Dielectrics and Substrates in Semiconductors: Technologies and Global Markets

Report Highlights

• Overall sales in the global market for dielectrics and substrates were nearly $14.5 billion in 2008 which decreased slightly to $13.5 billion in 2009. But by 2014, it is projected to increase to $18.3 billion, for a 5-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2%.
• The largest segment substrates market was nearly $13 billion in 2008; this further decreased to $12 billion in 2009, this projected to reach $16 billion in 2014, for a 5-year CAGR of 5.9%.
• Sales in the dielectrics market amounted to $1.5 billion in 2008 which decreased to $1.4 billion in 2009. This is projected to increase to $2.2 billion in 2014, for a 5-year CAGR of 8.5%.  

INTRODUCTION 

• Forecasting the market size for overall semiconductor dielectrics
• Forecasting the market size for overall semiconductor substrates
• Breaking down the overall semiconductor dielectrics market on the basis of materials employed: silicon dioxide, low-k, and high-k
• Breaking down the overall semiconductor substrates market on the basis of materials employed: silicon, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, indium phosphide, sapphire, silicon carbide, and germanium
• Breaking down the individual dielectric material type market along end-user applications and geographical regions
• Breaking down the individual substrate material type market along end-user applications and geographical regions
• Analyzing the historical benefits and impending challenges in the usage of silicon dioxide as a dielectric
• Analyzing the historical benefits and impending challenges in the usage of silica dioxide as a dielectric
• Enlisting the benefits, progress made, stakeholders involved and prospects associated with individual high-k and low-k dielectric materials
• Enlisting the benefits, progress made, stakeholders involved, and prospects associated with individual alternative substrate materials
• Discussing the methodologies involved in deposition of high-k and low-k dielectrics
• Discussing the historical domains associated with individual alternative substrate materials
• Analyzing the stakeholder value chain for dielectrics and substrates
• Analyzing the patenting activity involving high-k and low-k dielectrics as well as alternative substrates  

• The ever-increasing hunger for speed and bandwidth has now engulfed the wireless domain in addition to its traditional hold in the wireline domain. Frequency of operations is closely related to heat dissipated as every operational cycle results in release of energy because of state transition. The operational frequency supported by a particular medium is the function of the medium’s electron mobility. On the substrate front, the band gap parameters of silicon limit the electron mobility, making it unsuitable for high-frequency operations. 
• The scenario on the dielectric fronts is even trickier. Dielectrics are supposed to perform the function of providing capacitive coupling at semiconductor gates and providing insulation along interlayer interconnects. Miniaturization leading to compression in nodal distances has reduced the thickness of these dielectrics. This leads to leakage of electrons and loss of capacitive coupling and insulation. Industry experts have devised a two-pronged strategy of tackling this issue: Increase the capacitance at the gate level (high-k dielectric) and reduce it at the interlayer level (low-k dielectric). Naturally, a single material cannot exhibit dual characteristics; hence, the search is on for finding effective replacements for silicon dioxide on both these fronts. 
• It is not as if dielectrics and substrates can be altered in isolation. There is a very close coupling between these two elements. Dielectrics are grown on the substrate. Consequently, there has to be compatibility between them in order to ensure smooth interfaces, patterning of nanoscale features, and consistency in thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. Any change in dielectrics, therefore, will prompt a corresponding change in substrate and vice versa.

• Dielectric material suppliers, which are mainly chemical producers in assessing the size of the electronic device market for the various materials supplied by them 
• Substrate wafer suppliers for determining the future of mainstream silicon substrate wafer market as well as the market for alternative compound semiconductors as well as germanium 
• Semiconductor specialists in devising a comparative analysis of alternative materials and the state of the art in their synthesis into the mainstream manufacturing processes 
• OEMs for evaluating their pros and cons of semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) based on mainstream and alternative material. 

• Mainstream dielectric: Silicon dioxide
• Alternative dielectric: High-k and Low-k
• Mainstream substrate: Silicon
• Alternative substrate: Gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, indium phosphide, silicon carbide, sapphire, germanium

• Value in millions of dollars
• Volume in kg million for dielectrics and million square inch (MSI) for substrates
• Market by end-application categories such as telecommunications, Computing, consumer electronics, industrial, scientific, and others
• Market by geographical regions such as the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and Asia Pacific (APAC)

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