Abstract
Executive Summary
RF MEMS component started to appear on the market in 2002 namely BAW
resonators from Agilent for mobile phones. In the meantime, other RF MEMS
products have started to ship in commercial products including switches,
inductors and micro- mechanical resonators. In 2009 it is expected that also
tuneable capacitors and cavity resonators will be in serial production.
The market for RF MEMS components was US$ 126 million in 2004, confirming the
WTC forecast from 2002. It is expected to grow rapidly in the next few years
to over US$ 1.1 billion in 2009. The market is expected to grow rapidly in
2007 through 2009 as full-scale production is anticipated to start for the
majority of RF MEMS components.
In 2004, Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) devices including duplexers and filters for
mobile phones were accounting for the major part of the market with US$
116million. In 2009, BAWs for mobile telephony will still dominate the market
in turnover an units with approximately US$ 470 million corresponding to 40%
of the total market.
However, MEMS switches and Micro-mechanical resonators will also offer
interesting opportunities in volume and high end markets as traditional
issues with reliability, packaging and CMOS integration are being solved. The
main development effort is now not anymore on the RF MEMS component side but
on the designer side to develop novel architectures that fully take advantage
of RF MEMS capabilities.
Worth mentioning is the emerging use of micro-mechanical resonators as timing
devices in replacement of bulky off-chip quartz oscillators in consumer
electronics and IT peripherals. MEMS resonators as clock devices will account
for more than 20% of the market in 2009 with US$ 250 million. Switches are
expected to keep their promise and enter cell phones from 2007 for band and
mode switching.
Other lucrative markets will be switches for Automated Test Equipment and RF
Test - a US$ 80 million opportunity - and switches for defence applications
which are expected exceed US$ 70 million in 2009.
The RF MEMS industry has experienced in 2000 to 2005 the typical "hype curve
of new technologies". Following the shape of this curve, the RF MEMS sector
reached the peak of its visibility in 2003 with the first commercial samples
of MEMS switches. This period was subsequently replaced by scepticism, as
weaknesses in packaging technology and reliability issues became apparent,
producing a so-called "Trough of Disillusionment" in the development profile.
Major progress have been made however in the 2003 to 2005 period with regard
to reliability, packaging, integration and costs. As the industry and
technology is maturing, it appears that RF MEMS technology has now left this
dip behind and emerged shining into the "Slope of Enlightenment".
The last major challenge that the RF MEMS industry has to face to fully
exploit the potential of the technology is not anymore at the component level
but at the system level. An aggressive "top-down" approach is required, where
new systems are developed that leverage all the advantages of RF MEMS
components, including signal linearity, low insertion losses and power
savings, which are decisive in designing simplified multi-mode,
multi-standard, reconfigurable systems.
As these architectures are not currently available, MEMS manufacturers are
still required to educate, convince and work more closely with RF block
designers and terminal manufacturers to develop suitable systems. As of
September 2005, 14 companies are known to ship serial products or commercial
samples. RFIC and RF passive device manufacturers play the leading role for
the commercialisation of RF MEMS in volume markets. After the pioneer Agilent
and Infineon, Fujitsu and Epcos are ramping up into volume production. Beside
these large players, RF MEMS start-up companies play a major role in the
commercialisation of RF MEMS as they are in most cases the first companies to
put products on the market. For example, the start-up companies Magfusion,
Teravicta and Radant MEMS shipped the first commercial RF MEMS switches
samples.
In conclusion, RF MEMS represents one of the few MEMS devices that will enter
the exclusive club belonging to US$ billion markets along with Inkjet heads,
DLPs and pressure sensors. After mobile phones, great opportunities exist for
spin-off applications in consumer and IT sectors. Outside of mass markets, RF
Instrumentation and Automated Test Equipment as well as military applications
offer the best prospects, especially for MEMS switches. The next biggest
opportunities for - after bulk acoustic wave duplexers and filters - belong to
switches and micromechanical resonators.
Conclusions
RF MEMS components have a great market potential with the market estimated to
reach more than US $ 1.1 billion in 2009. RF MEMS have often been mentioned as
one of the next "killer" MEMS applications. Indeed, they are one of the few
MEMS able to bring new functionalities and improved performances in mass
products since the introduction of acceleration sensors for automotive airbags.
All major RF chipsets manufacturers, a large number of MEMS manufacturers and
IP developers and start-ups are involved in RF MEMS development. We have
referenced around 60 industrial participants and even more academic players.
Can everyone have a share of this market? We think so. However, we do not
recommend that everyone should target the "killer market" of mobile telephony,
as business opportunities vary according to the type of market player and
their capabilities.
- Mainly the major RF chipsets and semiconductor companies such as Agilent,
Philips, Infineon or the newcomers Triquint and Skyworks are able to address
the mobile phone market, as profit margins will be extremely low for RF MEMS
for these applications. This market can only be profitable for players able to
setup extensive capacity production lines, fully automated and with large
wafer size. Additionally, RF MEMS will be supplied fully integrated with other
passive and active RF devices in functional blocks. RF chipsets manufacturers
are best placed to develop and supply these RF modules.
- Some start-ups are addressing the mobile phone market such as Wispry and
Siverta and are even driving innovation. However, we expect these small
companies to be acquired by larger RF module manufacturers when successful.
Also the start-ups in the field of micro- mechanical resonators such as
Discera, SiTime or Silicon Clocks will probably remain fabless and license the
technology to larger players or may be acquired too.
- We expect the best business opportunities for start-ups and medium-sized
MEMS players to be in medium-sized markets, such as base stations and
instrumentation. In these markets, demand is expected to range from some
100,000 to some tens million units in 2009, which will suit the production
capacity of start-ups and SMEs. These types of companies can also cope with
the flexibility in design needed in applications such as instrumentation,
where requirements are high and vary for each series. Development and
production revenues are expected to be substantial, as retail price will be
relatively high compared to the number of units shipped.
- Substantial business opportunities also exist in the defence markets for
start-ups and SMEs. Historically, large companies such as Raytheon and or
Rockwell were addressing the military markets and performed pioneering work in
the RF MEMS field. These pioneers retain only a limited development effort,
but position themselves now more as system integrators of RF MEMS, and
cooperate with the start-ups.
In conclusion, the market for RFMEMS devices, in addition to being one of the
most significant emerging MEMS markets in terms of size, is open to all MEMS
players from the small start-up to the international IC manufacturer.
Table of Contents
List of figures
Glossary of Abbreviations
1. Executive Summary
2. Methodology
3. Industry Overview
- 3.1 Introduction to RF MEMS
- 3.2 RF MEMS Products
- 3.3 Market Players
- 3.4 Commercial Status of RF MEMS
4. The Total RF MEMS Market
- 4.1 The RF MEMS Market by Application
- 4.2 The RF MEMS Market by Component Type
- 4.3 2005 Forecasts in Comparison to 2002 Forecasts
5. The RF MEMS Market by Application
- 5.1 Mobile Telephony
- 5.2 Consumer electronics and IT peripherals
- 5.3 WLANs and WPANs
- 5.4 Base Stations (pdf)
- 5.5 Microwave Telecommunications
- 5.6 RF Instrumentation and ATE
- 5.7 Automotive
- 5.8 Satellites
- 5.9 Military Tactical Radios
- 5.10 Military Phased Array Antennas
6. The RF MEMS Market by Component
- 6.1 RF MEMS Switches
- 6.2 Tunable Capacitors
- 6.3 BAW Resonators
- 6.4 Micro-mechanical Resonators
- 6.5 Other RF MEMS Devices
7. Conclusions
8. Company Profiles
- 8.1 North American Companies (pdf)
- 8.2 European Companies
- 8.3 Asian Companies
List of Figures
- 1.1 Implementation of RF MEMS by Application, 2009
- 1.2 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market by Application
- 3.1 Operating Frequency Ranges for RF MEMS
- 3.2 Mobile Communication Market Drivers
- 3.3 MEMS Switch packaged using Liquid Encapsulation, Courtesy of
MEMtronics
- 3.4 Ohmic Switch
- 3.5 Capacitive Switch
- 3.6 RF MEMS switch, TeraVicta
- 3.7 Parallel Plate MEMS Capacitor, Courtesy of Fraunhofer ISIT
- 3.8 Micro-machined Inter-digital Capacitor, Courtesy of CNR-IMM-M2T
- 3.9 Schematic view of a Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator (FBAR)
- 3.10 Schematic view of a Solidly Mounted Resonator (SMR)
- 3.11 BAWPCS duplexers chips, Courtesy of Infineon Technologies AG
- 3.12 A vertically drivenmicro-mechanical resonator, Clark T.-C.Nguyen,
University of Michigan
- 3.13 A two-port laterally driven micro-mechanical resonator, Clark T.-C.
Nguyen, University of Michigan
- 3.14 Micromachined Inductor, Courtesy of Fraunhofer ISIT
- 3.15 RF MEMS industrial chain
- 3.16 Estimation of Public Funding for RF MEMS R&D worldwide in 2004
- 3.17 List of Major Companies by Product Type
- 3.18 List of Major Research Institutions by Product Type
- 3.19 Commercialisation Status for RF MEMS Products
- 3.20 The RF MEMS Switch Hype Curve
- 4.1 Investigated RF MEMS Components
- 4.2 Investigated Applications
- 4.3 Implementation of RF MEMS by Application, 2009
- 4.4 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market
- 4.5 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market
- 4.6 Implementation Potential for RF MEMS by Application
- 4.7 Roadmap for Implementation of RF MEMS by Application
- 4.8 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market by Application
- 4.9 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market by Application
- 4.10 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Non-Volume
Communications Applications
- 4.11 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Non-Volume
Applications
- 4.12 Roadmap for Implementation of RF MEMS by Component Type
- 4.13 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market by Component
- 4.14 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market by Component
- 4.15 Turnover Forecasts from the 2002 Report in comparison with the 2005
Report
- 5.1 Schematic view of a SP8T band/mode switching module
- 5.2 Thermal Switch packaged using Thin Film Encapsulation at Wafer Level,
Courtesy of ST Microelectronics and CEA-Leti
- 5.3 BAW duplexer, Courtesy of Epcos
- 5.4 Schematic View of RF MEMS Switches integrated within the Wiring
Levels for SiGe or Analog CMOS IC's, Courtesy of IBM
- 5.5 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Mobile Telephony
- 5.6 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Mobile Telephony
- 5.7 Discera resonator in wafer-level vacuum packaging, shown on top of
Kyocera oscillator
- 5.8 Schematic view of the Enpirion MEMS inductor for DC-DC converters
- 5.9 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Consumer
Electronics and IT Peripherals
- 5.10 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Consumer Electronics
and IT Peripherals
- 5.11 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for WLAN & WPAN
- 5.12 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for WLAN &WPAN
- 5.13 Architectural concept of a multiband/multistandard basestation
- 5.14 Synthesizer Radio Function Block
- 5.15 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Base Stations
- 5.16 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Base Stations
- 5.17 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Microwave
Telecommunications
- 5.18 Total Unit Forecasts for the RFMEMS Market for Microwave
Telecommunications
- 5.19 Schematic View of the PIN Electronics of an ATE System's Test Head
- 5.20 SPDT RFMEMS Switch for the DC-18GHz Range, Courtesy of XCOM Wireless,
Inc.
- 5.21 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for RF
Instrumentation and ATE
- 5.22 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for RF Instrumentation
and ATE
- 5.23 Overview of Driving Assistance Systems
- 5.24 Concept for Beam Steering with RF MEMS based Planar Antenna Systems
- 5.25 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Automotive
- 5.26 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Automotive
- 5.27 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Satellites
- 5.28 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Satellites
- 5.29 RF MEMS based UHF 2-Pole MEMS Capacitor tunable Filter, Courtesy of
Rockwell Scientific
- 5.30 Integration of RF MEMS Filter Module, Courtesy of Raytheon
- 5.31 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Military Radio
Systems
- 5.32 Total Units Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for Military Radio
Systems
- 5.33 90. RFMEMS enabled Phase Shifter Stick, Courtesy of X-COM Wireless,
Inc.
- 5.34 Electronically Steerable Antenna employing 25000 Switches, Courtesy
of Radant MEMS, Inc.
- 5.35 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for phased array
antenna
- 5.36 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Market for phased array antenna
- 6.1 Ohmic Contact Electrostatic Cantilever Switch, Courtesy of Radant
MEMS, Inc.
- 6.2 Low Temperature Hermetic Thin Film Packaging (CMOS compatible),
Courtesy of CEA-Leti
- 6.3 RF MEMS Switches in Comparison with GaAs FET, PIN Diodes and EMR
technologies
- 6.4 Roadmap for implementation of MEMS switches
- 6.5 Total Turnover Forecasts for the RF MEMS Switches Market
- 6.6 Total Unit Forecasts for the RF MEMS Switches Market
- 6.7 MEMS Tunable Capacitor, Courtesy of Philips
- 6.8 Roadmap for Implementation of Tunable Capacitors
- 6.9 Total Turnover Forecasts for the Tunable Capacitors Market
- 6.10 Total Unit Forecasts for the Tunable Capacitors Market
- 6.11 Detail of a FBAR structure, Courtesy of Agilent
- 6.12 Detail of a BAWPCS duplexer, Courtesy of Infineon Technologies AG
- 6.13 BAW Technology in Comparison with Ceramic and SAW Technologies
- 6.14 Roadmap for Implementation of BAW Resonators
- 6.15 Total Turnover Forecasts for the BAW Resonators Market
- 6.16 Total Unit Forecasts for the BAW Resonators Market
- 6.17 'Clamped-Clamped' Beam Micro-mechanical Resonator, Courtesy of Discera
- 6.18 Cross-section of a CMOS compatible back-end-of-line Silicon Germanium
resonator with sub-�卲 gap electrodes and metal interconnects. Courtesy of
Silicon Clocks, Inc
- 6.19 Roadmap for Implementation of Micro-mechanical Resonators
- 6.20 Total Turnover Forecasts for the Micro-mechanical Resonators Market
- 6.21 Total Unit Forecasts for the Micro-mechanical Resonators Market
- 6.22 Total Turnover Forecasts for the MEMS Inductors Market
- 6.23 Total Unit Forecasts for the MEMS Inductors Market
- 6.24 Total Turnover Forecasts for the Cavity Resonators Market
- 6.25 Total Unit Forecasts for the Cavity Resonators Market
