In the first two articles, we got an overview of the MEMS industry as a whole. In this article, we will analyze in detail some of the most promising products in the downstream field of the MEMS industry.
The MEMS industry has grown up in the context of the continuous development of the integrated circuit industry, and traditional integrated circuits cannot continue to meet the changing needs of terminal applications. With the integration of microelectronics, micromechanics and other basic natural disciplines, a new type of chip based on integrated circuit technology and combined with bulk micromachining technology has been born. The expansion of the terminal application market such as automotive electronics and consumer electronics has made MEMS applications more and more extensive, and the industrial scale is expanding day by day, becoming a new branch of the integrated circuit industry.
From the perspective of industrial structure, China's MEMS industrial structure is basically similar to the global overall MEMS downstream applications. According to the statistics of CCID Consulting, RF accounted for the largest share of China's MEMS market in 2020, reaching 25.4%, followed by pressure, inertia, infrared and microphone.
Figure: China's MEMS product structure in 2020
RF MEMS: Filters are one of the most important of these devices
RF MEMS refers to radio frequency products manufactured using microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology, which has important applications in signal processing in RF and microwave frequency circuits. RF MEMS technology can be highly integrated with monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), which is expected to enable the production of system-integrated chips (SoCs) with the advantages of small size, light weight, and high reliability.
RF MEMS has a wide range of applications: personal communication, vehicle-mounted, airborne, shipborne, information-based combat command, battlefield communication, miniaturized satellite communication system, phased array radar, etc.
Figure: Main applications in the field of RF MEMS
RF MEMS devices are mainly divided into two categories: passive MEMS and active MEMS. The structure of passive MEMS has no moving parts, while active MEMS contains a moving structure that deforms or moves under the action of electrical stress. Key processing technologies include planar processing technology, bulk silicon corrosion technology, solid-phase bonding technology and LIGA technology. The filter is one of the most important and most used devices for building RF microwave subsystems, and it is also the most widely studied and mature device.
According to Yole's statistics, the global market space for RF MEMS device filters will reach $2.9 billion by 2021. Almost all of these markets are monopolized by United States manufacturers. Broadcom accounted for 45% of the $2.9 billion in 2021, Qorvo accounted for 29% of the $2.9 billion in 2021, Qualcomm accounted for 13%, Skyworks accounted for 9%, and Sun Yuden accounted for 2%.
Figure: Market share of key players in RF MEMS
RF MEMS filters are an important part of RF front-end modules, and with the development of 5G communications, the Internet of Things and electric smart vehicles have ushered in new opportunities for the RF device industry. RF front-end modules include filters, duplexers, power amplifiers, antenna switches, and low-noise amplifiers, among which filters are the largest sub-industry in the RF field, and their market size and value share have increased significantly.
Figure: Filter Market Statistics and Forecast by Technology Route (2018-2028)
According to Yole data, the output value of RF front-end will reach $35 billion by 2023, of which the market size of RF filters will reach $22.5 billion. Resonant predicts that by 2025, the RF front-end market will reach $40 billion and the filter market will reach $28 billion. Due to the monopoly of foreign manufacturers in the field of RF filters, domestic substitution has become an inevitable trend. Especially in the 5G era, the demand for RF front-end modules has increased significantly, and domestic substitution can not only reduce costs, but also improve the stability of the supply chain.
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