According to a study of the European NEXUS organization (Network of Excellence in Multifunctional Microsystems), the worldwide market for Microsystems (including MEMS/MST) technologies is growing at an average rate of 11% per year from $36 billion in 2005 to $52 billion in 2009. This analysis includes a break-out of the market for 1^st level package MEMS/MST, e.g. the inkjet head of an inkjet printer, from $11.5 billion in 2004 to $25 billion in 2009 [16].

Fig. 2.6 offers a broad view of the current market segmentation along MNT functionality and maturity.

NEXUS “Market Analysis for MEMS and Microsystems III, 2005-2009” report states that MST/MEMS sensors and actuators consolidate their position in established Information Technology (IT) peripheral markets for read/write heads and inkjet heads, in addition to creating new opportunities in areas such as microphones, memories, micro energy sources and chip coolers (see Fig. 2.7) [16].

EnablingMNT market researchers (an international team of experts in the business of micro and nano technologies) expect the automotive sector to remain a major application field with several high-volume safety products including air bags and tire pressure monitoring systems.

The major boost to the growing market will be the consumer electronics segment, which is forecast to almost quadruple its share from 6% of the MST/MEMS market in 2004 to 22% in 2009. Experts see rear and front projection TVs for home theatre, as well as HDDs serving the increasing storage requirements of digital equipment such as DVD recorders, digital cameras, camcorders and portable MP3 players. A big driving force is the mobile phone, which already features motion sensors and is amenable to a variety of additional sensors and functions like liquid lenses for camera zoom, fingerprint sensors, micro-fuel cell power sources, gas sensors and weather barometers (see Fig. 2.8).

Concerning the total amount expected to be invested in MST and MET, MET are far behind MST because they are emerging technologies. However, regarding expansion percentage expectations, MET present a sharp promising growth and extension to many applications and fields.

Microsystems have experienced a strong evolution since the appearance of the initial read/write and inkjet heads and the first micro acceleration sensors used in airbags. Existing microsystem markets worth a few billion euros (e.g. inkjet heads) attest the economical interest of microsystems. It should be noted that the overall microsystem market growth depends equally on established (e.g. pressure sensor, inkjet) and new (e.g. displays) applications. These trends are summarised in Fig. 2.9.

Automotive remains a driving force for microsystem innovation by offering high volume applications with only a few major customers. Microsystem supply chain for automotive shows that it can innovate on all levels (materials, components, systems, usage).

The biomedical and telecommunications sectors are also major drivers for current and future microsystems development. In this field, for example, in-vitro diagnostics (mostly biochips, bio arrays and micro plates) are expected to become a very strong large-volume market.

The IT field depends strongly on miniaturization capabilities. The engine that powers the computer revolution is micromanufacturing. Micromanufacturing packs more and more devices into each chip devices that switch faster and consume less energy. In 1945, computers used vacuum tubes with the size of a thumb. As shown in Fig. 2.10, today they use transistors so small that a hundred of them could sit on the tiny, round, transversal section of a cut off hair.

All signs point to a revolution that advances to the limits set by natural law and the molecular graininess of matter. Trends in miniaturization point to remarkable results around 2015; device sizes will shrink to molecular dimensions and switching energies will reduce to the scale of molecular vibrations. With devices like these, a million modern supercomputers could fit in a pocket. Although detailed studies already show how such devices can work and how they can be made, using

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