The global semiconductor laser market will rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1% from $4.8bn in 2013 to $7.7bn by 2020, forecasts a report 'Semiconductor Lasers Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014–2020' from Transparency Market Research.
With growth in its end-application markets, the market for semiconductor lasers is expected to grow significantly due to rising awareness of their advantages over conventional lasers, e.g. that they are small in size, require just milliwatts of power, and are more efficient (making them the optimum choice for the manufacturing of laser-based systems). Their compact size and low cost also makes them ideal for small electronic devices such as CD, DVDs and other optical data storage devices. In addition, improving global economic conditions and the financial position of industrial and commercial users are expected to spur demand for semiconductor lasers.
By type, the semiconductor laser market is segmented into fiber-optic lasers (FOL); vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL); compact disc lasers (CDL); high-power diode lasers (HPDL); red lasers; violet lasers; green lasers; and blue lasers.
Accounting for 44.4% of revenue in 2013, fiber-optic lasers are expected to maintain their dominance, as they are replacing light-emitting diodes due to their ability to carry multiple signals over single fiber with multiple wavelengths.
High-power diode lasers are expected to grow the fastest, at a CAGR of 8.6% over 2014–2020, driven primarily by the increasing use of semiconductor lasers in fiber-laser pumping (in order to meet demands for high power and high brightness with reduced manufacturing cost). Rising demand for high-power diode lasers used in material processing, defense, solid-state laser pumping and consumer electronics manufacturing is also expected to boost demand for high-power diode lasers (with particularly huge potential in industrial and material processing applications, it is reckoned).
Emerging technologies such as green, blue and violet lasers are expected to gain market share steadily through continuous development in output power and brightness. In particular, blue and green lasers are replacing red lasers in optical storage, consumer electronics manufacturing and printing applications.
Applications of semiconductor lasers include optical storage devices, lithography, healthcare, defense and R&D, sensors, displays, printing, communications and industrial machinery manufacturing.
Accounting for 32.2% of revenue (commonly used in transmission and amplifying devices), the largest application segment is communications (including optical fiber communications, telecoms, free-space communications, underwater communications and satellite communications).
By geographic region, the Asia-Pacific represents both the largest and fastest-growing semiconductor laser market (from 37.5% of revenue in 2013), driven primarily by the growing communications sector in major countries such as China, India, South Korea, Japan, and Australia. Europe and North America are expected to see steady growth throughout the period 2014–2020, due to improving economic conditions in the major countries of these regions.
