The III-Vs Leap market year

摘要

Following on from the previous issue's retrospective, it is time to look ahead at what the New Year might bring for the compounds sector. The many bright prospects for III-Vs include data storage and processing, sensing and direct energy applications. Perhaps the best prospect, however, in terms of sheer market size is going to be LED-based illumination. Recent market indicators are more positive than for some a while. Much of this was predictable, given the increase in manufacturing preceding Christmas. Consumer electronics markets are fairly buoyant thanks to sales of DVDs and digital cameras, as well as feature-enhanced mobile phones. Some observers are already warning that 'shortages and allocation' are imminent. Later in 2004 they could become serious. Meeting the recent upsurge in manufacturing has already put supply of some key parts under strain. In the news lately have been shortages of flash memory, thanks to handset demand.The last thing the industry needs is a switch from overcapacity to shortages, but thanks to under-investment in the lean times this seems inevitable.