By 2011 the market for nano-
engineered information storage devices will be worth $65.7 billion, according
to a new report from NanoMarkets, LC, a leading nanotechnology industry
analysis firm. The new report provides forecasts and analysis of the markets
for MRAM, FRAM, holographic memory, ovonic unified memory, molecular memory,
nanotube RAM, MEMS-based memory and polymer memory, all of which are expected
to generate initial revenues in the next couple of years. Further information
about the report -- including a full table of contents -- can be found at
http://www.nanomarkets.net
Key points made in the report are:
- By 2011 nanostorage technology will have penetrated close to 40
percent of the disk drive and memory chip businesses, which by then
are expected to total $166 billion ($US) in revenue.
- Memory requirements for tomorrow's pervasive computing go beyond
the capabilities of conventional DRAM, SRAM and flash. Pervasive
computing -- an environment filled with always-on highly mobile
computing, communications, storage and sensing devices -- demands
fast, inexpensive memory for smart cards, sensors, etc., and high
capacity non-volatile memory for mobile computers and handheld
communications devices. Nanostorage technologies can meet these
requirements.
- Nanostorage is potentially highly disruptive for the disk drive
industry. It alters the boundaries between the disk drives and
memory chips -- high-capacity, non-volatile nanostorage chips are a
potential low-cost replacement for minidisk drives in portable
entertainment devices and computers. In addition, holographic
memory and MEMS-based memory offer significant capacity
improvements over today's disk drives.
- High-density, small footprint nanostorage technologies will enable
a new generation of consumer devices, such as portable HDTV players,
as well as new media formats based around holographic memory.
DRAM, SRAM and flash will continue to exist for decades. But with
powerful backers such as AMD, Cypress Semiconductor, Freescale, Fujitsu,
Hewlett-Packard, Honeywell, Hitachi, IBM, Infineon, Intel, Matsushita,
STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments, nanostorage seems certain to take a
big bite out of the conventional memory and disk business. Major chip
suppliers will continue to dominate, but NanoMarkets also sees opportunities
for newer firms, such as ZettaCore and Nantero. NanoMarkets foresees the
possibility that as the result of innovations in nanostorage an important new
semiconductor company could be created.
The new report, Nanostorage: The Impact of Nanotechnology On Memory, Disk
Drives and Other Storage Devices -- A Technology and Market Assessment for
2004-2011, assesses the commercial viability of the latest storage
technologies and includes detailed eight-year forecasts, broken out by
technology and application segment. The report also profiles the nanostorage
product and technology strategies of both large disk and memory suppliers and
of start-up suppliers. Special attention is given to the applications that
are driving the need for nano-based storage and memory solutions.
NanoMarkets' mission is to measure the impact of nanotechnology on the
communications, computing, semiconductor, defense, medical electronics and
energy sectors, and to provide both qualitative and quantitative assessments
of the opportunities available to companies operating within these markets.
Through its reports, market briefs and customized client engagements,
NanoMarkets' clients are able to receive insightful value-chain analyses that
determine where and how nanotechnology will impact both their business
operations and profit potential.
Revenues from Nanostorage Technologies ($ Millions)
2004 2008 2011
MRAM 2 3,843 12,929
FRAM 5 1,283 4,547
Holographic Memory 0 3,287 6,913
Non-Optical Phase Change Media/
Ovonic Unified Memory 0 1,144 4,836
Molecular Memory 0 1,408 7,177
Nanotube Ram 0 1,921 8,852
MEMS-Based Systems 0 2,120 6,451
Polymer Memory 0 1,359 7,879
Other 0 1,550 6,129
Total 7 17,915 65,712
