Semiconductor Photodetector Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Increasing need to monitor and enhance the efficiency of solar energy:  Rising concerns about climate change, and increasing global electricity consumption have resulted in a steady transition from traditional energy production methods to solar energy systems. This is a key factor expected to increase demand for semiconductor photodetectors. Semiconductor photodetectors play a crucial role in solar energy harvesting, solar energy monitoring, and optimization. Advanced photodetectors such as ultrawide bandgap including Ga₂O₃, Al_xGa_1–xN/AlN, and diamond are widely used in solar-blind UV photodetection across several applications.

• Growing adoption of LiDAR technology: The need for high-performance semiconductor photodetectors has been spurred by the increasing usage of LiDAR technology in a variety of applications, which includes autonomous cars, aerospace and defense, and surveillance systems. For instance, in September 2021, Tower Semiconductor announced the launch of advanced LiDAR technology for sophisticated driver assistance systems. The technology incorporates PH18 Silicon photonics systems, which contain modulators and photodetectors.

 Challenges

• High production cost and complexity: Advanced photodetectors require sophisticated and accurate manufacturing procedures, particularly those that use quantum dots and superlattice structures. These methods increase production costs as they require complex processes and premium materials. 

• Surging technical challenges: Technical challenges emerge when integrating advanced photodetectors such as quantum dots and superlattice structures into current systems. For instance, the integration of quantum dot photodetectors into standard structures is challenging due to the requirement for specialized electronics.