Application diversified infrared sensor market business opportunities

The latest infrared sensor (IR detectors) technology and market trend reports published by market research institutes indicate that emerging applications such as intelligent building automation and mobile device temperature sensing will become new drivers for the growth of the infrared sensor market. Due to the popularity of infrared-activated automatic lighting devices and intrusion alarm systems, the infrared sensing market in 2012 exceeded US$153 million.

However, Yole Developpement anticipates that the growth of the large-scale market will be driven by the on-site infrared temperature measurement function of mobile phones. It is estimated that the compound growth rate of this type of application by 2018 will be 16% and the market size will be as high as US$380 million. The types of sensors that support this type of application include:

小型 Small-sized infrared sensors used in consumer mobile devices, such as mobile phones and tablet devices, have added internal and on-site temperature infrared single pixel sensing capabilities. If wafer-level packaging technology is used, they can be produced at lower cost and smaller size. Sensor

As the mobile phone and tablet have a large number of built-in infrared sensors, it is possible to increase the market size of US$30 million around 2018.

The medium-sized infrared array sensor (4x4~16x16 pixels) has successfully entered the air-conditioning, heating and ventilation systems of homes and automobiles; if the price of the product is expected to be closer to the people in the future, it is also promising for retail and home electrical applications.

The future market for large-scale infrared array sensors (32x32 pixels or more) is a multi-sensor device for smart homes. Although customers in this market can afford higher costs, the popularity of products still depends on price decline.

Yole Developpement's report on infrared sensor market revenue forecasts, in addition to infrared sensor applications and sales (marketed volumes) across different market segments, also provides market forecasts for 2013 to 2018; the agency points out that technology The continuous innovation is the key to the application of infrared sensors to high-end infrared array detectors. It has always been regarded as a low-cost, easy-to-manufacture infrared sensor and has been widely and widely used in construction, security, electrical appliances, and industrial applications. Motion sensing, temperature measurement, calculation and gas and fire detection...etc.

The initial infrared sensor is only a single-pixel pyroelectric sensor with basic motion detection. Recently, infrared sensors have gradually entered the complex and high-end markets, such as temperature measurement, gas, spectrum and fire detection, etc. . Yole Developpement pointed out that since 2000, since the array sensor entered the market, the infrared sensor has been successfully pushed to multiple high-end markets. Driven by Heimann Sensors, a number of companies stepped on the "technology-driven innovation" step to add pyroelectric (Pyroelectric) and thermopile (Thermopiles) technologies to the production of infrared sensing arrays.

Omron and Panasonic from the MEMS industry have extensive experience in MEMS complex processes and have promoted the thermopile technology as a leader in the production of infrared array sensors. However, in 2013, the ULIS challenged thermopiles, which spread across infrared sensors from the infrared imaging market, became mainstream. They introduced the first ultra-large infrared ray with a high-resolution Microbolometer and 100x100 pixels or less. Sensors are expected to divide the growing market of large infrared sensors. It is estimated that the leading FLIR from the uncooled infrared imaging market in 2014 will introduce market share of products using microbolometers on small infrared array sensors.

Due to the diversification of infrared sensing manufacturers, the competition pattern of infrared detectors is very complicated. It is necessary to clearly understand the technical background and positioning of each major manufacturer in order to understand the overall market opportunities and the challenges to be faced. Yole Developpement stated that the market for small infrared sensors has matured and it is going to be a price war. The sensors are still based on performance and quality, and there are still room for newcomers to join.

However, Yole Developpement also believes that the technical obstacles of the three major infrared sensing technologies—Pyroelectric, Thermopiles, and Microbolometer—are not easily surpassed through mergers and acquisitions. From the standpoint of the product, it is challenging to switch from a small infrared detector to a middle-to-large infrared array sensor, which requires sufficient patent and MEMS manufacturing capabilities. Therefore, most of the existing manufacturers do not directly attempt to migrate to large-sized infrared array sensors from small infrared sensors.