Abstract
SUMMARY
Four major applications are discussed in this report, which will create most
of the market for thin-film products over the next five years. These are
SmartCards, RFID tags, implantable medical devices, and microelectronic
devices, flexible displays and E-papers.
The range of possible applications for these batteries derives from their
important advantages as compared to conventional battery technologies. They
can be made in virtually any shape and size to meet the requirements of each
application. The batteries are rechargeable, which means their size need be
no larger than is required to satisfy the energy requirements on a single
cycle, thus reducing cost and weight, which in itself may give birth to new
applications. The report focuses on thin-film batteries (thicknesses below 0.6
mm) that can be used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microrobots and
microsensors, and can also be printed on integrated circuits (ICs) like any
other electronic components.
Production will be low-cost and high-volume. These batteries can be
manufactured in any size, shape, voltage, or power capacity needed. Thin-film
batteries (TFB) are positioned to become the next generation of lithium
batteries for portable electronic applications. Major applications include
smart cards and smart tags, single-use health and medical devices, and
multimedia enhancements for entertainment items, novelties and packaging.
The iRAP study focuses on thin-film batteries and products, providing market
data about the size and growth of the thin-film battery applications segments
and new developments, including a detailed patent analysis, company profiles
and industry trends. The report provides a detailed and comprehensive analysis
of the market in North America, Europe, Japan, China, India, Korea and the
rest of the world (ROW) for thin-film batteries and potential future business
opportunities.
The objectives include thorough coverage of the underlying economic issues
driving the thin-film battery business as well as assessments of new, advanced
thin-film batteries. Also covered are legislative pressures for more safety
and environmental protection, as well as users' expectations for economical
thin-film batteries.
Major findings of this report are:
- The thin-film batteries market is an attractive and still-growing
multimillion-dollar market characterized by very high production volumes of
thin-film batteries that must be extremely reliable and low in cost.
- In 2006, the global market for flexible thin-film batteries has reached
$41 million and will increase to $230 million by 2011 with an annual average
growth rate of 41.1%.
- From 2006 to 2011, medical implantables will show the highest annual
average growth rate (AAGR) reaching 58.4%, followed by mircoelectronic
devices, flexible papers, cosmetics and E-papers at an AAGR of 46.1%,
SmartCards with 37.9% and RFID tags with 35%.
- Regionally, North America captured about 61% of the market in 2006,
followed by Japan at 19% and Europe at 17%.
- More than 20 companies and institutions worldwide are active in the field
of thin-film batteries.
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