The global market for thin film technologies (including equipment, materials and services) is currently valued at more than $50 billion and continues to grow.  On-going miniaturization in the semiconductor industry also impacts other sectors.  As a result, there is a continuous effort to create components and products that are smaller, thinner, lighter and also, for certain applications, flexible.  In addition, new developments in nanotechnology are also contributing to advances in materials and fabrication methods for producing very thin films, that is, those films below 30 nanometers or those with a thickness measured in atoms.  

There are various types of thin film materials (e.g., metals, alloys, oxides, non-oxides, metalorganics and metal salts).  These materials can be deposited by a variety of physical or chemical methods, and they find application in the fabrication process of numerous devices within several industrial sectors (including electronics, optoelectronics, mechanical/chemical, energy, optical coatings, life science and decorative coatings).

This report determines the current market status for thin film materials, defines trends and presents forecasts of growth over the next five years. The thin film material industry is also analyzed on a worldwide basis from the standpoint of both manufacturing and consumption.  In addition, technological issues, including the latest process developments and events, are discussed.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

• The global market for thin film materials increased from $6.9 billion in 2009, to $8.4 billion in 2010, and to $9.3 billion in 2011. We project this market will reach $14.9 billion by 2016 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10%.
• The market for thin and ultrathin film materials within the optoelectronics sector reached $736 million in 2011. This sector is expected to grow to $1.5 billion by 2016, a CAGR of 15%.
• Sales of thin film materials for advanced displays are projected to increase at a 15.3% CAGR, from $674 million in 2011 to $1.3 billion by 2016 (or 92.6% of the total market).

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
    STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 1
    REASONS FOR DOING THIS STUDY 1
    INTENDED AUDIENCE 2
    SCOPE OF REPORT  3
    METHODOLOGY AND INFORMATION SOURCES4
    ANALYST CREDENTIALS  7
    DISCLAIMER 8

CHAPTER TWO: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 9
  SUMMARY TABLE GLOBAL MARKET FOR THIN FILM MATERIALS,
    THROUGH 2016 ($ MILLIONS)10
  SUMMARY FIGURE GLOBAL MARKET FOR THIN FILM
    MATERIALS, 2009­2016 ($ MILLIONS) 11

CHAPTER THREE: OVERVIEW 
     COATINGS AND FILMS 12
     THICK, THIN AND ULTRATHIN FILMS  12
     MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF THIN FILM TECHNOLOGY
        AND RECENT EVENTS 13
  TABLE 1 THIN FILM DEPOSITION TECHNOLOGICAL MILESTONES14
  TABLE 1 (CONTINUED) 15
  FIGURE 1 THIN FILMS: WORLDWIDE PATENT APPLICATIONS AND
     PATENTS, 1971-2010  16
     APPLICATIONS FOR THIN AND ULTRATHIN FILMS  17
           ELECTRONICS 17
           OPTOELECTRONICS 17
           MECHANICAL/CHEMICAL 18
           ENERGY 18
           OPTICAL COATINGS 18
           LIFE SCIENCES AND OTHERS  18
  TABLE 2 APPLICATIONS OF THIN AND ULTRATHIN FILMS, 2011 19

CHAPTER FOUR: TECHNOLOGIES AND MATERIALS FOR THIN AND  ULTRATHIN FILMS
     INTRODUCTION 20
     THIN FILM COATINGS  20
  TABLE 3 BASIC CONSTRUCTION STEPS OF A THIN FILM DEVICE 20
          SUBSTRATE SELECTION 21
TABLE 4 SUBSTRATE MATERIALS FOR THIN AND ULTRATHIN
  FILMS, 201121
TABLE 4 (CONTINUED)22
          THIN FILM DEPOSITION 22
          PATTERNING AND FINISHING 23
   THIN FILM DEPOSITION PROCESSES 23
          PHYSICAL PROCESSES  23
          CHEMICAL PROCESSES 23
          HYBRID PROCESSES24
TABLE 5 THIN FILM TECHNOLOGIES, 2011  24
TABLE 5 (CONTINUED)25
TABLE 5 (CONTINUED)26
TABLE 5 (CONTINUED)27
          DEPOSITION TECHNOLOGIES FOR ULTRATHIN FILMS  27
TABLE 6 DEPOSITION TECHNOLOGIES FOR ULTRATHIN FILMS,
  201128
          LATEST TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS FROM 2009
               TO PRESENT 28
                     Thin Film Technologies 29
                               Reactive High-Power Impulse Magnetron
                                     Sputtering  29
                               Hybrid Chemical Vapor Deposition 29
                               Microwave-Assisted Rotatable PVD  30
                               Capacitive-Coupled Magnetic Neutral Loop Plasma
                                     Sputtering System 31
                               High-Power Impulse Ionized PVD 31
                               Low-Temperature High-Power Impulse Magnetron
                                     Sputtering  32
                               Modulated Ion-Induced Atomic Layer Deposition 33
                               Catalyst-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition 33
                     Ultrathin Film Technologies 34
                               Ultrathin Films by Exfoliation 34
                               Field-Aided Preferential Deposition  34
                               Printable Ultrathin Films  35
                               Electroless Plating with Silane-Based Catalyst  36
                               Pulsed Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor
                                     Deposition  37
   FREE-STANDING THIN FILMS  38
          THIN FILM DEPOSITION AND FILM RELEASE 38
                     Peeling 38
                     Lift-Off 38
                     Laser Lift-Off 38
                     Substrate Compression 39
          VACUUM FILTRATION 39
        FLOW COATING 39
TABLE 7 METHODS FOR FABRICATION OF FREE-STANDING THIN
  FILMS  39
TABLE 8 FREE-STANDING THIN FILMS: FILM COMPOSITION AND
  APPLICATIONS  40
        LATEST TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS FROM 2009
            TO PRESENT 41
                  Chemical Release of Free-Standing Single-Walled Carbon
                       Nanotube Films  41
                  Free-standing Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Thin
                       Films Formed by Direct Dry Printing Process  41
                  Large-Area, Free-Standing Zinc Oxide Thin Films 42
                  Process for Manufacturing Free-Standing Ultrathin
                       Carbon Nanotube Films 42
   THIN FILM MATERIALS  43
        PHYSICAL PROCESSES  44
TABLE 9 PHYSICAL PROCESSES: TYPICAL DEPOSITION
  MATERIALS FOR THIN FILMS, 2011 44
TABLE 9 (CONTINUED)45
TABLE 9 (CONTINUED)46
TABLE 9 (CONTINUED)47
TABLE 9 (CONTINUED)48
TABLE 9 (CONTINUED)49
        CHEMICAL PROCESSES 49
                  Chemical Vapor Deposition 50
TABLE 10 CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION: MATERIALS FOR THIN
  FILMS, 201150
                            Functional Group Sources  50
                            Metal Sources  51
                                       Metal Hydrides and Halides51
                                       Metalorganic Precursors 52
                                                  Metalorganic (Continued) 53
TABLE 11 COMMON METALORGANIC PRECURSORS, 2011 54
TABLE 11 (CONTINUED) 55
                  Chemical Solution Deposition 55
                            Sol-gel Methods 55
                            Organic-Inorganic Hybrids 56
TABLE 12 CHEMICAL SOLUTION DEPOSITION: MATERIALS FOR
  THIN FILMS, 2011  56
TABLE 12 (CONTINUED)57
                  Plating Type Methods 57
                            Electroplating 57
                            Electroless Plating  58
                            Electrophoretic Deposition 58
   TABLE 13 PLATING TYPE METHODS: MATERIALS FOR THIN
     FILMS, 201159
                 Other Chemical Processes 59
                           Liquid Phase Epitaxy 60
                           Liquid Phase Deposition 60
                           Interfacial Polymerization  60
                           Langmuir-Blodgett Deposition 60
                           Self-Assembled Monolayer Deposition 61
                           Layer-by-Layer Assembly 61
                           Flame Hydrolysis  62
                           Spray Pyrolysis 62
                           Laser Reactive Deposition  62
   TABLE 14 OTHER CHEMICAL PROCESSES: MATERIALS FOR THIN
     FILMS, 201163
           LATEST TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS FROM 2009
              TO PRESENT 63
                 Silver Precursor for Doping Free-Standing Carbon
                      Nanotube Films  63
                           Silver Precursor for Doping (Continued) 64
                 Diimine Copper Complexes for Atomic Layer Deposition 65
                 Precursors Containing Electron Donating Group-
                      Substituted Alkenyl Ligands for Chemical Vapor
                      Deposition 65
                 Phosphoamidinate Precursors for Chemical Vapor
                      Deposition 66
                 Organometallic Precursors for High-Purity Metal Films
                      formed by CVD 66
                 Sputtering Targets Based on Carbon Nanotubes  67
                 Electroplating Solutions for Solar Cells 67
                           Electroplating Solutions (Continued)  68
                 Copper Sputtering Targets for Microelectronics and
                      Optoelectronics 69
                 Alternative Sputtering Target Materials for Transparent
                      Conductive Films 69
                 Polymeric Precursors for Printing Thin Films for Solar
                      Cells  70
                 Precursors for Chemical Vapor Deposition of High-K
                      Films 71
           TECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS FOR THIN FILM MATERIALS  72

CHAPTER FIVE: GLOBAL MARKETS
     ANALYSIS OUTLINE  73
     GLOBAL MARKET SUMMARY  74
  TABLE 15 GLOBAL MARKET FOR THIN FILM MATERIALS,
    THROUGH 2016 ($ MILLIONS) 75
FIGURE 2 GLOBAL MARKET FOR THIN FILM MATERIALS, 2011­
   2016 ($ MILLIONS) 75
    CURRENT MARKET STATUS  75
          CURRENT MARKET SUMMARY  76
TABLE 16 GLOBAL MARKET FOR THIN FILM MATERIALS,
   THROUGH 2011 ($ MILLIONS)76
FIGURE 3 GLOBAL MARKET FOR THIN FILM MATERIALS, 2009­
   2011 ($ MILLIONS)  76
                    Revenues by Deposition Technology 77
TABLE 17 THIN FILM MATERIALS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY
   DEPOSITION TECHNOLOGY, THROUGH 2011 ($ MILLIONS) 78
FIGURE 4 THIN FILM MATERIALS: MARKET SHARE BY
   DEPOSITION TECHNOLOGY, 2011 (%)78
FIGURE 4 (CONTINUED)  79
                    Revenues by Application 79
TABLE 18 THIN FILM MATERIALS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY
   APPLICATION, THROUGH 2011 ($ MILLIONS)  80
FIGURE 5 THIN FILM MATERIALS: MARKET SHARE BY
   APPLICATION, 2011 (%)  81
                    Revenues by Film Thickness 81
TABLE 19 THIN FILM MATERIALS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY FILM
   THICKNESS, 2009 THROUGH 2011 ($ MILLIONS) 82
                    Revenues by Region 82
TABLE 20 THIN FILM MATERIALS: REVENUES BY REGION,
   THROUGH 2011 ($ MILLIONS) 83
FIGURE 6 THIN FILM MATERIALS: MARKET SHARE BY REGION,
   2011 (%)  83
FIGURE 6 (CONTINUED)  84
    MARKET GROWTH TRENDS 84
          INDUSTRY GROWTH 84
                    Electronics 84
                              Semiconductors 84
TABLE 21 FORECAST - SEMICONDUCTORS: REVENUES BY
   REGION, THROUGH 2016 ($ BILLIONS)  85
                              Printed Circuits and Other Interconnecting
                                    Components 85
TABLE 22 FORECAST - PRINTED CIRCUITS AND OTHER
   INTERCONNECTING COMPONENTS: REVENUES BY REGION,
   THROUGH 2016 ($ BILLIONS)  86
                              Data Storage Devices  86
                                         Solid State Drives 86
                                         Internet Downloads and Cloud Computing 87
                                         Hard Disk Drive Market Growth 87
TABLE 23 FORECAST - HARD DISK DRIVES: GLOBAL PRODUCTION
   BY TYPE, THROUGH 2016 (MILLION UNITS) 88
FIGURE 7 FORECAST ­ HARD DISK DRIVES: PRODUCTION SHARE
   BY TYPE, 2016 (% UNITS) 88
                                  Optical Storage Media Market Growth 89
TABLE 24 FORECAST ­ OPTICAL STORAGE MEDIA: GLOBAL
   PRODUCTION BY TYPE, THROUGH 2016 (MILLION UNITS) 89
FIGURE 8 FORECAST ­ OPTICAL STORAGE MEDIA: PRODUCTION
   SHARE BY TYPE, 2016 (% UNITS)  90
               Optoelectronics  90
TABLE 25 FORECAST ­ ADVANCED DISPLAYS: GLOBAL REVENUES
   BY TYPE, THROUGH 2016 ($ BILLIONS)  91
TABLE 26 FORECAST - ADVANCED DISPLAYS: COATED AREA BY
   TYPE, THROUGH 2016 (MILLION M2)  92
FIGURE 9 FORECAST - ADVANCED DISPLAYS: COATED AREA
   SHARE BY TYPE, 2016 (%) 93
               Mechanical/Chemical  93
TABLE 27 FORECAST ­ APPLICATIONS FOR PROTECTIVE
   COATINGS: GLOBAL REVENUES, THROUGH 2016 ($ BILLIONS) 94
               Energy  94
TABLE 28 FORECAST - PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES: GLOBAL
   PRODUCTION BY TYPE, THROUGH 2016 (MW) 95
FIGURE 10 PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES: PRODUCTION SHARE BY
   TYPE, 2016 (%) 95
FIGURE 10 (CONTINUED) 96
               Other Industry Sectors  96
         TECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS 96
               On-going Miniaturization in the Semiconductor Industry  96
TABLE 29 IC CONFIGURATIONS, 2009-2016 97
               Thin, Ultrathin and Flexible Devices 97
               Roll-to-roll and Large Area Coatings  98
               Merging of Thick and Thin Film Technologies98
               Nanotechnology 98
TABLE 30 THE NANOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY99
TABLE 30 (CONTINUED) 100
TABLE 31 NANOTECHNOLOGY: GLOBAL REVENUES BY SEGMENT,
   THROUGH 2016 ($ BILLIONS)  100
FIGURE 11 NANOTECHNOLOGY: GLOBAL MARKET SHARE BY
   SEGMENT, 2011 (%)  101
               Energy and Environmental Factors 101
               Others102
         REGIONAL TRENDS  102
   MARKET FORECAST  103
         REVENUES BY APPLICATION 103
   TABLE 32 FORECAST ­ THIN FILM MATERIALS: GLOBAL
      REVENUES BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016 ($ MILLIONS) 104
   FIGURE 12 FORECAST ­ THIN FILM MATERIALS: MARKET SHARE
      BY APPLICATION, 2016 (%)  104
   FIGURE 12 (CONTINUED)  105
                  Revenues by Deposition Technology 105
   TABLE 33 FORECAST ­ THIN FILM MATERIALS: GLOBAL
      REVENUES BY DEPOSITION TECHNOLOGY, THROUGH 2016 ($
      MILLIONS)  106
   FIGURE 13 FORECAST ­ THIN FILM MATERIALS: GLOBAL MARKET
      SHARE BY DEPOSITION TECHNOLOGY, 2016 (%) 106
   FIGURE 13 (CONTINUED)  107
                  Revenues by Film Thickness 107
   TABLE 34 FORECAST ­ THIN FILM MATERIALS: GLOBAL
      REVENUES BY FILM THICKNESS, THROUGH 2016 ($ MILLIONS)  107
                  Revenues by Region 108
   TABLE 35 FORECAST ­ THIN FILM MATERIALS: REVENUES BY
      REGION, THROUGH 2016 ($ MILLIONS)  108
   FIGURE 14 FORECAST ­ THIN FILM MATERIALS: MARKET SHARE
      BY REGION, 2016 (%)  109

CHAPTER SIX: OPTOELECTRONICS 
     OBJECTIVE  110
     THIN FILMS FOR OPTOELECTRONICS  110
  TABLE 36 THIN FILMS IN OPTOELECTRONICS, 2011 110
  TABLE 36 (CONTINUED)111
     CURRENT MARKET BY APPLICATION 111
  TABLE 37 THIN FILM MATERIALS FOR OPTOELECTRONICS:
    GLOBAL REVENUES BY APPLICATION, 2011 ($ MILLIONS/%)111
     ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON INDUSTRY GROWTH 111
          PAPER-THIN AND FLEXIBLE DISPLAYS112
          SOLID-STATE LIGHTING 112
          OPTICAL FIBERS 112
  TABLE 38 FORECAST - OPTICAL FIBERS: GLOBAL MARKET,
    THROUGH 2016 ($ MILLIONS/MILLIONS OF KILOMETERS)  113
          LASERS  113
     RECENT INDUSTRY EVENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS 113
          POLYMERIC SEMICONDUCTING THIN FILMS  113
               Conjugated Polymers114
               Filled Polymers  114
               Ionic Conducting Polymers 115
               Charge-transport Polymers 115
               Printable Semiconducting Polymers 115
          CARBON NANOTUBE THIN FILMS FOR DISPLAYS  115
               Semiconducting CNT Films  115
               Metallic CNT Films 116
           ORGANIC-INORGANIC HYBRIDS FOR THIN FILM
             TRANSISTORS 116
           SURGING DEMAND FOR METALORGANIC PRECURSORS
             FOR LIGHT-EMITTING DIODES  117
               Akzo Nobel 117
               Albemarle 118
               ATMI  118
               Chemtura and UP Chemical 118
               Dow Electronic Materials  119
               SAFC Hitech  119
      MARKET SUMMARY AND FORECAST  120
           REVENUES BY APPLICATION 120
   TABLE 39 FORECAST ­ THIN FILM MATERIALS FOR
     OPTOELECTRONICS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY APPLICATION,
     THROUGH 2016 ($ MILLIONS)121
           REVENUES BY DEPOSITION TECHNOLOGY 121
   TABLE 40 FORECAST ­ THIN FILM MATERIALS FOR
     OPTOELECTRONICS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY DEPOSITION
     TECHNOLOGY, THROUGH 2016 ($ MILLIONS)  122
           REVENUES BY FILM THICKNESS  122
   TABLE 41 FORECAST ­ THIN FILM MATERIALS FOR
     OPTOELECTRONICS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY FILM THICKNESS,
     THROUGH 2016 ($ MILLIONS)123

CHAPTER SEVEN: GLOBAL INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
     GLOBAL INDUSTRY STRUCTURE 124
     LEADING MANUFACTURERS OF THIN FILM MATERIALS  125
  TABLE 42 LEADING MANUFACTURERS OF THIN FILM
    MATERIALS, 2011  125
  TABLE 42 (CONTINUED)126
  TABLE 42 (CONTINUED)127
  TABLE 42 (CONTINUED) 128
     NOTABLE RECENT INDUSTRY CHANGES  129
  TABLE 43 NOTABLE RECENT INDUSTRY CHANGES 129
     THIN FILM MATERIALS PRODUCTION BY REGION 130
  TABLE 44 THIN FILM MATERIALS: MANUFACTURING BY REGION,
    2009-2016 (PERCENT OF SALES) 130
     THIN FILM MATERIALS CONSUMPTION BY REGION  130
  TABLE 45 THIN FILM MATERIALS: CONSUMPTION BY REGION,
    2009-2016 (PERCENT OF SALES) 131
     COMPANY PROFILES  131
          AIR LIQUIDE 132
          AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS 133
          AKZO NOBEL  134
           ATOTECH  135
           BASF 136
           DAIDO STEEL 137
           DOW CHEMICAL  138
                 Dow Chemical (Continued) 139
           ENTHONE 140
           HERAEUS  141
   TABLE 46 HERAEUS TARGETS, 2011 142
           HITACHI METALS  143
           JOHNSON MATTHEY  144
           JX NIPPON MINING & METALS  145
           KOBE STEEL 146
           LINDE147
           MACDERMID 148
           MATERION  148
   TABLE 47 MATERION TECHNOLOGIES, 2011  149
           MATSUDA SANGYO 150
           MERCK 151
           MITSUI MINING & SMELTING  151
           PRAXAIR  152
                 Praxair (Continued) 153
           SAMSUNG CORNING PRECISION MATERIALS 154
                 Samsung Corning Precision Materials (Continued)  155
           SUMITOMO METAL MINING 156
           TOSOH 157
                 Tosoh (Continued) 158
           ULVAC 159
   TABLE 48 ULVAC SPUTTERING TARGETS, 2011 160
           UMICORE  160
   TABLE 49 UMICORE SPUTTERING TARGETS, 2011 161

CHAPTER EIGHT: U.S. PATENT ANALYSIS
     INTRODUCTION 162
     SUMMARY OF PATENTS AWARDED IN 2011162
  TABLE 50 THIN AND ULTRATHIN FILMS, U.S. PATENTS, 2011  pages 163-213
   GENERAL TRENDS214
TABLE 51 THIN AND ULTRATHIN FILMS: U.S. PATENT TRENDS,
  THROUGH 2011  214
   TRENDS BY COUNTRY AND REGION 214
FIGURE 15 THIN AND ULTRATHIN FILMS: PATENT SHARE BY
   REGION, 2011 (%) 215
FIGURE 16 THIN AND ULTRATHIN FILMS: PATENT SHARE BY
   COUNTRY, 2011 (%) 216
   TRENDS BY ASSIGNEE 217
TABLE 52 ASSIGNEES OF U.S. PATENTS RELATED TO THIN AND
   ULTRATHIN FILMS, 2011 pages 218-225
   TRENDS BY PATENT CATEGORY  226
FIGURE 17 THIN AND ULTRATHIN FILMS: SHARES OF U.S. .
   PATENTS BY CATEGORY, 2011 (%)  226
FIGURE 17 (CONTINUED)  227
   TRENDS BY DEPOSITION METHOD 227
FIGURE 18 THIN AND ULTRATHIN FILMS: SHARES OF U.S. .
   PATENTS BY DEPOSITION METHOD, 2011 (%) 228