While the global market for sputtered films and sputtering targets was worth $2.8 billion in 2007, the sector is expected to see an increase of growth to $5.9 billion by 2012; a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.8%. This is according to a market research report, Sputtering Targets and Sputtering Films: Technology and Markets (SMC037D), published by BCC Research Co Inc, USA.
Nearly 1.3 million sputtering targets were consumed in 2007. This is expected to increase to more than 1.5 million targets in 2012 (a CAGR of 3.6%). In 2007, this amounted to 1217. [km.sup.2] of thin films for semiconductors, passive components, recording heads, flat panel displays, data storage ...