MUNICH -- Radio frequency microsystems will present one of the next major opportunities for MEMS, growing from $150 million in 2004 to more than $1.1 billion in 2009, according to a new study.

Jérémie Bouchaud of Germany based Wicht Technologie Consulting, the author of the report, said,  "By 2004, the market had already exceeded the $110 million we predicted in our first RF MEMS report 3 years ago."

Currently, the bulk of the RF MEMS market services mobile telephony applications, with BAW duplexers and filters supplied largely by Agilent and Infineon.

 A second mass market will emerge for consumer and IT applications in 2006. "There are great opportunities for spinoff applications in consumer and IT sectors following the initial focus on telecom applications," said Bouchaud. "Here, micro-mechanical resonators will be used not as filters but as timing devices."

Outside of mass markets, military applications offer the best opportunity, in particular for phased array antennas used in radar and communications. In terms of products, Bulk acoustic wave (BAW) devices and micromechanical resonators,  followed by switches, will constitute the largest markets in 2009.

More than 60 companies are currently involved in RF MEMS manufacturing, and around a quarter will ship commercial products or samples in 2005.

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