Status of the CMOS Image Sensors Industry

Introduction

Abstract

DESCRIPTION

TABLETS & AUTOMOTIVE TO BOOST CMOS IMAGE SENSOR SALES AND DRIVE GROWTH OF THE MARKET

CMOS image sensor market is expected to grow at an 11% CAGR in revenue in the 2012 - 2017 period, growing from $6.6B in 2012 to $11B in 2017. Many different applications are driving the integration of CMOS image sensors. If mobile handsets accounted for ~ 65% of total shipments in 2011, many new applications are poised to drive the future growth of this industry. Three fast emerging applications of significant size should drive the growth of the market to an expected CAGR over 30%: Tablets, Automotive, and Smart TV. More details are available in the report on each application.

Tablets are poised to boost CIS sales in the consumer market; the majority of tablets have one or two cameras, similarly to mobile phones. We forecast that the CIS sales for tablets will represent nearly $1.5B in 2017! From another standpoint, car manufacturers have begun equipping cars with multiple cameras, pushed by upcoming regulations promoting greater safety and driver assistance. The automotive market is expected to reach $400M in 2017, and will drive the need for high-performance sensors with special features, e.g. global shutter, very high dynamic range, and low-light sensitivity. This is completely different from the phone market which is still in the race for higher resolution. The report describes in detail each application in terms of market size, competitive analysis, technical requirements, technology trends and business drivers.

NEW BUSINESS MODELS AND NEW STRATEGIES EMERGE FROM A FRAGMENTING SUPPLY CHAIN

As volumes increase, a clear duality appears between companies that have adopted a growth strategy by focusing on low-end markets and those opting for a specialization in high-end and higher margin markets to maintain profitability such as STMicro and Aptina.

Back in 2009, Omnivison was the only major fabless image sensor manufacturer, but that situation is set to change: the fablight/foundry business models will be more and more successful in the future, fueled by the new business model adopted by players that are not completely integrated up to the system level.

STMicroelectronics is about to outsource its backside illumination image sensor production to United Microelectronics Corp. (Taiwan), and Aptina Imaging already outsources its 12-inch production to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. The only companies that are financially sustainable with an IDM model are vertically integrated from leading-edge 300mm CIS manufacturing up to the system level: Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and Toshiba. This report describes in detail market share for each CMOS image sensor vendor and manufacturer, and how the value is distributed along the CIS value chain.

BACKSIDE ILLUMINATED CMOS IMAGE SENSORS TO REPRESENT MORE 50% OF TOTAL REVENUES IN 2017

As expected in 2010, the CMOS image sensor industry has evolved since the introduction of Backside Illumination Technology (BSI). Though BSI technology increases manufacturing costs by 20%, it enables a dramatic increase in sensor sensitivity which allows pixel size to further decrease; thus continuing the race toward higher resolution in mobile phone and DSC markets.

Three years after its introduction by Sony and Omnivision, the BSI technology is still limited to a small number of players: main leaders of the mobile phone market. BSI image sensors account for 18% of total CIS sales in 2012. This fast adoption of the BSI technology is expected to reach more than 50% by 2017, increasing revenue to $5.7B.

BSI adoption began in consumer markets: mobile phone, camcorders and DSC, but now that TowerJazz, the Israeli specialty open foundry, has developed an operational BSI production line, BSI is expected to find adoption in higher-end markets where CMOS is in competition with CCD.

In the report are market forecasts of the BSI technology penetration, and expected sales to 2017, along with a detailed overview of the players, supply chain, and the main technical challenges induced by the technology.

SEVERAL TECHNOLOGIES TO RESHAPE THE CMOS IMAGE SENSOR INDUSTRY

In the near future, high potential technologies may quickly reshape the imaging industry, namely 3D Time-of-Flight imaging, computational imaging, quantum dot film, and single photon counting. The next technological breakthrough will likely come once again from Sony which has developed the first stacked sensor architecture for consumer market. Stacking pixels on the signal processing circuit rather than next to each other will optimize the manufacturing process of each circuit and provide sensors with greater sensitivity, faster readout, and much higher signal processing integration. In that report you will find a selection of promising technologies that may reshape the CIS industry.

OBJECTIVES OF THE REPORT

• To provide market data on key CIS market metrics & dynamics:
  • CMOS image sensor unit shipments, revenue and wafer production by application.
  • Market share with a detailed breakdown for each player.
  • Application focus on key areas of growth for CMOS image sensors (automotive, DSC, medical,...)
• To provide key technical insight about future technology trends & challenges:
  • From a manufacturing standpoint: design & front-end innovations.
  • A special focus is done on the BSI (Backside illumination) technology
• To provide in-depth understanding of the CIS value chain, infrastructure & players:
  • What are the CMOS image sensor players (IDMs, foundries, design houses) and how are they related
  • More generally, which are the key suppliers to watch and how will the CMOS image sensor industry evolve.

WHO SHOULD BUY THIS REPORT?

• CMOS Image Sensor Players:
  • Evaluate market potential of future technologies and products
• for new applicative markets
  • Screen potential new suppliers
  • Monitor and benchmark your competitor's advancements
• CMOS & Packaging Foundries:
  • Spot new opportunities and define diversification strategies
  • Position your company in the moving CMOS imaging value
• Electronic Module Makers & Original Equipment Makers:
  • Evaluate the benefits of using new technologies in your system
  • Screen and select new image sensor suppliers
• Assembly & Test Service Companies:
  • Get the list of the Top CMOS image sensor players
• Equipment & Material Manufacturers:
  • Understand the evolution of image sensor
  • Understand the differentiated value of your products and technologies in this market
  • Identify new business opportunities and prospects
• Financial & Strategic Investors:
  • Understand the potential of new imaging technologies
  • Get the list of main key players and emerging start-ups of this industry

COMPANY INDEX

ACTi Corp, Adimec, Advantest, Advasense, AIE, Alexima, Allied Vision Technology, Anafocus, Anteryon, Aphesa, Aptina Imaging, Austria Microsystems, Axis Communication, Awaiba, Basler, Bosch security systems, Brainvision, Brigates, Brookman Technology, BYD, Caeleste, Canon, Carestream Dental, Carestream Health, Clairpixel, CMOSIS, CMOS Vision, CMT Medical, Cognex, Continental, Crysview, CSEM, Dahua Technologies, Denso, Delphi, DEXIS, D-Link, Delphi, Dongbu HiTek, DXG, e2v, e-con systems, ELMOS, EPFL, Excico, Fairchild Imaging, FLIR, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Forza Silicon, Fotonic, Foveon, Fraunhofer, Fujitsu, GalaxyCore, Gendex, Given Imaging, Grace Tech, Hamamatsu Photonics, Hella, Hightec, Hejian, Hikvision, Himax imaging, HHNEC-Grace, HTC, SK Hynix, Instrumentarium, Intromedic, Invisage, Invision biometrics, Invendo Medical, Invensense, ImageWorksIMEC, IMS-Chips, IO Industries, ISDI, JAI, Jinshan Group, JSR, JVC/Altasens, Konica Minolta, Kostal, KunShan RuiXin Micro, KYEC, Lfoundry, LG, Lytro, Mantis Vision, Magna, Magneti Marelli, Medigus, Melexis, MESA Imaging, Micron, Microsoft, Mobotix, Morita, New Imaging Technologies, Novatek, Odos Imaging, Omnivision, Omron, ON Semi, Optex, Owandy, Oy Ajat, Panavision Imaging, Panasonic, Pelican Imaging, PerkinElmer, Philips, Pixart, PixelPlus, Pixim, Pelco, PMD Technologies, Point Grey research, Powerchip, Pyxalis, Rad-icon, Raytrix, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Samsung, Sarnoff, SETi, Sharp, Shick/Sirona, SiliconFile, Soft Kinetic, SK Hynix, SMIC, SOITEC, Sony, SRI International, STMicro, SuperPix, Teledyne DALSA, Tessera, Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, The Imaging source, Tong Hsing, TOK, Toray, Toshiba, Trixell/Thales, TSMC, Toshiba Teli, TowerJazz, Tridicam, TRW, TU Delph, TYZX, UMC, University of Edinburg, Valeo, Vanguard, Vatech Humanray, VisEra, Vista Point, Viti, Viimagic, Vision research, Vivitar, Vivotek, WLCSP, X-counter, X-Fab, XinTec, Ziptronix and more ...

BENEFITS

WHO SHOULD BUY THIS REPORT?

• CMOS Image Sensor Players:
  • Evaluate market potential of future technologies and products
• for new applicative markets
  • Screen potential new suppliers
  • Monitor and benchmark your competitor's advancements
• CMOS & Packaging Foundries:
  • Spot new opportunities and define diversification strategies
  • Position your company in the moving CMOS imaging value
• Electronic Module Makers & Original Equipment Makers:
  • Evaluate the benefits of using new technologies in your system
  • Screen and select new image sensor suppliers
• Assembly & Test Service Companies:
  • Get the list of the Top CMOS image sensor players
• Equipment & Material Manufacturers:
  • Understand the evolution of image sensor
  • Understand the differentiated value of your products and technologies in this market
  • Identify new business opportunities and prospects
• Financial & Strategic Investors:
  • Understand the potential of new imaging technologies
  • Get the list of main key players and emerging start-ups of this industry

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Objectives & Scope of the report

Executive Summary

Introduction & Background

• CCD versus CMOS sensors

Market forecasts & Supply Chain

• 2010 - 2017 CMOS image sensors forecasts
  • Shipment forecasts (in Munits)
  • Revenue forecasts (in $M)
  • Wafer production forecasts (in wafer size eq.)
  • 200mm vs 300mm production
• Global CMOS image sensor
  • Manufacturing infrastructure
  • Supply chain & Value chain
  • 2011 market shares
  • In shipments (in Munits)
  • In revenue (in $M)
  • In wafers (in wafer size eq.)

Application Focus

• Mobile phone sensors
  • Applications, specifications, markets, players & supply chain
• Automotive sensors p 80
  • Applications, specifications, markets, players & supply chain
  • Night vision: Near Infrared vs Far Infrared cameras
• Security & Surveillance sensors p 91
  • Applications, specifications, markets & supply chain
• Medical sensors p 112
  • Applications, specifications, markets, players & supply chain
  • Endoscopy:
  • Cameras pills
  • disposable endoscopes
  • X-ray imaging:
  • Dental imaging: intraoral and 3D extraoral detectors
  • Medical detectors: CMOS X-ray Flat panel detectors & Single photon counting detectors
• Industrial machine vision sensors p 167
  • Applications, specifications, markets & supply chain

New & future technologies

• 3D imaging business emergence
  • Applications, specifications, players & supply chain
  • Time-of-flight imagng
  • Stereoscopic imaging
  • Plenoptic cameras
  • Structured light cameras
• Next generation of image sensors
  • Highly absorptive layer: panchromatic & quantom dot film
  • Computational imaging
  • Single Photon Counting
  • Principle, chalelnges and applications
  • Focus on Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes

Manufacturing focus

• CMOS Image sensor design innovations
  • Technology node reduction
  • Transistor-shared design
• Front-end manufacturing innovations
  • At FEOL level
  • At BEOL level
  • At color filter level
• CIS process flow
  • At FEOL level
  • Deep Trench isolation
  • High energy implantation
  • At BEOL level
  • Without cavity/lightpipe
  • With cavity/lightpipe
  • At color filter level
• CMOS image sensor testing processes
  • Players, supply chain & program flow
• BSI "Backside illumination" technology
• Motivations & applications for BSI sensors
• BSI technology penetration rate & market forecast
• Players & status of commercialization
• Future approach: 3D integrated image sensors
• Technologies for BSI manufacturing
• Status of The WLP / TSV packaging

Appendix

Status of the CMOS Image Sensors Industry published by Yole Developpement in October 30, 2012. This report price starts from US $ 5390.

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