Abstract
MEMS devices for mobile phones include:
- Silicon microphone: now at least 2 companies have devices available
(Knowles Acoustics and SonionMEMS). The market has reached more than 95 M.
units in 2005, 15% higher than our expectations
- 3D accelerometers: for this application also, the market has increased
very rapidly with the new use of the inertial sensors, especially on the
Japanese market (for GPS positioning) and in Korea (active logo)
- 6 DOF IMU: we see more and more interest from handset manufacturers to
have an inertial measurement unit (IMU) for high end mobile phone
- Gyroscope for camera stabilisation and GPS: still under development, as
predicted, for a product introduction in 2007 at the earliest
- Microfuel cell: product introduction announcements in 2007 have been made
by several Japanese companies. This was in line with our last year estimation.
Volume business should start in 2008. MEMS will be a key technology for the
fuel cell but also for several other key devices, like microvalves or gaz
detectors
- Chemical and Biochip: personal weather station and health care monitor
- RF MEMS: still only one type of product on the market (FBAR from Agilent,
Infineon and other companies) with very strong growth of the unit sold... but
very strong decrease of the price. Other device announced is the replacement
of quartz oscillator by MEMS based oscillator, starting end of 2006
- Enhanced auto focus and micro zoom: now several companies are proposing
MEMS based devices, including Varioptic which is the only company close to
production; a spin off from Philips named Laquavista has just been created in
order to industrialize the electro-wetting technologies from Philips for
displays.
Announced since years, MEMS devices are entering step by step into the mobile
phone business and they are key devices to leverage these new functions
(figure 1). Linked to that, the main industrial companies are now entering the
MEMS fields to take part in this growing business. According to our new
estimation, the market will reach 750 M$ in 2009.
Compared to our last estimation, the market in units is growing much faster
than we expected but on the same time, the market in value is lower than
expected: we think now that the 2008 market will be in the range of 550 M$
(compared to our last year estimation of 620 M$).
The price pressure in this industry is just incredible.
Despite analysis done by several other market research firms, Yole
Developpement does not see a product introduction for RF active devices before
2008. The technology is still immature: only 2 companies are producing RF
switches in volume today (Teravicta and Matsushita Electric Works), for the
ATE markets, so mainly high end applications. The devices available have a
very low price.
We at Yole Developpement do not think that RF MEMS active devices will be on
the market before 2010. Few things are important for MEMS devices to address
the consumer markets: Standard package (especially CSP/WLP) Package size : 1.2
mm x 5 mm x 5 mm max (to be included in mobile phone) Small silicon die (less
than 2 mm x 2 mm) in a 6'' wafer (i.e. between 3500 to 5700 dies per wafer
6'') Price between $ 1.5 to $ 2 max (less than $ 0.4 for Si microphone)
Digital output
The price for MEMS devices for mobile phone is a crucial issue: For
microphone, the price of the ECM microphone is less than $ 0.4 For 3D
acceleration sensor, the target price is less than $ 1.6 For RF MEMS, the
challenge is to be included in SiP/SOC approach, with adapted price
MEMS4mobile report is also analysing for the first time new innovative
functions, especially MEMS based displays. There is more and more interest
from handset manufacturers to use innovative displays based on low consumption
and enhanced quality. The road is long to reach industrialization but the
needs are important.
The report is describing the different applications and linked markets on a
world basis (2004-2008), who is doing what, the expected product launch and
also a complete and in-depth technology, specifications and marketing
challenges for MEMS to be implemented in mobile phone. This detailed analysis
is done per application so that readers can understand the key specifications
and system challenges. The report also enclosed an overview of which mobile
phone is using what kind of MEMS products, presenting the strategies of the
different mobile phone manufacturers toward MEMS. The report is also
describing the involvement of the MEMS manufacturers in the applications under
analysis. The report is bringing a lot of value both to MEMS manufacturers,
suppliers to MEMS manufacturers and system manufacturers in order to
understand the business potential, the technology status and who is doing what
for strategic and marketing decision makin
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