IC Insights is forecasting an average annual growth rate for the compound semiconductor IC market of 22% for the period 2002-2007. The expectation for the total IC market is 10% for the same duration.

IC Insights is forecasting an average annual growth rate for the compound
semiconductor IC market of 22% for the period 2002-2007. The expectation
for the total IC market is 10% for the same duration.
The higher frequency operation, improved signal reception, better signal
processing in congested frequency bands and greater power efficiency are
seen as key advantages of the more expensive technology based on materials
such as gallium arsenide, silicon germanium and indium phosphide.
Small-scale niche demand was transformed into high volumes in the late
1990s. Among the applications has been enabling wireless communications
products to move to higher frequency, less congested bands and higher
bandwidths.
IC Insights is expecting SiGe to display the strongest growth in demand
reaching a 33% market share in 2007. One SiGe driver is its compatibility
with the conventional silicon CMOS process. Second, by merging low-power
high-density digital CMOS circuitry with high-speed SiGe hetrojunction
bipolar transistors (HBT), highly integrated mixed-signal ICs for
communications could result.

SEMI reported Q4 2002 and year silicon wafer shipment research. The area
of silicon used in 2002 was 3.02km2, compared with 2.54km2 in 2001 - a 19%
increase. In dollar terms, sales were worth $5.5bn, comparing with $5.2bn
in 2001 for a 6% improvement. In Q4, 0.732km2 were shipped - up 29% on Q4
2001s 0.566km2.