australia will be slower, hampered by a long-running shift in vehicle production capacity away from these areas and a less robust recovery from a weakened economic climate. Still, lighting fixture sales in these areaswill benefit from a pickup in consumer spending levels and construction activity, even given their much more mature lighting fixture markets.
Nonportable lighting fixtures to offer best opportunities
Nonportable lighting fixtures will continue to account for the bulk of demand, and experience the strongest growth in sales through 2018. Indoor and outdoor nonportable lighting fixtures will record comparable rates of growth through 2018, benefiting from the strong gains in construction spending that is expected in much of the world. Advances for portable lighting fixtures will be more modest, partly because many of the newer light technologies fit most legacy portable fixtures so an upgrade is not necessary to get greater energy efficiency.
Construction to be fastest growing market
The construction market for lighting fixtures is expected to post the fastest growth in demand through 2018. This market — which includes hardwired fixtures as well as the separately sold parts and accessories — is also the biggest outlet for lighting fixtures. Specifically, residential construction applications will post the fastest gains, with sales in this market segment benefiting from the expected gains in household construction.
Details of the new report, table of contents and ordering information can be found on Electronics.ca Publications’ web site. View the report: World Lighting Fixtures.
Worldwide Demand for Lighting Fixtures
Connector Industry Report
2014 Connector Industry Forecast provides an in-depth, and detailed forecast of the worldwide connector industry. In addition to the detailed forecasts for each region of the world (North America, Europe, Japan, China, Asia Pacific, and ROW), an industry overview is included which provides current market trends, industry book-to-bill ratios, and outlook narrative.
Since 1980 the connector industry has experienced four growth business cycles, meaning consecutive years of increases in year-over-year sales. The average growth business cycle in the connector industry is five years. The longest (years without a decline in sales) is eight years (1993-2000).
The downturn of 2011/2012 has somewhat broken the industry mold. The period of growth lasted only 23 months before sales began declining in 4Q11. The downturn, which was over in October 2012, lasted only 12 months. The decline was only -2.7% which is the smallest measured since 1992.
Since 1980, we have achieved twenty-eight years of sales increases and six years of sales declines. The average growth cycle lasts five years, with two years being the shortest growth cycle, and eight years the longest. The industry’s thirty-three year compound annual growth (CAGR) is +5.7%. Only once in thirty-three years has the industry had two consecutive years of sales declines (2001-2002).
In the three industry declines prior to 2001, the years of growth in between the downturns was four, six, and eight years. From the end of the 2001/2 downturn to the beginning of the 2008/9 downturn was 75 months (6.3 years). From the end of the 2008/9 downturn to the beginning of the 2011/12 downturn was 23 months (1.9 years). The decreasing cycle rate may be the result of the increasing inter-dependencies of the world’s economies and our 24/7 processing of news of all types.
Historically we are at the beginning of a fifth growth business cycle that will last another five years on average. Although nothing is certain, it is likely that the next downturn is three or more years down the road, given no unforeseen regional or worldwide calamities. The economies of the world and their governments have gone (and are going) through a major fiscal correction, which should lead to relatively stable times where the growth rates will, in all likelihood, be more modest than they have been after past industry downturns.
Year-over-year sales growth in the next five years is expected to hit a high in 2019, with growth forecast at +7.5%.
2014 Connector Industry Report
Connector Industry Report
Friday, February 20, 2015
Critical Materials in Nanotechnology
Global market for critical materials in nanotechnology to reach nearly $9.4 billion by 2018. Critical materials are economically and/or strategically important raw materials that are at significant risk of supply disruptions as a result of resource limitations, political instability in producing areas, or political decisions by producer governments. Potential shortages of critical materials and related price increases can impact the nanotechnology industry in two ways: by jeopardizing existing nanotechnology applications of these materials and by creating new opportunities for other nanotechnology applications.
“Critical materials” is a relative term. The list of critical materials varies among countries and industries, depending on their specific circumstances. In selecting the materials to be covered in this report, we drew from a number of sources, including reports published by the U.S. Department of Energy, the European Union, the British Geological Survey and the German Institut für Zukunftstudien und Technologie-bewertung.
Not all of the critical materials identified in these reports have implications for the nanotechnology market. This study focuses on those critical materials that have potential nanotechnology applications or for which nanotechnology-based substitutes exist:
- Antimony
- Barium
- Gallium
- Indium
- Magnesium
- Niobium
- Platinum group metals (PGMs)
- Rare earths (e.g., yttrium, dysprosium, erbium, terbium, thulium, scandium)
- Rhenium
- Tantalum
- Tellurium
- Tungsten
New market research report entitled “Critical Materials in Global Nanotechnology Markets” provides an in-depth analysis of the global market for critical materials in nanotechnology through its report Critical Materials in Global Nanotechnology Markets. According to the report, this market was valued at nearly $6.5 billion in 2012 and is expected to increase to nearly $6.9 billion in 2013. According to this report, the market will grow to nearly $9.4 billion by 2018, and register a five-year compound annual growth rate of 6.5% from 2013 to 2018.
- Gain a market overview of the critical materials used in global nanotechnology industries.
- Analyze global market trends, with data from 2012, estimates for 2013, and projections of CAGRs for the period 2013 and 2018.
- Examine coverage of those critical materials whose shortages can be alleviated or avoided through the application of various nanotechnologies.
- Assess quantifications of potential reductions in critical materials consumption and the net economic cost to achieve them.
- Review comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industries covered.
Critical Materials in Nanotechnology
Can "Make in India" become sustainable for Indian Semiconductor manufacturing sector with coming macroeconomic changes in 2015?
The semiconductor manufacturing is most capital intensive business and it is very important to make these investments sustainable in short term in order to ensure profitability in long term. Sustainability of the semiconductor wafer fabs involves being able to keep the fabs in operation 24×7 to reduce the tool idle time and manufacturing semiconductor wafers that meet the growing demand for consumer electronics and military needs.
My recently released book “Mass Capitalism: A Blueprint for Economic Revival”, takes you through the journey of semiconductor manufacturing in U.S. semiconductor industry. The high cost of manufacturing and keeping track with the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) to keep up with progress of Moore’s law forced offshoring of IC packing industry, design engineering services and eventually even the manufacture of semiconductor wafers from United States to Asia. These policies of globalization have resulted in rising trade deficits for the U.S. The replacement of manufacturing sector with relatively low paying service sector jobs has resulted in falling incomes and depreciating middle class in the U.S.
In this way globalization of semiconductor manufacturing resulted into a loss of dominance of the U.S. semiconductor industry and started to make this capital intensive as well as knowledge intensive business unsustainable leading to an early demise of Moore’s law (due to economic limits because of huge capital investments) because of poor return on investments due to poor domestic consumer demand. Since the 2008 financial crisis, the U.S. has been trying to revive its economy by lowering its bench mark interest rates close to 0% and following Quantitative Easing (QE) policies to stimulate its economy. Instead of reviving the economy by boosting domestic consumer demand, the QE policies have instead resulted into growing income disparity as the wages of the middle class haven’t been growing to boost consumer demand.
The growth in domestic demand from increased consumer borrowing due to low interest rates is unsustainable as interest rates cannot remain low forever. Additionally, the low interest rates have not increased domestic investments in the U.S. and instead investors have preferred to get better returns on their investments by investing in countries with higher interest rates like India. Hence, Low bench mark interest rates in developed economies like U.S. and Europe have primarily benefited the wealthy individuals in helping them get cheaper loans on mortgage properties and helping them earn higher incomes through renting these properties. These monetary policies haven’t encouraged the easy money from QE to get invested in domestic economy as investors have preferred to invest for higher yields in countries like India. Hence, QE policies have not been able to solve the problem of unemployment in the U.S. and has mostly created low paying and part time jobs in U.S.
Now that the QE has come to an end and the Fed is on track to raise its rates in mid 2015, the following macroeconomic changes are certain. First, the rising bench mark interest rates will not be able to lure U.S. residents into increased borrowing for mortgaging cars and houses. Additionally, When interest rates rise, the investors who have invested for short term gains in countries like India will move their investments for higher yields to the U.S.. This would put a sudden strain on the Indian rupee (INR). Hence, the net result of rising rates in the US with present monetary policy would be a poor domestic consumer demand in U.S. from decreased borrowing and strain on economies of developing countries like India through rising inflation. These changes would cause a rise in value of USD and depreciation of INR.
The net result would be a rising inflation in India as investors looking for better gains would rush to U.S. for higher returns. The largest withholders of U.S. FOREX viz. China has signed currency swap deals with its major trading partners and performs transactions in Yuan instead of USD. Hence, although USD will rise from foreign investments, U.S. will not be able to reduce its trade deficits through exports as US manufactured goods would become expensive in international markets. As there will be no major buyers for US debt due to bypassing of USD by major withholders of US Forex like China and Russia, the only way ahead forward for the Fed is to reform its current monetary policy so that wages keep track with employee productivity which would reduce US budget deficits. The U.S. has also recently imposed huge tariffs on solar goods from China and Taiwan to boost its domestic manufacturing. Eventually, U.S. will also have to impose tariffs on all foreign goods entering the U.S. to eliminate its trade deficits for revival of domestic manufacturing industry. Without reforming its trade and monetary policies to reduce its trade and budget deficits, any rise in value of USD with rise in Fed’s bench mark interest rates would result into an increase in US twin deficits which would also cause an increase in supply of goods into the an economy, which is suffering from a poor economic demand. This would cause a crash in profits of those corporations when their manufactured goods remain unsold and thereby also crashing the US stock market.
Taking these macroeconomic changes into consideration, India has following things to worry about its “Make in India” plan. The plan to lure foreign investors into India to make India a global semiconductor manufacturing hub like China could fail, if any of these investors are looking for short term gains, as semiconductor investments are long term strategic investments. These investments pay off for any country over a long term and not a short term investments that yield a quick return on investments like financial sector of today’s economy. Hence, Just like TSMC Inc. gets its financial backing from government of Taiwan, Samsung Inc. gets its financial backing from government of South Korea and Globalfoundries Inc. gets backing from government of Abu Dhabi, the upcoming Indian semiconductor fabs should also be sponsored with backing of government of India to make these capital intensive investments sustainable. This approach would minimize any chances of these capital intensive investments becoming unsustainable when investors move their investments out of India for their short term gains due to rise in US interest rates.
These huge capital investments into semiconductor wafer fabs can become sustainable only if there is a solid economic demand for these semiconductor wafers in Indian electronics industry because the economic demand is presently slowing in developing economies. However, If Indian government policies do not encourage consumption of domestic manufactured products and hence if import of foreign manufactured goods continue due to India’s Free trade policies, the trade deficits of India will continue to soar. The government recently passed some strict guidelines to all ministries asking them to give preference to domestically manufactured electronic products. This is a positive step forward aimed at boosting electronics production as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” drive. If trade deficits are allowed to soar, these deficits will put a further strain on already troubled INR. Additionally, the products manufactured by Indian fabs will get consumed domestically only if the wages of Indian citizens keep track with their productivity. This free market monetary policy would also ensure a robust consumer demand for electronic goods in order to keep the fabs in operation 24×7 thereby reducing the idle time of tools. The potential of fabless semiconductor ecosystem in its ability to grow small businesses should be adopted by “Make in India” movement. In this process several macroeconomic reforms should also be advocated because an absence of these macroeconomic reforms have made the fabless semiconductor ecosystem unsustainable for the U.S. contributing to its twin (trade and budget) deficits.
To ensure a good return on its investments by being able to create domestic jobs and to minimize the job loses in economic downturns, a three tier fabless semiconductor business model with decentralized supply chains as proposed in “Mass Capitalism: A Blueprint for Economic Revival” should be adopted by Indian semiconductor industry. This would usher in a competitive free market balanced economy and help Indian economy transition from a developing economy to a developed economy. The trade and budget deficits would be eliminated and ever increasing huge capital investments would make this highly capital intensive business not just sustainable but also very profitable. This is a free market approach to make the investments in semiconductor fabs a success so that India can keep its 2020 projected $400 billion account deficits under control and ensure that its semiconductor manufacturing sector is able to keep track with progress of Moore’s law.
Economy also moves in a systaltic fashion and never in a straight line. Due to this systaltic motion, internal clash and cohesion take places giving rise of economic cycles. The ups and downs of socio-economic life in different phases are sure to take place due to this systaltic principle. Having a balanced economic model will also eliminate the problem of unemployment in economic downturns. In this way excess government spending in economic downturns can be eliminated achieving a true free market economic model for semiconductor industry.
About Apek Mulay
Apek Mulay is CEO of Mulay’s Consultancy Services, a senior analyst and macroeconomist in the United States semiconductor industry and author of the new book, “Mass Capitalism: A Blueprint for Economic Revival.” He attended the University of Mumbai in India and later completed his master’s degree in electronics engineering at Texas Tech University. Mulay is the author of the patent “Surface Imaging with Materials Identified by Colors” during his employment at Texas Instruments Inc., and he has chaired technical sessions at International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis (ISTFA) for consecutive years. The U.S. government approved his permanent residency under the category of foreign nationals with extraordinary abilities in science and technologies. www.ApekMulay.com
Can "Make in India" become sustainable for Indian Semiconductor manufacturing sector with coming macroeconomic changes in 2015?