Across the globe, Silicon Germanium (SiGe) technology is in the market for a long period, and, it is being used for several applications as well. Also, the market is highly consolidated from the presence of a large number of market players, working on producing wafers and fabricating devices. According to the latest market intelligence report by BIS Research titled, ‘Global Silicon Germanium Devices and Materials-Analysis and Forecast (2017-2021), the market is expected to register a CAGR of 13.7% during the forecast period. However, the established market players are focusing more on product launches and developments of new technologies or enhancing existing product portfolios.
In January 2018, a group of researchers at MIT US, designed a small chip with artificial synapses using silicon germanium. Instead of using amorphous materials as an artificial synapse in the chip, researchers used single crystal silicon and created a precise, one-dimensional line defect, through the silicones, through which ions could predictably flow. The chip is a major step toward building a portable, low power neuromorphic chip, to use in pattern recognition. Researchers found that chips and its synapses to be used in recognizing samples of handwriting, with 95 percent accuracy.1
Last year, in October 2017, one of the prominent market payer, Solar Tectic LLC, patented a method of making III-V thin film tandem solar cells with high performance. The technology used in the patent include ultra-thin films of III-V materials, and silicon or germanium replace expensive, thicker wafers thereby lowering the costs, significantly. The patent covers group III-V elements such as GaAs, and InGaP, for the top layer as well as all inorganic materials, and silicon, germanium, etc., for the bottom layer.2
EV Group, a supplier of wafer bonding and lithography equipment for MEMS, nanotechnology, and semiconductor, developed ‘EVG810LT plasma activation system’. EVG810LT system activates a wafer surface using plasma for low-temperature direct wafer bonding. The system enables low-temperature, direct wafer bonding of III-V materials, and germanium -on-silicon wafers. Further, the activation system has been in demand for a long period such as the University of Tokyo ordered the system from the respective company.3
Over the past few years, key players operating in this market have ramped up their product launch activities, which in turn has generated public awareness about their existing and the developed product technology. Moreover, extensive R&D activities and appropriate regulatory environments are a prerequisite for sustained growth of the market.
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