The surface science technology category contains a broad range of instrument types, from optical microscopes, whose origins date back to the rise of modern science, to instruments based on modern techniques in optical, electron and ion optics that are only just being commercialized. Overall, the surface science market is forecast to achieve growth of 6.1% for 2011, with total market demand increasing to $4.92 billion.

Approximately half of the market demand is for optical microscopes. Although low-end laboratory microscopes are not too dissimilar in design from those of centuries past, high-end research microscopes have become sophisticated instrument systems, combining various forms of illumination, fluorescence, detection, digital imaging and other computer enhancements. Although there is a large, stable business in selling relatively simple microscopes for educational use, pathology labs and other traditional applications, the interesting part of the market continues to be in research microscopes and digital imaging systems. However, given the relatively traditional nature of the majority of the market, overall growth in 2011 in the light microscope market is forecast at just 4.4%, the slowest among the surface science techniques. However, total revenue in 2011 will exceed $2.4 billion.

The next-largest product segment within surface science is electron microscopy, representing about a third of the entire market. Electron microscopy is by far the most common technique used for probing samples beyond the limits of light microscopy. The electron microscopy market should achieve solid growth of 7.6% this year, with total revenues reaching $1.69 billion. Electron microscopy has well-established applications in materials science research, particularly for semiconductor materials and electronic components. However, life science research applications are continuing to develop and are gaining greater traction in the life science community, helping to encourage growth in research electron microscopes for these applications.

The other three product segments within surface science are relatively small, combining to form the remaining 17% of the market. The ability of confocal microscopy to image cells and tissues in three dimensions has made life science applications important to confocal microscopy and to spur growth above the growth rate of traditional optical microscopes. Nevertheless, confocal microscopy remains by far the smallest of the surface science techniques. Scanning probe microscopes (SPM) are important instruments for probing nanomaterials and conducting nanotechnology research. This technology is beginning to mature, though growth is still forecast to be a healthy 7.3%. Finally, the fastest growth will be found in the surface analysis market, composed of a number of interrelated techniques involving electron, ion and high-energy photon imaging. Growth in this market, which is benefitting from the release of pent-up demand in the semiconductor industry, is forecast at 9% for 2011.

The “Big Four” optical microscopy vendors dominate the vendor share in the overall market. Carl Zeiss and Olympus currently vie for the top position; both are strong in optical and confocal microscopy, and Carl Zeiss also has a significant electron microscopy business. Nikon and Leica, each with 8% of the market share, round out the top four vendors. The fifth-largest vendor is JEOL, which offers products that are the perfect complement to the optical microscope vendors’ products. FEI and Hitachi High-Technologies lead the important electron microscopy market, while the SPM and surface analysis markets are dominated by niche players. Bruker entered the SPM market in 2010 through its purchase of Veeco’s Metrology business (see IBO 8/31/10).

 Column Graph: 2009–2012 Total Surface Science Instrumentation Market

                2009      2010      2011      2012

 $ Millions     4,330     4,637     4,920     5,218

 Pie Chart: 2010 Surface Science Instrumentation Suppliers Market Shares

 Carl Zeiss       12%

 Olympus          12%

 Nikon             8%

 Leica (Danaher)   8%

 JEOL              8%

 Other            52%

 Surface Science Instrumentation Market Leaders

 Optical Microscopy           Olympus, Leica (Danaher)

 Electron Microscopy          FEI, Hitachi

 Surface Analyzers            Ulvac-PHI, Cameca (AMETEK)

 Scanning Probe Microscopy    Veeco Instruments, NT-MDT

 Confocal Microscopy          Carl Zeiss, Leica (Danaher)

 Pie Chart: 2010 Surface Science Instrumentation Market by Product Type

 Initial Systems              65%

 Aftermarket                  21%

 Service                      14%

 Surface Science Instrumentation 2010–2011

                              Market Share      Growth Rate

 Optical Microscopy           49.6%             4.4%

 Electron Microscopy          33.9%             7.6%

 Surface Analyzers             6.7%             9.0%

 Scanning Probe Microscopy     6.0%             7.3%

 Confocal Microscopy           3.8%             7.7%

 Total                       100.0%             6.1%