Nanophotonics: Assessment of Technology and Market Opportunities

SUMMARY

The First Nanophotonics Opportunities Are Beginning to Take Shape

Whether one believes that nanotechnology is the great hype or the great hope, there is a large flow of money going into the field (with over $4 billion in government funding worldwide in 2004) and some products have been on the market for some time. The flurry of R&D activity and promotion is also leading to some opportunities in photonics, even as others are essentially science projects years or decades away from commercialization.

But, there is a dizzying and expanding array of overlapping and novel ideas. And, each opportunity tells a different story. Given the multidisciplinary nature of nanophotonics, commercial success will depend greatly on the marketing skills of prospective companies to match their skills with the opportunities.

Strategies Unlimiteds new report Nanophotonics: Assessment of Technology and Market Opportunities is the first review of this emerging field from a market perspective. The report organizes the activities going on in this field, closely examines some emerging opportunities, and presents forecasts of relevant markets.

• Organizes the technologies and puts their value in a larger, market perspective.
• Identifies trends in applications and forecasts for selected applications through 2014, including relevant units, prices, and revenues.
• Reviews activities by company and institution. Lists customers or other key players in promising applications and discusses the industry structure and what it takes to succeed.

Key Technologies and applications discussed in the report:

• Quantum dots and other nano particles
• Photonic crystals and integrated holography
• Microstructured fiber and fiber nanowires
• Microfluidic devices
• Nanophotonics in LEDs
• Photovoltaic cells
• Displays
• Photonics in nanolithography

Nanophotonics: Assessment of Technology and Market Opportunities is designed to help optical component and system vendors understand where nanophotonics applications and technologies are headed. Based on interviews and a deep understanding of networks and components, this report provides the first review of this market.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Key Findings

• 1.1. General nanotechnology findings
• 1.2. Nanotechnology timeline
• 1.3. Nanophotonic technologies and applications
• 1.4. The nanophotonic value chain
• 1.5. Nanophotonics market opportunities
• 1.6. Nanophotonics suppliers

2. The Emerging Field of Nanophotonics

• 2.1. Highlights
• 2.2. Nanotechnology: What it is, What it isnt
• 2.3. Nanotechnology timeline
• 2.4. Nanotechnology examples
• 2.5. The industry structure of nanotechnology
• 2.6. Defining nanophotonics
• 2.7. Three nanophotonics supply chains
• 2.8. The cash flow "Valley of Death"
• 2.9. R&D funding and distribution
• 2.10. Partnering in nanotechnology
• 2.11. National and state nanotechnology programs
• 2.12. Nano-Valley or not?
• 2.13. Key academic nanophotonics programs

3. Colloidal Nanoparticles

• 3.1. Highlights
• 3.2. Nanoparticles
• 3.3. Quantum dot nanocrystals
• 3.4. Metallic nanorods and nanoshells
• 3.5. Amplifying fluorophores
• 3.6. Photonic nanoparticle applications
• 3.7. Forecast for photonic nanoparticles
• 3.8. Suppliers of colloidal nanoparticles

4. Wafer-based Nanostructures

• 4.1. Highlights
• 4.2. Nanoparticles and quantum dots
• 4.3. Wafer-based nanowires
• 4.4. III-V quantum dot lasers
• 4.5. Erbium-doped silica nanoparticles
• 4.6. Nanoparticles for silicon emitters
  • 4.6.1. Silicon nanocrystals in erbium-doped silica
  • 4.6.2. Direct-gap silicon by dislocation engineering
  • 4.6.3. Surface state switching
  • 4.6.4. Raman emission
  • 4.6.5. Monolithic integration
  • 4.6.6. Hybrid integration
  • 4.6.7. Other approaches to silicon-based emission
• 4.7. Quantum dot lasers
• 4.8. QDIPs and focal plane arrays
• 4.9. On-chip and chip-to-chip interconnects
• 4.10. Optocouplers
• 4.11. Other applications
• 4.12. Companies associated with wafer-based nanostructures

5. Holography and Photonic Crystals

• 5.1. Highlights
• 5.2. Devices that defy simple labels
• 5.3. Photonic crystals in nature
• 5.4. Photonic crystal and holographic timeline
• 5.5. Types of photonic crystals
• 5.6. Photonic and electronic bandgaps
• 5.7. Surface plasmon guides
• 5.8. Photonic wires
• 5.9. Integrated holographics
• 5.10. Design and manufacturing issues
• 5.11. Applications
  • 5.11.1. LEDs, lasers, and other efficient emitters
  • 5.11.2. Passive optical elements
  • 5.11.3. Microfluidic and other sensors
  • 5.11.4. Other applications
• 5.12. Forecasts for key applications
• 5.13. Suppliers of planar photonics crystals
• 5.14. Key university and institute R&D

6. Microstructured Fiber and Nanowireds

• 6.1. Highlights
• 6.2. Terminology
• 6.3. Timeline
• 6.4. Fiber nanowires and step-index fibers
• 6.5. Effective index guided holey fibers
• 6.6. Photonic bandgap and Bragg fibers
• 6.7. Comparison of holey and nanofibers
• 6.8. Applications of microstructured fibers
  • 6.8.1. Summary of applications
  • 6.8.2. Optical power delivery
  • 6.8.3. Sensors and switches
  • 6.8.4. Large area and low-nonlinearity doped fiber
  • 6.8.5. High-nonlinearity and supercontinuum sources
  • 6.8.6. Dispersion tailoring
  • 6.8.7. Polarization maintaining fiber
  • 6.8.8. Double clad fiber
  • 6.8.9. Requirements for communications
  • 6.8.10. Other applications
• 6.9. The market for nano- and microfibers
• 6.10. Suppliers of microstructured fibers
• 6.11. Leading specialty fiber suppliers

7. Nanofluidic and other sensors

• 7.1. Highlights
• 7.2. The paradox of sensors
• 7.3. Photonic sensors
• 7.4. Key terminology
• 7.5. Fluorescence microscopy
• 7.6. The biophotonics equipment market
• 7.7. Vendors of fluorometry equipment
• 7.8. Advantages of nanofluidic sensors
• 7.9. The paradox of nanofluidic sensors
• 7.10.The nanofluidics device market
• 7.11. Some types of nanofluidic sensors
• 7.12.Companies associated with nanofluidic sensors
• 7.13.Biophotonics university and institute programs

8. Nanophotonics in LEDs

• 8.1. Quantum dots in LEDs
• 8.2. Photonic crystals in LEDs
• 8.3. Forecast of LEDs using nanophotonics
• 8.4. Customers of LEDs
• 8.5. Suppliers of LEDs

9. Photovoltaic Applications

• 9.1. Highlights
• 9.2. The solar cell industry
• 9.3. How to compete in solar cells
  • 9.3.1. Conversion efficiency
  • 9.3.2. Reliability
  • 9.3.3. Price
  • 9.3.4. Volume production
• 9.4. Existing solar cell technologies
• 9.5. Emerging solar cell technologies
  • 9.5.1. Graetzel cell
  • 9.5.2. Silicon spheres
  • 9.5.3. Nanorods
  • 9.5.4. Organic cells with fullerenes
  • 9.5.5. Stacked cells with nanoclusters
  • 9.5.6. Compound semiconductors and quantum dots
  • 9.5.7. Organic heterojunctions
  • 9.5.8. Alternatives to solar cells
  • 9.5.9. Summary of alternative approaches
• 9.6. Solar cell market segments
• 9.7. Pricing history and forecasting
• 9.8. Solar cell forecast
• 9.9. Nanotechnology solar cell forecast
• 9.10.Established solar cell suppliers
• 9.11. Emerging solar cell suppliers

10. Displays

• 10.1 Highlights
• 10.2. Display technologies and suppliers
• 10.3. Carbon nanotubes and displays
• 10.4. Other emerging display technologies
• 10.5. Other nanotechnology in displays
• 10.6. Forecast of displays with nanotechnology
• 10.7. Suppliers of nanophotonic displays

11. Photonics in nanolithography

• 11.1. Highlights
• 11.2. Introduction
• 11.3. Nanolithography approaches
  • 11.3.1. Optical lithography
  • 11.3.2. Scanning near-field lithography
  • 11.3.3. Two-photon lithography and 3-prototyping
  • 11.3.4. Imprint lithography
  • 11.3.5. Electron beam lithography
  • 11.3.6. Dip-pen lithography and optical tweezers
  • 11.3.7. Plasmon printing and other methods
  • 11.3.8. Self-assembly and growth
• 11.4. Trends in VLSI lithography
• 11.5. Trends in VLSI inspection
• 11.6. The semiconductor roadmap
• 11.7. The Red Brick Wall
• 11.8. The lithographic tool market
• 11.9. Forecast for lasers in lithographic tools
• 11.10. Tool and laser system suppliers