Indium Phosphide Wafer Market Size, Share, Opportunities, And Trends By Size (2 Inch, 3 Inch, 4 Inches And Above), By Application (Consumer Electronics, Medical, Communications, Others), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2023 To 2028

Indium Phosphide Wafer Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15.85% to reach US$325.119 million in 2028 from US$116.08 million in 2021.

Market Overview:

Indium phosphide (InP) wafer is a phosphorus and indium semiconductor material. It has a faster electron velocity than most other prominent semiconductors, including silicon. Because of its high electron velocity, it is the most useful compound for optoelectronic applications such as fast transistors and resonance tunneling diodes. Indium oxide wafers are most commonly used in high-frequency and high-power electrical devices. Indium phosphide wafers are being used more frequently in the production of LiDAR for the automotive industry, 3D sensing, consumer wearables, and the expansion of datacom in the telecommunications industry. During the projection period, this is anticipated to drive the market.

Use of indium phosphide in the communication sector

Indium phosphide is widely utilized in photonic integrated circuits and high-speed fiber-optic communication because of its capacity to emit and detect light at wavelengths greater than 1000 nm. Optoelectronics makes use of it. Significant factors driving the market growth include miniaturization, the growing need for wireless communication, and adding optoelectronic components including LEDs, lasers, and solar cells. The market for InP wafers is also growing because of the desire for fast data transmission and storage devices. For instance, The first open silicon photonics platform with integrated lasers was unveiled by OpenLight in June 2022. OpenLight is a newly established, independent company that was founded with investments from Synopsys and Juniper. The startup, situated in California, aims to give chip makers a way to make photonic integrated circuits (PICs) that deliver the best performance. Applications will operate at low power and span the datacom, telecom, and LiDAR markets, to mention a few. It enables chipmakers to achieve scalability, cost advantages, power benefits, and a level of dependability that was previously not possible with conventional silicon photonic technologies by processing indium phosphide directly onto the silicon photonics wafer.

Growing need for 3D sensing capabilities in consumer electronics

InP solutions appear to be appealing to the consumer industry in addition to the telecom and datacom markets. Smartphone sensing is the first submarket to be mentioned. 3D sensing is finding new uses in the consumer electronics sectors. For new applications and functionality, smaller form factor devices must have more power and efficiency. For instance, To improve the utilization of the metaverse, materials company II-VI has partnered with Artilux in Taiwan to create a next-generation 3D camera with a significantly longer range and higher image resolution in July 2022. For a small 3D camera that operates in the short-wavelength infrared (SWIR), II-VI paired its patented innovations in indium phosphide (InP) semiconductor lasers with a sensor array from Artilux, yielding noticeably better performance than current cameras. The compact SWIR 3D camera is small enough to fit into next-generation consumer gadgets. The SWIR camera demonstration also shows the future of 3D sensing in the metaverse.

The 6-inch wafer segment is expected to increase during the forecasted period.

Higher-performance InP wafers are increasingly required by automotive, consumer, and industrial clients to promote improved functionality and adoption of LiDAR and 3D sensing-enabled devices. New products make use of the well-established high-volume, 6-inch wafer supply. For instance, Lumentum Holdings Inc., a leading manufacturer of VCSEL arrays for 3D sensing and LiDAR applications, announced new five- and six-junction VCSEL arrays for advanced consumer, automotive, and other 3D sensing applications that are high-power and high-efficient. Their most recent multi-junction VCSEL arrays build on their long history of developing new optical solutions in close collaboration with customers. These include 1550 nm narrow-linewidth DBR diode lasers for long-range frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) coherent LiDAR, high-performance Gallium Arsenide and Indium Phosphide edge-emitting laser chips for 3D sensing, and VCSEL systems for vehicle in-cabin monitoring. These new products make use of the well-established high-volume 6-inch wafer supply.

Key Development

• July 2021: A new €13 million loan will help the indium phosphide (InP) wafer foundry Smart Photonics expand up production of more complicated photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chips. It coincides with the company's most recent release of its process design kit (PDK). To fit more lasers, amplifiers, and passive components into a single PIC, the "Gen2" PDK is reported to have superior electrical isolation between the components on the chip.

The Asia Pacific region is estimated to have the fastest rate of growth.

A significant portion of semiconductor foundries is located in the Asia Pacific region, which is home to well-known firms like TSMC, Samsung Electronics, etc. China holds sizable market shares in the area. According to the US Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), between 1990 and 2020, the US's portion of the world's installed wafer fab capacity decreased steadily. Asia experienced a rapid surge in the development of new fabs throughout this time, to the point that it currently makes up a sizeable portion of the global capacity. China has big plans for the semiconductor industry. With funding of USD 150 billion, the China government is growing its domestic IC industry and intends to produce more of its chips. Greater China is a geopolitical flashpoint that includes Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong. The US-China trade war is aggravating tensions in an area where all the leading process technology is situated, compelling many Chinese companies to invest in their semiconductor foundries. These incidents will help boost the Indium Phosphide wafer market.

Indium Phosphide Wafer Market Scope:

Segmentation:

• By Size
  • 2 inch
  • 3 inch
  • 4 inches and above
• By Application
  • Consumer Electronics
  • Medical
  • Communications
  • Others
• By Geography
  • North America
    • USA
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • UK
    • Germany
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Others
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • UAE
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • India
    • South Korea
    • Australia
    • Others