Global Markets, Technologies and Materials for Thin and Ultrathin Films

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Aug 25, 2016, 04:03 ET

NEW YORK, Aug. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Use this report to:
- Receive an update on the most advanced processes employed for the fabrication of thin films, nanofilms and ultrathin films.
- Analyze current global markets for thin film materials by deposition technology, application, film thickness and region, with growth forecasts through 2021 for each market segment.
- Identify important technology and industry trends within each market segment.
- Gain an insight into the most relevant research and development activities.

Highlights
- The global market for thin film materials reached nearly $9.9 billion and $9.8 billion in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The market is expected to reach nearly $11.3 billion by 2021 increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.0% from 2016 to 2021.
- Chemical processes market is expected to grow from nearly $6.1 billion in 2016 to $7.6 billion in 2021 at a CAGR of 4.4% for the period 2016-2021.
- Additive processes market will grow from $180 million in 2016 to $766 million in 2021 at a CAGR of 33.6% for the period 2016-2021.

Introduction & Scope

INTRODUCTION

STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
BCC Research has followed the thick and thin film markets for almost 15 years, publishing various reports on materials, devices and technologies used to deposit these types of films. During this period, the market has expanded steadily and new opportunities have been created for these films. With this study, BCC Research continues its commitment to monitoring the thin film market, by providing an updated review of the most important advances in thin film technology, including processes used to manufacture nanofilms and ultrathin films. In addition, a detailed overview of the current thin film material market is offered together with an objective analysis of industry and technological trends, and prospects for future growth.

Specifically, the major objectives of this study are to:
- Provide an update on the most advanced processes employed for the fabrication of thin films, nanofilms and ultrathin films.
- Provide an overview of the most common materials used for each thin film deposition process and identify new materials.
- Highlight new technological developments in the fabrication of thin films, while outlining technical issues.
- Review existing fields of application for thin films and investigate emerging applications.
- Estimate current global markets for thin film materials by deposition technology, application, film thickness and region, with growth forecasts through 2021 for each market segment.
- Identify important technology and industry trends within each market segment.
- Supply an updated review of current industry players, including manufacturers of thin film materials and equipment, technology developers and future market participants.
- Provide a description of the most relevant research and development activities.
- Determine trends in recently issued U.S. patents.

REASONS FOR DOING THIS STUDY
Thin films are traditionally defined as films with a thickness below 5 microns. The global market for thin film technologies (including equipment, materials and services) is estimated to be valued at over $70 billion in 2016 and continues to grow. On-going miniaturization in the semiconductor industry also impacts other sectors; as a result, there is a continuous effort to create components and products that are smaller,
thinner, lighter and also, for certain applications, flexible. In addition, new developments in nanotechnology are also contributing to advances in materials and fabrication methods for producing very thin films, that is, those below 30 nanometers or those with a thickness measured in atoms. There are many types of thin film materials (e.g., metals, alloys, oxides, non-oxides, metalorganics and metal salts). These materials can be deposited by a variety of physical, chemical and printing methods, and find application in the fabrication process of numerous devices within several industrial sectors (including electronics, optoelectronics, mechanical/chemical, sensors and instrumentation, energy, optical coatings and life sciences).

At the time of BCC Research's last report (SMC057B, February 2012), the global market for thin film materials was valued at $9.3 billion and growing at a healthy rate. Since then, the industry has continued to evolve in important ways. The microelectronics sector is experiencing important changes in technology, which is leading to a drop in sales of thin film materials, while utilization of thin films in other
sectors is expanding, as new applications enter commercialization. The principal reason for doing this study is to present a current assessment of the thin film material industry from both a technological and market point of view and to outline future trends and key developments. There is also a need to evaluate the current status and future trends of this market from a global standpoint. As use of thin film materials expands and new fields of application emerge, information on the suppliers and developers of these materials and their regional distribution becomes more valuable.

An equally important reason for undertaking this study is to provide technical insights into thin film manufacturing by:
- Providing a review of material types, their applications and deposition methods.
- Identifying current technological trends
- Providing an overview of the main global R&D activities related to thin film technology, resulting in the issuance of patents.
- Illustrating the latest technological developments.

This information can assist companies in identifying opportunities for process and productivity improvements and new product development, resulting in a positive impact on future market growth.

INTENDED AUDIENCE
This study will be of primary interest to all organizations that:
- Manufacture, sell and distribute materials for producing thin films.
- Fabricate thin film devices or coated products.
- Offer coating services to the thin film industry.
- Manufacture processing and characterization equipment (e.g., physical vapor deposition equipment, chemical vapor deposition equipment, printing systems and analytical instruments) utilized by producers of thin films.
- Provide technical and/or marketing services for the thin film industry.
- Are planning to enter the thin film industry as a manufacturer, supplier or end user.
Overall, this study applies to industry sectors such as electronics, optoelectronics, sensors and instrumentation, mechanical/chemical, energy, optical coatings, life sciences and the general coating sector.
The study is mainly directed toward executives, directors, operations managers, sales and marketing managers, and strategic planners working within the above industries. Universities and research facilities may also find this study to be a good source of technical information regarding thin film technology, materials, equipment and applications, which can be used as a baseline for new or expanded R&D activities.
Librarians of technical information and research centers can also use this report to provide critical data to product managers, market analysts, researchers and other professionals needing detailed and updated insights into the thin film industry.

SCOPE OF REPORT
This report provides an updated review of thin film technologies, including materials and production processes, and identifies current and emerging applications for these technologies. BCC Research delineates the current market status for thin film materials, defines trends and presents growth forecasts for the next five years. The thin film material market is analyzed based on the following segments: deposition technology, film thickness, application and region. In addition, technological issues, including key events and the latest process developments, are discussed. More specifically, the market analysis conducted by BCC Research for this report is divided into five sections. In the first section, an introduction to the topic and a historical review of thin film technology are provided, including an outline of recent events. In this section, current
and emerging applications for thin and ultrathin films are also identified and grouped in segments (electronics, optoelectronics, energy, life sciences, mechanical/chemical, optical coatings, sensors and instrumentation, and others).

The second section provides a technological review of thin films. This section offers a revised and detailed description of traditional and emerging materials used to manufacture thin and ultrathin films, typical fabrication methods and innovative deposition processes, and production methods for free-standing thin films. This section concludes with an analysis of the most important technological developments since
2014, including examples of significant patents recently issued or applied for, as well as highlighting the most active research organizations operating in this field. This part of the study also offers a brief discussion of the most relevant technological trends related to the materials used for thin film deposition. The third section entails a global market analysis of materials for thin and ultrathin films. Global revenues (sales data in millions of dollars) are presented for each segment (application, deposition technology, film thickness and region), with actual data referring to the years 2014 and 2015, and estimates for 2016. The analysis of current thin film material revenues is followed by a detailed presentation of market growth trends, based on industry growth, technological trends and regional trends. The third section concludes by providing projected revenues for thin film materials within each segment, together with forecast compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) for the period 2016 through 2021.

In the fourth section of the study, which covers global industry structure, the report offers a list of the leading manufacturers of thin film materials, together with a description of their products. The analysis includes a description of the geographical distribution of these firms and an evaluation of other key industry players. Detailed company profiles of the top players are also provided. The fifth and final section includes an analysis of recently issued U.S. patents, with a summary of patents related to thin film materials, deposition methods and applications. Patent analysis is performed by region, country, assignee, patent category and deposition process.

METHODOLOGY AND INFORMATION SOURCES
To analyze the overall market and market segments, both primary and secondary research methodologies were used to obtain market data. The technology section of this report is based on information derived from technical literature, related BCC Research reports, professional journals, the author's field experience and online sources. Global market analysis was performed by a thorough investigation of manufacturers of thin film materials, producers of thin film fabrication equipment, and developers of new technologies, accounting for at least 95% of the global market. Data were obtained from the direct contribution of primary sources, including company executives, managers, engineers and other technical personnel representing manufacturers, developers, and users of thin films materials and process equipment; representatives of academia and trade associations; and industry market analysts. Additional data for each company were obtained by thoroughly analyzing Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, websites, annual reports, industry directories, industry magazines and catalogs, government sources and other public sources.
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