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Market for Sputtering Targets to Reach Nearly $1.8 Billion by 2006, BCC Survey Says
October 1, 2002 |Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Norwalk, Conn. -- According to a soon-to-be-released updated study from Business Communications Co. Inc., "RGB-232R Sputtering Targets and Sputtered Films: Technology and Markets," $871.5 million worth of sputtering targets were consumed in 2001 to sputter-deposit 486.1 million sq. m of thin films for flat panel displays, magnetic and optical storage devices, wavelength-selective coatings on glass, and semiconductor chips.
In each of these market segments, sputtering is expected to remain an important thin film deposition technique through the duration of the forecast period. BCC projects that worldwide production of sputtered films will increase at an AAGR (average annual growth rate) of 16.5 percent from 2001 to 2006, leading to a 2006 market in excess of 1 billion sq. mof film.
The market for sputtering targets will increase in value at a 15.4 percent AAGR during the forecast period, nearing $1.8 billion by 2006.
In terms of volume, the worldwide target market totaled approximately 305,900 units in 2001 and is expected to reach 496,800 units in 2006, corresponding to a 10.2 percent AAGR. BCC estimates 2.4 million kg (5.2 million lbs.) of material were consumed in 2001 to produce these targets, and projects that 4.3 million kg (9.6 million lbs.) will be required for target production in 2006.
Sputtering target consumption will rise at a slower rate than production of sputtered films during the next five years due primarily to the following trends: more efficient utilization of target material; film thickness decreases in certain market segments; and a transition to larger target sizes in certain market segments.
Trends in sputtering target materials and sputter process technology reflect the evolving needs of the thin film industry. And thin film products and devices are indeed undergoing change. Integrated circuit manufacturers are reacting to the emergence of copper films as a low resistivity alternative to sputtered aluminum interconnects. A variety of thin film display devices are competing in the flat panel display market to displace the bulky cathode ray tubes (CRTs) of desktop computers and televisions. In the data storage industry, the areal densities of magnetic hard disks continue to increase and new optical disk formats are emerging. Consumer awareness of the cost savings associated with energy efficiency is driving new developments in wavelength-selective coatings for windows.
Various technological changes are occurring within the sputtering industry as growing demand for thin film devices and coated products drives further development of sputtering target materials. For example, higher purity sputtering targets and/or new target materials are emerging in certain market segments to improve the performance of thin film products. Also, sputtering target fabrication methods are being refined and optimized to improve process efficiency, sputtered film quality, and target material utilization. These and other technological trends, combined with anticipated demand for thin film devices and coated products in the advanced display, data storage, glass coating and microelectronics markets, will play an important role in determining the consumption of sputtering targets and sputtered films in the foreseeable future.
For more information on the study or Business Communications Co. Inc., visit www.bccresearch.com.