MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - March 21, 2000. The worldwide market for laser diodes in non-communications applications is forecast to exceed $2.2 billion by 2004, according to Laser Diode Market Review and Forecast - 2000 (Short-Wavelength, Non-Communications), a report just released by Strategies Unlimited (Mountain View, California), an optoelectronics industry market research firm. Driven particularly by the demand for DVD video players and DVD-ROM drives, the market for laser diodes with wavelengths less than 1 micron will grow from $966 million in 1999 to $2,228 million in 2004. The report analyzes the market for laser diodes in 25 applications over the next five years.

Laser diodes (also known as semiconductor lasers) are an enabling technology for a wide variety of consumer, computer, business, and industrial products, including: the familiar audio CD players and computer CD-ROM drives; DVD players and DVD-ROM drives; laser printers; laser pointers; barcode scanners; industrial material processing systems; and "computer-to-plate" digital printing presses.

The first significant volume application of laser diodes was in audio CD players, beginning in 1981. Historically, most applications of laser diodes have required near-infrared wavelength devices (780-850 nm); however, visible red (630-680 nm) laser diodes became available in 1988. Initially, visible laser diodes were used primarily barcode scanner and laser pointer applications. More recently, these diodes have been used in higher density optical storage systems, such as DVD-ROM drives.

The future holds promise for even shorter wavelength blue (400-470 nm) devices. Nichia Corporation has demonstrated a long-lived (10,000-hour) blue laser diode, and Sony, Fujitsu, Toshiba, and many other companies have aggressive research programs to develop these devices for high-density optical storage applications. The report forecasts the market for blue laser diodes in optical storage applications beginning in 2002.

The report profiles 31 manufacturers of laser diodes around the world, including market share estimates. The majority of low-power laser diodes (<100 mW) are supplied by Japanese companies such as Sony, Rohm, Sharp, and Matsushita. North American companies, such as SDL and Opto Power, have taken a leading role in the high-power laser diode (>10W) market. European producers, such as OSRAM Opto Semiconductor and DILAS, are gradually increasing their market share. In Asia, Samsung and sev eral Taiwanese companies are also producing laser diodes.

Laser Diode Market Review and Forecast - 2000 (Short-Wavelength, Non-Communications) is a 185-page report that reviews the applications, markets, technology, and suppliers of laser diodes. The report is available for immediate delivery at a price of $4,250. For more information on this report, contact Strategies Unlimited at (650) 941-3438, fax (650) 941-5120, e-mail info@strategies-u.com, or visit our Web site at http://www.strategies-u.com.

Founded in 1979, Strategies Unlimited specializes in market research and newsletters directed at the optoelectronic, optical networks, photovoltaic, compound semiconductor material, and the RF/wireless components industries. The company is based in Mountain View, California.