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MEMS Microphones: A Global Technology, Industry and Market Analysis

Innovative Research and Products (iRAP), Inc.
July 1, 2007
100 Pages - SKU: IRAP1562165

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Countries covered: Global

Silicon microphones are among a broad range of devices known as micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), an emerging field in which various sensors and mechanical devices are constructed on a single wafer using processes developed for making Integrated Circuits (ICs). The chief advantage of micromachining silicon microphones is cost. Several sensors can be processed on a chip simultaneously and can be integrated with passive and active electronic devices. Silicon micro-machined microphones (also known as silicon microphones or MEMS microphones) have begun to emerge as a competitor technology to the electret condenser microphone (ECM).

MEMS microphones are more compact than traditional microphone systems because they capture sound and convert it to a digital signal on the same chip. When sound waves hit the microphone's membrane, a thin metal mesh in the middle of the chip, it vibrates, producing a voltage that contains information about the analogue sound signal. But since the analogue signal is produced and converted to a digital signal on the same chip, it never has to experience the harsh electromagnetic environment outside the circuit. And, because interference is less of an issue, insulation is not needed. This allows engineers to place the microphone anywhere that a chip can fit, for example, into a laptop in which multiple microphones can even fit in the bezel surrounding a laptop's monitor.

MEMS microphone solutions developed on the CMOS (complimentary metal oxide semiconductors) MEMS platform frees consumer electronic device designers and manufacturers from many of the problems associated with ECMs. CMOS MEMS microphones also integrate an analogue-to-digital converter on the chip, creating a microphone with a robust digital output. Since the majority of portable applications will ultimately convert the analogue output of the microphone to a digital signal for processing, the system architecture can be made completely digital, removing noise-prone analogue signals from the circuit board and simplifying the overall design.

Many of these new “miniature” silicon microphones for consumer and computer communication devices are approximately one-half the size and operate on just one-third the power of conventional microphones.

study goal and objectives

The new iRAP study has focused on MEMS microphones that can be used in mobile phones, digicams, camcorders, laptops, automotive hands-free calling and hearing aids. Production will be low-cost and high-volume. Therefore, the objectives include thorough coverage of the underlying economic issues driving the MEMS microphones business, as well as assessments of new advanced MEMS microphones that are being developed. Another important objective is to provide realistic market data and forecasts for MEMS microphones. This report provides the most thorough and up-to-date assessment.

REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY

The MEMS microphones market is an attractive, and still growing, multimillion-dollar market characterized by very high production volumes of MEMS microphones that are extremely reliable and low in cost. So far, the development of the MEMS microphone market has been technology-push oriented. The ECM is entrenched, inexpensive ($0.50 or less), and in terms of traditional metrics such as frequency response and sensitivity, it captures sound relatively faithfully.

Micro-machined microphone chips can match and extend the performance of existing devices, for instance, by using sensor arrays. Silicon microphones also offer advantages to the OEM in the form of improved manufacturing methods (reliability, yield, assembly cost) combined with robustness. They also offer additional functionality, such as the ability to incorporate multiple microphones into portable electronic devices for noise suppression and beam forming. Therefore, iRAP felt a need to do a detailed technology update and analysis in this industry.

Contributions of the study

This study segmented markets into four applications for MEMS microphone products. The first application consists of mobile phones, digicams, camcorders; the second is laptops; the third is automotive hands-free calling and the last one is hearing aids. Manufacturers of MEMS microphones expect competition to persist and intensify in the future from a number of different sources. Microphones are facing competition in a new, rapidly evolving and highly competitive sector of the audio communication market. Increased competition could result in reduced prices and gross margins for microphone products and could require increased spending by research and development, sales and marketing and customer support.

This study analyses the competing technologies and provides a realistic market data about the size and growth of the MEMS microphones application segments, competition between companies for market share and a technology overview.

This report provides the most thorough and up-to-date assessment that can be found anywhere on the subject. The study also provides an extensive quantification of the many important facets of market developments in emerging markets for MEMS microphones. This contributes to the determination of what kinds of strategic responses suppliers may adopt in order to compete in these dynamic markets.

SCOPE AND FORMAT

The iRAP study focuses on MEMS microphones’ market size and growth, new developments, including a detailed patent analysis, company profiles and industry trends. Another contribution of this report is to provide a detailed and comprehensive study of the market in North America, Europe, Japan and the rest of the world (ROW) for MEMS microphones and potential future business opportunities. These markets have also been estimated according to types of integration, i.e. single chip vs two-chip; and according to the application segments.

TO WHOM THE STUDY CATERS

The study benefits the existing manufacturers of mobile phones, digicams, camcorders, laptops, automobile hands-free calling devices and hearing aids, who seek to expand revenues and market opportunities through adding new technologies such as MEMS microphones, which are positioned to become a preferred solution over conventional ECM applications.

This study provides a technical overview of the MEMS microphones which find applications in mobile phones, digicams, camcorders, laptops, hand-free calling devices and hearing aids, looking at major technology developments and recent patents. Audiences for this study include directors of technologies, marketing and sales executives, business-unit managers and other decision makers as users and suppliers of MEMS microphones, as well as companies peripheral to this business or competitors such as ECM microphone producers,

REPORT SUMMARY

Four major applications are discussed in this report, which will create most of the market for MEMS microphones over the next five years. These are mobile phones, digicams, camcorders, laptops, hand-free calling devices and hearing aids

Manufacturers of MEMS microphones expect competition to persist and intensify in the future from a number of different sources. Microphones are facing competition in a new, rapidly evolving and highly competitive sector of the audio communication market. Increased competition could result in reduced prices and gross margins for microphone products and could require increased spending by research and development, sales and marketing and customer support.

Micro-machined microphone chips can match and extend the performance of existing devices, for instance, by using sensor arrays. Silicon microphones also offer advantages to the OEM in the form of improved manufacturing methods (reliability, yield, assembly cost) combined with robustness. They also offer additional functionality, such as the ability to incorporate multiple microphones into portable electronic devices for noise suppression and beam forming.

The potential for smaller footprint components and resistance to electromagnetic interference also supports new cell phone designs. Moreover, MEMS microphones meet price points set by electret microphones by leveraging established high-volume silicon manufacturing processes. This combination of size, performance and functionality, and low cost are highly desirable for OEMs and consumers alike.

The range of possible applications of these microphones derives from their important advantages as compared to conventional ECM technologies. Based on silicon MEMS technology, the new microphone achieves the same acoustic and electrical properties as conventional microphones, but is more rugged and exhibits higher heat resistance. These properties offer designers of a wide range of products greater flexibility and new opportunities to integrate microphones.

Major findings of this report are:

The MEMS microphones market is an attractive, and still growing, multimillion-dollar market characterized by very high production volumes of MEMS microphones that are extremely reliable and low in cost.
In 2006, the global market for MEMS microphones has reached $140 million and will increase to $922 million by 2011 with an annual average growth rate of 45.7%.
Mobile phones, digcams and camcorders will have the largest share in 2006 followed by laptops.
From 2006 to 2011, the largest growth rate will be for laptops - as much as 72% AAGR from 2006 to 2011.
Regionally, North America had about 21.4% of the market in 2006, followed by Europe at 16.4 %, Japan at 14.2%, and the rest of world at 47.8 %.
There are less than a dozen players who are sharing the global market in 2006. BY 2011, the number of companies producing MEMS microphones will double.

INTRODUCTION: STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES; REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY; CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY; SCOPE AND FORMAT; METHODOLOGY; INFORMATION SOURCES; AUDIENCES FOR THE STUDY; AUTHOR’S CREDENTIALS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INDUSTRY OVERVIEW: BACKGROUND OF MEMS MICROPHONES; MEMS MICROPHONE CHIP; MEMES MICROPHONE APPLICATIONS AND MARKETS; INDUSTRY STRUCTURE; INDUSTRY DYNAMICS AND GLOBAL MARKET
TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW: AUDIO MICROPHONES; FABRICATION OF A MEMBRANE CHIP; TYPES OF MICROPHONES; TYPICAL FABRICATION PROCESS; MEMS AND INTEGRATED CIRCUIT FABRICATION PROCESSES COMPARED; MEMS MICROPHONE CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY STRUCTURE AND MARKETS: COMPETITIVE INNOVATION TRENDS; PARTNERSHIP AND CONSOLIDATION; REGIONAL MARKET
PATENTS AND PATENT ANALYSIS: LIST OF PATENTS; PATENT ANALYSIS ACCORDING TO COMPANIES; PATENT ANALYSIS ACCORDING TO REGIONS
COMPANY PROFILES: AKUSTICA, INC.; CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY; DELEPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG; INSTITUTE OF MICROELECTRONICS; INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE (ITRI); JL WOLRD; KNOWLES ACOUSTICS; MEMES TECHNOLOGY BHD; MOTOROLA, INC.; NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR; SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO. LTD.; SONION A/S; SYMPHONIX DEVICES, INC./MED-EL; THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK; UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
LIST OF TABLES: SUMMARY TABLE A: GLOBAL MARKET SIZE/PERCENTAGE SHARE FOR MEMS MICROPHONES, 2006 AND 2011; SUMMARY TABLE B: NORTH AMERICAN AND GLOBAL MARKETS FOR MEMS MICROPHONES, 2006 AND 2011; TABLE 1: FORECAST FOR MEMS MICROPHONES IN MOBILE PHONES, PDAS, DIGICAMS, CAMCORDERS, 2006-2011; TABLE 2: MARKET FOR MEMS MICROPHONES IN LAPTOPS, 2005, 2006 AND 2011; TABLE 3: FORECAST FOR MEMS MICROPHONES IN AUTOMOTIVE HANDS-FREE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS; TABLE 4: FORECAST OF MEMS MICROPHONES IN HEARING AIDS 2006-2011; TABLE 5: SPECIFIC FOUNDRIES ASSOCIATED WITH MEMS MICROPHONE MANUFACTURING CAPABILITIES IN 2006; TABLE 6: SUMMARY OF GLOBAL MARKET FOR MEMS MICROPHONES BY TECHNOLOGY THROUGH 2011; TABLE 7: SUMMARY OF GLOBAL MARKET FOR MEMS MICROPHONES BY APPLICATION THROUGH 2011; TABLE 8: FORMULAS USED TO DEFINE AUDIO QUALITY /CHARACTERSTICS OF MICROPHONES; TABLE 9: SEQUENCES FOLLWED IN TYPICAL EIGHT FABRICATION PROCESSES OF MEMS MICROPHONES; TABLE 10: EXPLANATION OF KEY TERMINOLOGIES USED IN MANUFACTURING OF MEMS MICROPHONES; TABLE 11: EXPLANATION OF KEY TERMINOLOGIES USED IN PACKAGING OF MEMS MICROPHONES; TABLE 12: TECHNOLOGY LISTING OF MANUFACTURERS OF SURFACE MOUNTABLE, CHIP-SIZE PACKAGE MEMS MICROPHONES; TABLE 13: TYPICAL SIZES OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE MEMS MICROPHONES IN 2006; TABLE 14: KEY TERMINOLOGIES USED TO DEFINE TYPES OF ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS INTEGRATED IN MEMS MICROPHONES; TABLE 15: COMPANY PRODUCT REFERENCE FOR MEMS MICROPHONES; TABLE 16: PERCENTAGE SHARE OF WORLD MARKET OF TOP FIVE COMPANIES MANUFACTURING MEMS MICROPHONES IN 2006; TABLE 17: ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS AMONG MANUFACTURERS OF MEMS MICROPHONES FROM 2000 TO 2006; TABLE 18: SUMMARY OF GLOBAL MARKET FOR MEMS MICROPHONES BY REGION THROUGH 2011; TABLE 19: NUMBER OF U.S. PATENTS GRANTED TO COMPANIES MANUFACTURING MEMS MICROPHONES FROM 2002 THROUGH 2006 (UPTO DEC 31); TABLE 20: NUMBER OF U.S. PATENTS GRANTED BY ASSIGNED COUNTRY/REGION FOR MEMS MICROPHONES FROM JAN. 2002 TO 2006
LIST OF FIGURES: SUMMARY FIGURE A: GLOBAL MARKET FOR MEMS MICROPHONES BY APPLICATION IN 2006 AND 2011; SUMMARY FIGURE B: NORTH AMERICAN AND GLOBAL MARKET FOR MEMS MICROPHONES BY APPLICATION IN 2006 AND 2011; FIGURE 1: SINGLE-CHIP DESIGN OF MEMS MICROPHONES; FIGURE 2: TWO-CHIP DESIGN OF MEMS-MICROPHONES; FIGURE 3: PERCENTAGE SHARE OF GLOBAL MARKET FOR MEMS MICROPHONES BY TECHNOLOGY, 2006 AND 2011; FIGURE 4: PERCENTAGE SHARE OF GLOBAL MARKET FOR MEMS MICROPHONES BY APPLICATION, 2006 AND 2011; FIGURE 5: PROCESSING STEPS FOR CMOS-MEMS MICROPHONES; FIGURE 6: LAYOUT OF SERPENTINE MESH DESIGN SHOWING TWO UNIT CELLS IN A MEMS MICROPHONE; FIGURE 7: REGIONAL PERCENTAGES OF MARKET SHARE FOR MEMS MICROPHONES IN 2006 AND 2011; FIGURE 8: ILLUSTRATIONS OF US PATENTS ISSUED TO COMPANIES IN MEMS MICROPHONES FROM JANUARY 2002 AND DECEMBER 2006; FIGURE 9: U.S. PATENTS GRANTED FOR MEMS MICROPHONES BY REGION FROM 2002 THROUGH 2006

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MEMS Microphones: A Global Technology, Industry and Market Analysis

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