Sensors, optoelectronics, diodes post record sales

According to IC Insights Inc., the optoelectronic, sensor/actuator and discrete (O-S-D) semiconductors marketplace grew by about eight percent last year. The robust demand for MEMS-based sensors, fiber optic laser transmitters, CMOS image sensors, LEDs and power transistors pushed sales to reach a record $57.4 billion. This is despite a substantial pullback in most product categories at the end of the year, the market research firm stated.

IC Insights forecasted a seven percent increase in total O-S-D sales this year to $61.6 billion, with nearly all of the product categories in the three market segments expected to achieve modest growth. This year, the strongest growth rates will take place in acceleration/yaw sensors (+21 percent), laser transmitters (+18 percent), pressure sensors (+15 percent), magnetic-field sensors (+14 percent) and actuators (+11 percent). Solid-state lamp sales, which grew 16 percent last year on the strength of high-brightness LEDs, are expected to rise only 10 percent this year primarily due to price erosion from a build-up of inventories in some device categories. Additionally, the market research firm 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 MEMS technology. The five-year forecast from IC Insights 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 that will include automotive safety systems and intelligent surveillance networks.