Growth rate is still high, but the market shows early signs of maturity
Many “WLP” technologies are now cruising at a very high altitude. This is serious business: over 23 billion units packaged with ‘fan-in’ as we may call it are expected to sell and be mounted in smartphones, tablet PCs or other mobile devices in 2011. For size reduction, together with low cost, remains the main driver for adoption of this technology. If ‘fan-in’ WLCSP already reached high penetration rates in mobile applications for connectivity (Bluetooth+WLAN+FM combos, GPS) and analog integrated circuits (DC/DC converters, LDO's, ESD/EMI protection devices), it is still growing fast for some other IC types as well as in MEMS and sensors. We are not at a time to claim that “Wafer Level Packaging” is taking off any longer.
Reaching over 2 million 300mm equivalent ‘fan-in’ WLCSP wafers in 2011 for a total market size of b$1.7
Of course, one may argue that these are tiny devices. Well, if this is true for many of them, it appears that the average size of a ‘fan-in’ WLCSP device tended to increase over the past 2 years, with many “connectivity” devices reaching sizes of more than 30mm2. We estimate that in 2011, more than 2.3 million 300mm equivalent ‘fan-in’ WLCSP wafers will be processed for the first time. All steps compounded (wafer level, die level and test), we estimate that the 2011 market value of ‘fan-in’ WLCSP is close to B$ 1.7.
Prices keep on decreasing, but the market growth rate is expected to stay high at 12% over the 2010-2016 time period
Although costs and prices still decrease as the technology and its market mature, the market value growth rate for the 2010-2016 timeframe is still expected around 12%, 4 points higher than semiconductor packaging in general. However, this is lower than the 22% 2008-2013 growth rate we had computed for the same market 2 years ago. Costs kept on decreasing thanks to the end of the capacity shortage on 12-inch diameter wafers and thanks to standardizing technologies with simplified process flows. And despite technologies improved to the point that the maximum possible die size could be extended, it's not all clear skies for ‘fan-in’ WLCSP. With the continuous fallout of Nokia on the handsets market, this is WLCSP's historical biggest supporter which loses influence, and some tier two handset manufacturers still seem reluctant to broadly adopt the technology.
Changing paradigms: future growth will be driven by different devices, based on different technologies
Looming over the horizon is the threat of the CMOS 28nm node technology with such a high IO density that some package with a “fan-out area” will be needed anyhow. Hopefully, A significant part of the ‘fan-in’ WLCSP market still relies on the analogue ICs on the one hand, using older technologies, and on MEMS and sensors (particularly CMOS image sensors) on the other hand. This latter device type is expected to be a high potential growth application for fan-in WLCSP in the coming 5 years: we expect a tremendous growth of up to 25% for MEMS and sensors with a WLCSP finishing over the next 5 years. All in all, ‘fan-in’ WLCSP shows the first early signs of a maturing market. It still grows faster than the average semiconductor packaging market mainly thanks to the fast growth rates of smartphones and tablet PCs in which WLCSP considerably helps save space and reduce costs.
High margins are attracting new player types with diverse business models
The supply chain is still primarily led by OSATs and IDMs, But the original “Wafer bumping houses” and “wafer packaging houses” take a significant share of the market too. All the major OSATs invested in 300mm WLCSP capacity over the past 2 years. TSMC recently claimed their will to step in this market too, possibly opening the way to other foundries.
In this WLCSP 2011 report, you will find detailed technical and market status and forecasts on WLCSP technologies and applications. Market forecasts and growth rates are provided based on device units and wafers for each market segment over the 2010-2016 timeframe. Market value forecasts in dollars are given over the same period of time. Based on our “bottom-up” analysis of the WLP fabs, the report displays the list and ranking of the WLCSP front-end (RDL, UBM and balling) players as of end of 2010, including the detailed respective wafer production capacities by player and wafer type.
Our unique “bottom-up meets top-down analysis” cross checks our forecasting models application by application, and player by player, delivering a high definition picture of the status of the ‘fan-in’ WLCSP market, with, for example, the level of loading of the major WLCSP fabs by application and by IC design company.
Numerous application examples are given, recent technical developments on materials, architectures and test are detailed, and industry-wide technology roadmaps are presented. In addition, the report provides for the analysis of the supply chain and a detailed cost analysis section with models and examples.
BENEFITS
Key features of the report
Who should buy this report?
Companies cited in the report
Accretech, advantest, agilent technologies, Alphaprobes, Amkor, AMS, Anadigics, Analog Devices, AnalogicTech, Apple, Applied Materials, Asahi Kasei (AKM), ASE, Audience, Avago Technologies, Bosch, Broadcom, Cascade Microtech, Casio Micronics, China WLCSP, Cirrus Logic, CSR, Cypress, Delphi, Dialog Semiconductors, Discera, DNP, Dow, Dupont, electroglas, Ellipsiz, EPWorks, Fairchild, FCI, Form factor, Fraunhofer IZM, Freescale, Fujikura, Fujitsu, Google, Hamamatsu, Hynix, ICI, Idex, IDT, IDT, IME, imec, Infineon, International Rectifier, Intersil, Invensense, JCAP, JEM, JSR Micro, LAM Research, LB Semicon, Lenovo, LETI, Linear Technology, LTX/Credence, Marvell, Maxim, Maxlinear, Microchip, Micron, Micronics, Mitsubishi Chemical, Mosart, Motorola, Murata, National Semiconductors, Nemotek, Nepes, Nexx, Nippon Steel, Materials, Nokia, NXP, OKI, Okmetic, Omnivision, On semiconductor, Optopac, PacTech, Panasonic, Panasonic, PowerTech (PTI), Qualcomm, Renesas, Rhom, RIM (Blackberry), Samsung, Sanyo, Sensonor, Sharp, Shibasoku, Shin-Etsu, Shinko, Silecs, Silex, Siltech, SiTime, SMSC, Sony, SPIL, SPTS, StatsChipPac, STEricsson, STMicroelectronics, Sumitomo, Suss Microtec, TDK-Epcos, technoprobe, TEL, Teledyne/Dalsa, teradyne, TeraMikros, TeraProbe, Texas Instruments, Toray, Toshiba Semiconductors, Tronics, TSMC, UMC, Unisem, verigy, Visera, VTI, Wentworth laboratories, Wolfson Microelectronics, Xintec, Yamaha, Yokogawa.
Complete Table of Contents and more details on the report 'WLCSP Market & Industrial Trends' @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/137602-wlcsp-market-industrial-trends.html
