The semiconductor industry is notoriously production oriented and what is seldom discussed is whether there will be any real demand from the top of the value chain to justify the electronics industry's investment in nanotechnology. After all, the demand driver behind Moore's Law in the past was that millions of users were waiting for a chip that could run their favorite software at a faster speed than the current generation chip. Today, nobody is waiting for the next generation of Pentiums to run their Windows OS faster. Similarly, most mobile phones, consumer electronics, and home appliances use embedded electronics devices that are well within the capability of standard microelectronics.

As the chipmakers push manufacturing below the 95-nm node they are finding that conventional CMOS chip-making techniques are running out of steam. Specifically, the devices that the semiconductor industry believes it will be building in a couple of years are too small to be built using standard lithography techniques. Since, for more than 30 years, the economics of the semiconductor industry have been centered around Moore's Law -- the idea that the number of transistors on a chip will double every 18 months -- this has sent research teams and commercial firms scurrying to find better ways of making nanodevices. This report discusses the commercial potential of the lithographic, direct-write and self-assembly techniques designed with nanotechnology in mind that will help with these problems.

Taking a demand-side analysis as a starting point, this report digs down to what requirements nanoelectronics devices will have to meet over the next few years. The report will include forecasts of revenues generated by the nanoelectronics business broken out by component function (processor, logic, etc.) and by materials platform. As with all NanoMarkets reports, this report will also discuss the activities of both public companies and start-ups active in this space.

This report identifies the present and future opportunities for semiconductor, materials and manufacturing equipment companies targeting the budding nanoelectronics industry. Through a thorough understanding of real world applications in all areas of electronics, the report evaluates the viability of competing technology "approaches" for nanoelectronics. It also pinpoints and quantifies current and future market potential including the contribution that nanotechnology will make to the future scaling of CMOS, as well as to interconnects and thermal management technology. Finally, it analyzes and comments on the efforts of both established and start-up companies in the nanoelectronics field and determines time frames for the evolution of nanoelectronics.

• Executive Summary
  • E.1 Summary of Strategies and Opportunities In Nanoelectronics
  • E.2 Summary of Activities in Nanoelectronics by Commercial Firms
  • E.3 Summary of Eight-Year Forecasts of Nanoelectronics Markets
• Chapter One: Introduction
  • 1.0 Background to Report
  • 2.0 Objectives of this Report
  • 3.0 Scope of this Report
  • 4.0 Methodology of this Report
• Chapter Two: Platforms and Materials
  • 2.1 Traditional ICs / CMOS - Architecture and Materials
  • 2.2 Heat Management
  • 2.3 Production Processes and Metrology for Micro /Nanoelectronics
    • The Limits of Photolithography
    • Next Generation Techniques - Overview
    • Nanoimprint Lithography
    • Dip-Pen Nanolithography
    • Self Assembly
    • Other Lithographic Techniques
  • 2.4 Nanotubes
  • 2.5 Nanowires
  • 2.6 Molectronics
  • 2.7 Plastic /Organic Electronics
  • 2.8 Quantum Dots
• Chapter Three: Commercial Nanoelectronic Devices
  • 3.1 Logic and Processing
    • Nanotubes
    • Nanowires
    • Molectronics
    • Spintronics
    • Single-Electron Transistors (SETs)
    • Quantum Cellular Automata (QCA)
    • Quantum Computing
    • Alternative Architectures
  • 3.2 Memory
    • Magnetic Drives and Tapes
    • Optical Disk (DVD, CD)
    • Holographic media
    • Magnetic RAM (MRAM)
    • Charge-Driven Phase-change /Ovonic
    • Molecular Charge-Based
    • Other Molecular
    • Nanotube RAM (NRAM - Nantero)
    • Scanning probe (MEMS) systems
    • MEMS Cantilever Switch
    • Ferroelectric RAM (FRAM, FeRAM)
    • Polymer
  • 3.3 Packaging
  • 3.4 Interconnects
  • 3.5 Sensors
  • 3.6 Displays
• Chapter Four: Why Nanoelectronics The Customer Perspective
  • 4.1 Introduction
  • 4.2 Mobile Computing
  • 4.3 Home Computing and Consumer Electronics
  • 4.4 Enterprise Computing and Telecommunications
  • 4.5 Cell Phones, GPS and Other Hand-Held Communications Devices
  • 4.6 Portable Recording and Display/Playback Devices
  • 4.7 Control Systems and Embedded Computing
  • 4.8 Sensors, Smart Cards, RFID and other Disposable Products
  • 4.9 Military and Homeland Security
• Chapter Five: Eight-Year Projections of Expenditures on Nanoelectronics Devices
  • 5.1 A Justification for Forecasting
  • 5.2 Forecasting Methodology
    • Addressable Markets
  • 5.3 Forecasts of Nanoelectronics Devices by Technology Platform
    • Nanotubes
    • Nanowires
    • Molectronics
    • Plastic/Organic Electronics
    • Other
  • 5.4 Forecasts of Nanoelectronics by Technology Platform
    • Nanotubes
    • Nanowires
    • Molectronics
    • Plastic/Organic Electronics
    • Other
  • 5.5 Forecasts of Nanoelectronics by Type of Device/Subsystem
    • Logic/Processing
    • Memory/Storage
    • Interconnects
    • Thermal Management
    • Displays
  • 5.6 Forecasts of Nanoelectronics by End-User Market
    • Mobile Computing
    • Home Computing and Consumer Electronics
    • Enterprise Computing and Telecommunications
    • Cell Phones, GPS and Other Hand-Held Communications Devices
    • Portable Recording and Display/Playback Devices
    • Control Systems and Embedded Computing
    • Sensors, Smart Cards, RFID and other Disposable Products
    • Military and Homeland Security