MUMBAI: Silicon on Insulator (SOI) caters to the demand of the electronic industry, and thus the market will increase and expand with the varied demands in the electronics domain. The electronic boom in the industry has caused a surge in consumer electronics such as digital cameras, television, gaming consoles, kitchen appliances etc, according to Persistence Market Research report. This surge will help sustain the market for SOI for the coming years.
The global market for SOI is segmented geographically into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and rest of the world. Asia Pacific region is said be the biggest market for SOI followed by Americas and Europe. The growing electronic market in countries such as China, India and South Korea will project a strong demand for SOI for the forecasted years. In Americas and Europe the R&D investment and government funding in SOI research projects for aerospace and military are will boost the SOI market. North America and Western Europe with strong programs of clean energy and increasing technological investment in Renewable energy will also participate in the market dynamics of SOI.
The new age in semiconductor era has propelled our technology to a newer heights. Semiconductor are the fundamental blocks of any electronic device ranging from micron sensors to large machines.
The new age calls for an efficient and faster system that will reduce the dependency over complex and slow processing systems. The traditional silicon wafers have high power consumption and lower performance parameters owing to functional difficulties and thus create the need for Silicon on Insulator (SOI). SOI composition of an intermediate layer of insulating silicon dioxide between a thin and a thick layer of silicon allows it be used according to variable performance and function. SOI provides the best substitute for conventional substrates as it consumes low power and the output is high and efficiently fast. The difference in thickness of the silicon layers differs by application and intended usage.
The usage SOI attributes to higher performance in electronic devices and thus SOI has its perfect application in hand held computing and communication devices, also imparting a longer battery life to them. The usage of SOI has led to an exponential broadening of communication bandwidth and therefore is being employed in satellite communication and direct-link entertainment. One of the significant markets for SOI is aerospace and military.
SOI finds its extensive application in sensors for satellites because it helps in the computation of accurate readings and has sturdy operation capabilities. With the development Photo Voltaic technology and an increasing investment by countries to reduce carbon footprint will further increase the SOI market. There is still a scope of advancement in terms of radiation resistance and thermal capacity for SOI. The volatility in the prices of silicon could hinder the growth of the SOI market.
Though the market is largely segmented some of the key players identified in the Silicon on Insulator market are IBM Corporation, Soitec SA, ARM Holdings PLC., ARM Holdings PLC., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, United Microelectronics Corporation.
