The gallium arsenide IC industry-a market perspective

Between 1985 and 1986 revenues from worldwide commercial GaAs IC activity, both digital as well as analog (sub-gigaHertz and microwave) grew only 27% from $27.5 million to $35 million but in 1987 growth was much more vigorous, the market growing by 57% to $55 million. This was not an anomaly but the first sign of a real, albeit modest, takeoff of the market. In 1988 an even higher growth rate of 64% was forecasted taking the total merchant market to $90 million with the digital and analog sectors being equal in size. In the longer term a market of $200 million is forecast by 1990 and $688 million by 1992. The majority of this market, 79% or $43.5 million was in the USA with only comparatively minor commercial activity in Europe and Japan (though in Japan discrete HEMTs is a growing market because of DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellite) television with current production at around 20000 pieces per month). The USA will continue to be the major market for GaAs ICs accounting for an estimated 74% or $510 million of the 1992 market