紅外LED和激光器兩種光源市場並非“新鮮”，但它們隨著固態照明（SSL）近期的發展而迅速成長壯大。起初，紅外光源主要應用於光通信領域；進入20世紀80年代，紅外LED開始被整合到各種消費類應用中，如遙控器；然後，紅外光源市場受夜視應用驅動，如安防監控攝像機；近期，隨著智能手機的發展，紅外LED和激光器又煥發新的生機，預計紅外光源市場將迎來10年的增長！
如今，紅外光源技術是智能手機應用變革的重要組成部分。 3D成像、自動對焦、虹膜識別、人臉識別等突破性功能正在被整合進手機中，從而拉動“小型且複雜的紅外光源”市場的增長。
該趨勢還將為紅外激光器（主要是VCSEL）創造巨大的市場機遇。相比紅外LED，VCSEL能夠提供高頻的調製、更快的響應速度、高質量的光束，以及具有高指向性、低功耗、易於集成等優點。
基於上述驅動因素，我們預計紅外光源市場將從2016年4.5億美元增長至2022年的15.5億美元，複合年增長率高達22.7%。
此外，還有其它幾個新應用的出現，將促進紅外光源市場未來十年的繁榮。這些應用包括氣體傳感器、激光雷達（LiDAR）、駕駛員監控系統和遠程患者監護傳感器。
我們預計第二波新應用將推動紅外光源市場在2027年達到38億美元。
VCSEL技術將在未來幾年成為產業中心
在“令人沮喪”的可見光LED產業中，製造商們正在尋找新的商業機遇來增加其收入和利潤。在該情況下，紅外LED市場被認為是一個潛在的新興“藍海”市場，為可見光LED廠商帶來了具有吸引力的商機。過去，只有少數廠商涉足紅外LED業務，但是截至2017年第一季度，廠商數量已激增至40多家。歐司朗（Osram）和威世（Vishay）仍然處於領先地位，但是也有一些廠商，如Everlight和Epistar，也獲得了可觀的投資收益。
雖然紅外LED是重要的，但VCSEL技術卻是真正的熱門話題。紅外LED在2016年佔據紅外光源65%的市場份額，不過在2022年，這一數據將可能下降至45%。
隨著3D成像和自動對焦等應用在智能手機和汽車中的發展，VCSEL市場將實現強勁增長。
這種新技術使得一些新的感測方法“夢想成真”，如飛行時間（ToF）。因此，VCSEL將成為紅外光源產業關注的焦點。一些LED廠商可能會通過紅外LED和激光器來最大限度地提升營收。
紅外LED和激光器的市場機遇也取決於能否克服當前的一些局限，朝著“更長的波長、更高的性能、多光譜功能以及更低的成本”方向發展。通常，大多數紅外LED波長處於850納米或940納米範圍，為了實現一些新的應用，如氣體傳感器或便攜式/集成式光譜系統，更長的波長是必須的。
近些年來，光子器件、光子傳感器和模塊，以及採用紅外光源的光子系統越來越多地受到消費類、汽車和醫療領域的關注。
然而，光子與電子在封裝和集成方面有很大不同，並面臨著自己的技術挑戰。
目前，全球還沒有形成“結構化（structured）”的光子供應鍊或產業，相關廠商開始採用不同的策略，以“追逐”這個高潛力市場的最大價值。應該會有更智能的器件嗎？更小的器件嗎？是的，這將很快催生數十億美元的產業。
而且，根據當前的定位和新市場的吸引力，每家廠商可能採用不同的策略來涉足該產業。例如，艾邁斯（ams）通過收購Heptagon和Princeton Optronics來實現產業垂直整合。
意法半導體（STMicroelectronics）的單光子雪崩二極管（SPAD）成像傳感器很可能應用於iPhone 8。
3D imaging, gas sensing and autofocus will fuel the IR light source market to reach US$3.8B in 2027.
INFRA-RED LIGHT SOURCES: A $1.5B OPPORTUNITY IN 2022 – AND POTENTIALLY $3.8B IN 2027 – DRIVEN BY SEVERAL NEW APPLICATIONS
The market for LED and laser infra-red (IR) light sources is not new, but has evolved rapidly with the recent development of Solid State Lighting (SSL). Initially developed for optical communication applications, these technologies, mostly IR LEDs, started to be integrated into consumer applications like remote controls in the 1980s. Next, the market was driven forward by night vision applications such as surveillance cameras. But it’s only recently, with the development of smartphones, that IR LEDs and lasers have come back to prominence. And now, the market is set for growth for the next 10 years!
Today, these technologies are part of a new revolution, still driven by smartphone applications. Integration of breakthrough functionalities such as 3D imaging, autofocus, iris and face recognition is triggering a strong market pull for efficient, miniaturized and complex IR illumination. This trend will also create strong market opportunities for IR lasers, mostly VCSELs, which allow more coherent and directional light than IR LEDs. In this context, we expect the IR light source market to grow from around $450M in 2016 to around $1,550M in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate of 22.7%.
In addition, there are also several other applications that are emerging and for which a market boom is likely to happen in the next 10 years. These include gas sensors, LIDARs, driver monitoring systems and remote patient monitoring sensors. We expect this second wave of new applications to propel the IR light source market to around $3,800M in 2027.
This report provides an in-depth analysis of all IR light source applications, including: basic principles, technology, trends, key players, and market size. It highlights the global landscape for IR light sources, including classification of applications by wavelength, market segment and function. Detailed market forecasts are given based on these classifications and with complementary analysis by light source for LEDs, edge-emitting lasers and VCSELs. Please note that optical communication applications are not analyzed in this report.
VCSEL TECHNOLOGY WILL BE AT THE HEART OF THE INDUSTRY IN COMING YEARS
In a depressed visible LED industry, manufacturers are looking at new opportunities to increase their revenues and margins. In this context, the IR LED market is perceived as a potential new ‘blue ocean’ with attractive opportunities for those players. In the past, only a handful of companies were involved in IR LEDs but, as of Q1 2017, there are more than 40 manufacturers. Osram and Vishay still lead the field but some players, like Everlight or Epistar, have made large investments to benefit from this opportunity.
While LEDs are important, VCSEL technology is the really hot topic. IR LEDs represented around 65% of the IR light source market in 2016, but this figure is likely to decrease to 45% in 2022. Development of 3D cameras and autofocus applications, associated with the sensor fusion trend in smartphones and automotive, will strongly drive growth of the IR VCSEL market in the future. The main advantage of this emerging technology is that it represents a good compromise between traditional laser diodes, providing coherent and directional light, and IR LEDs, offering lower manufacturing cost and ease of integration. Additionally, IR VCSELs allow new sensing approaches, such as Time of Flight (ToF). In this context, the IR VCSEL industry will be at the center of the attention and should experience strong growth in coming years. It is also likely that some players will work on both IR LEDs and lasers to maximize their revenues.
Opportunities for both technologies will also be dependent on developments to overcome current limitations, towards longer wavelengths, higher performance, multi-spectral functionality and lower cost. Typically, most current IR LEDs are in the 850nm or 940nm range. To enable emerging applications such as gas sensors or portable/integrated spectroscopy systems, longer wavelengths will be mandatory.
Last but not least, integration of these light sources into sensors and modules will also be part of the challenge to be handled by the photonics industry.
This report presents an analysis of IR LEDs and VCSELs, including a map of manufacturers, insights on manufacturing processes and technology, current limitations and challenges. It also describes IR system roadmaps in key markets segment such as smartphones and automotive.
EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING IN PHOTONICS PACKAGING: WE ARE AT THE EVE OF AN INDUSTRIAL RESTRUCTURING
For a few years there has been an increasing interest in photonic devices, sensors and modules including systems with IR illumination in a wide range of applications such as consumer, automotive and medical. However, photonics is radically different from electronics when it comes to packaging and integration, and has its own challenges.
Today, there is no “structured” photonic supply chain or industry, and different strategies are starting to emerge to catch the maximum value of this high potential market. Should there be smarter devices? Smaller devices? This will soon be a multi-billion dollar industry. And, depending on current positioning and attraction toward this emerging market, each player may have different strategies to capitalise on it. For example, ams, through the acquisition of Heptagon and Princeton Optronics, is now fully vertically integrated. Recent rumors that STMicroelectronics’s single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) imager is likely to be linked to the iPhone 8 highlights that the company is enforcing its position of heterogeneous integrator as no clear standard approach or technology has emerged yet. Some players like the optics supplier Largan are betting on specialization.
Who will develop the right strategy? It’s too early to know. However, what is sure is that the industry is evolving. And those who don’t adapt accordingly might not be around to enjoy its lucrative-looking future.
This report analyzes integration of IR light sources into sensors and modules, detailing technology and industry trends based on case studies.
Source:YOLE
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