Quantum Cascade Laser Market by Fabrication Technology (Fabry–Perot, Distributed Feedback), Packaging Type, Operation Mode, End-User Industry (Medical, Military & Defense, Telecommunications, Industrial) and Region - Global Forecast to 2028
The quantum cascade laser market is projected to grow from USD 429 million in 2023 to USD 533 million by 2028; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.4% from 2023 to 2028. The increasing use of quantum cascade lasers in gas sensing and chemical detection applications and the growing demand for QCLs in healthcare and medical diagnostics are among the factors driving the growth of the quantum cascade laser market.
Quantum Cascade Laser Market Forecast to 2028
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Quantum Cascade Laser Market Dynamics
Driver: Growing demand for quantum cascade lasers in healthcare and medical diagnostics
Quantum Cascade Lasers are rapidly being used in medical diagnostics for non-invasive spectroscopy, breath analysis, and disease diagnosis. They provide precise and accurate measurements, making them useful in fields like breath analysis for disease diagnosis, blood glucose monitoring, and cancer biomarker detection. QCLs have transformed non-invasive spectroscopic analysis in healthcare. They produce light in the mid-infrared region, which correlates to the absorption bands of numerous compounds in biological samples. Identifying and quantifying biomarkers and analytes in biological fluids, tissues, and breath samples is possible with QCL-based spectroscopy, enabling early identification of diseases and monitoring.
Restraint: High costs of QCL-based devices
QCLs are currently more expensive than other laser technologies. The complicated manufacturing process, specific materials, and developing design factors contribute to its increased cost. This cost aspect may limit their broad use, particularly in price-sensitive applications or industries. QCL-based devices use expensive wafers and complicated circuitry, which results in significant development costs, making them pricey. Furthermore, developing custom QCL-based devices is expensive, resulting in high device costs as firms are required to create QCLs for a specific wavelength within the mid-infrared range. Compared to other laser technologies, QCLs are frequently produced in lesser numbers, and modifications may be necessary to fulfill specific application needs. Additionally, the requirement for particular manufacturing setups, individualized testing, lesser economies of scale, customization, and low-volume production might result in higher prices.
Opportunity: Use of quantum cascade lasers in industrial and environmental monitoring
QCLs are suitable for industrial and environmental monitoring. They are useful for detecting and analyzing trace gases and contaminants due to their great sensitivity, precision, and selectivity. Opportunities exist in areas where QCL-based sensors and systems can increase efficiency, compliance, and environmental sustainability, such as gas sensing, emissions monitoring, industrial process control, and air quality monitoring. QCLs monitor air quality in cities, industrial zones, and indoor spaces. QCL-based sensors can detect and measure a variety of air pollutants, including particulate matter, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and volatile organic compounds. These sensors give continuous, real-time data that can be used to analyze air quality, identify pollution sources, and perform targeted mitigation actions.
Challenge: Manufacturing complexities of quantum cascade lasers
QCLs require complex manufacturing processes such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). MBE is an accurate and controlled deposition process that involves the growth of multiple layers of semiconductor materials with specific compositions and thicknesses, resulting in the precise layer structures required for QCL operation. The manufacturing process is complex and time-consuming, which raises production costs. Furthermore, QCLs’ sensitivity to material flaws and faults can reduce production yields, restricting their availability and increasing costs. The manufacturing complexity of QCL devices comes from the requirement to achieve exact control over material properties, layer architectures, and device shape. Each phase necessitates specialized equipment, experience, and tight quality control procedures. Manufacturing techniques, equipment, and process optimization are constantly being improved to meet these challenges and improve the scalability, yield, and cost-effectiveness of QCL devices.
Quantum Cascade Laser Market Ecosystem
The prominent players in the Quantum Cascade Laser market are Thorlabs, Inc. (US), Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (Japan), MirSense (France), Emerson Electric Co. (US), and Block Engineering. (US). These companies have been operating in the market for several years and possess a diversified product portfolio, state-of-the-art technologies, and strong global sales and marketing networks.
Distributed Feedback QCLs accounted for the largest market share during forecast period.
Distributed feedback (DFB) technology is widely used in QCLs due to its advantages, including single-mode operation, narrow linewidth, stable and reliable performance, single-frequency emission, and compact design. DFB-QCLs offer precise and selective wavelength emission, making them suitable for applications like spectroscopy and telecommunications. Their narrow linewidth enables high spectral purity and coherent beam propagation. The inherent stability of DFB-QCLs ensures consistent operation, which is crucial for applications such as industrial process control and defense systems. The compact design and integration-friendly nature of DFB-QCLs make them ideal for portable devices and facilitate their adoption in various fields, including environmental sensing and medical diagnostics.
Continuous wave operation mode accounted for the largest market share during the forecast period.
Continuous wave (CW) technology is widely used in the QCL market because it provides a constant and stable output of laser light, ensuring reliable performance in applications such as spectroscopy and process monitoring. CW operation also enables longer integration times, resulting in improved sensitivity and accuracy for applications like gas sensing and molecular spectroscopy. The simplified system design of CW-QCLs reduces complexity. It enhances reliability, while their high wall-plug efficiencies contribute to efficient power consumption, making them suitable for portable and battery-operated devices. Overall, the benefits of CW technology drive its widespread adoption in industrial QCL applications.
Industrial Applications accounted for the largest market share during the forecast period.
QCLs are extensively used in industrial applications due to their high power and brightness, wide wavelength coverage, rapid pulse generation, long-term stability, compactness, solid-state nature, and high sensitivity and selectivity for gas sensing. These characteristics enable QCLs to be employed in laser material processing, spectroscopy, gas sensing, industrial process monitoring, and environmental sensing. QCLs offer efficient and reliable performance, precise control over emitted wavelengths, and robustness in demanding industrial environments. Their versatility and compatibility with industrial systems have made QCLs a preferred choice for various industrial sectors, facilitating process optimization, quality control, and advanced analytical capabilities.
The Asia Pacific region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
The Asia Pacific region is witnessing rapid industrialization and significant investments in research and development. This, coupled with the emerging defense and security applications, large consumer electronics market, and government support, is expected to drive the growth of the Quantum cascade laser (QCL) market in the region. The demand for advanced sensing technologies, laser-based applications, and solutions offered by QCLs in industries such as automotive, electronics, healthcare, and telecommunications will contribute to the market’s expansion. The Asia Pacific region’s focus on innovation, defense capabilities, and government initiatives positions it as a key player in the growing QCL industry.
Quantum Cascade Laser Market by Region
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Key Market Players
The major players in the Quantum Cascade Laser companies include Thorlabs, Inc. (US), Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (Japan), MirSense (France), Emerson Electric Co. (US), Block Engineering. (US), Wavelength Electronics, Inc. (US), Daylight Solutions. (US), Alpes Lasers (Switzerland), nanoplus Nanosystems and Technologies GmbH (Germany), and Akela Laser Corporation (US). These companies have used organic and inorganic growth strategies, such as product launches, acquisitions, and partnerships, to strengthen their position in the market.
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Report Metric |
Details |
| Estimated Value | USD 429 million in 2023 |
| Projected Value | USD 533 million by 2028 |
| Growth Rate | CAGR of 4.4% |
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Market Size Availability for Years |
2019–2028 |
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Base Year |
2022 |
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Forecast Period |
2023–2028 |
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Forecast Units |
Value (USD) |
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Segments Covered |
By Fabrication Technology, By Operation Mode, By Packaging Type, By End-User Industry, By Region |
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Geographies Covered |
South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and RoW |
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Companies Covered |
Thorlabs, Inc. (US), Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (Japan), MirSense (France), Emerson Electric Co. (US), Block Engineering. (US), Wavelength Electronics, Inc. (US), Daylight Solutions. (US), Alpes Lasers (Switzerland), nanoplus Nanosystems and Technologies GmbH (Germany), Akela Laser Corporation (US), LaserMaxDefense (US), Picarro, Inc. (US), Aerodyne Research Inc. (US), Power Technologies. (US), MG Optical Solutions GmbH (Germany), Sacher Lasertechnik GmbH (Germany), AdTech Optics (US), LongWave Photonics LLC (US), and ELUXI Ltd (UK) |
Quantum Cascade Laser Market Highlights
This research report categorizes the Quantum Cascade Laser Market based on by fabrication technology, operation mode, packaging type, end-user industry, and region.
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Segment |
Subsegment |
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By Fabrication Technology |
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By Operation Mode |
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By Packaging Type |
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By End-User Industry |
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By Region |
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Recent Developments
- In April 2023, Thorlabs, Inc. launched QD8912HH, which is the ideal laser for Ammonia (NH3) sensing as it includes a collimated output, a standard HHL connector for electrical and temperature control, and a tuning range of 8912 nm for the lasing wavelength.
- In March 2023, Wavelength Electronics, Inc. launched QCL2000 LAB can accurately send up to 2 A to the laser and has good stability and minimal noise. With an average current noise density of 4 nA/Hz, this tabletop instrument demonstrates a noise performance of 1.3 A RMS up to 100 kHz. The QCL driver from Wavelength Electronics allows reliable laser output and low-noise high-definition video streaming at a data rate of 1.485 Gbit/s. As a result, the created QCL system is a reliable tool for actual field uses in free-space communication.
- In March 2022, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. announced the world’s first QCL module with an adjustable frequency range of 0.42 to 2 THz. Hamamatsu’s innovation was made possible by employing cutting-edge optical design technology to analyze the terahertz wave generating principle, which increases the output power of the QCL, and the arrangement of the highly effective external cavity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
What is the current size of the Global Quantum Cascade Laser Market?
The Quantum Cascade Laser market is projected to grow from USD 429 million in 2023 to USD 533 million by 2028; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.4% from 2023 to 2028.
Who are the winners in the Global Quantum Cascade Laser Market?
Companies such as Thorlabs, Inc. (US), Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (Japan), MirSense (France), Emerson Electric Co. (US), and Block Engineering. (US).
Which region is expected to hold the highest market share?
North America is expected to dominate the Quantum Cascade Laser market during the forecast period. Growing demand for industrial applications and the presence of established QCL manufacturers are the major factors contributing to the market growth in North America.
What are the major drivers and opportunities related to the Quantum Cascade Laser market?
The increasing use of quantum cascade lasers in gas sensing and chemical detection applications and the growing demand for QCLs in healthcare and medical diagnostics, Use of quantum cascade lasers in industrial and environmental monitoring are some of the major drivers and opportunities related to the Quantum Cascade Laser market.
What are the major strategies adopted by market players?
The key players have adopted product launches, acquisitions, and partnerships to strengthen their position in the Quantum Cascade Laser market.
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The study involved four major activities in estimating the size of the Quantum Cascade Laser market. Exhaustive secondary research has been carried out to collect information on the market, the peer markets, and the parent market. Both top-down and bottom-up approaches have been employed to estimate the total market size. Market breakdown and data triangulation methods have also been used to estimate the market for segments and subsegments.
Secondary Research
Revenues of companies offering QCLs have been obtained from the secondary data available through paid and unpaid sources. The revenues have also been derived by analyzing the product portfolio of key companies, and these companies have been rated according to the performance and quality of their products.
In the secondary research process, various secondary sources have been referred to for identifying and collecting information important for this study. Secondary sources include corporate filings (such as annual reports, investor presentations, and financial statements); trade, business, and professional associations; white papers; IoT technologies journals and certified publications; articles by recognized authors; gold-standard and silver-standard websites; directories; and databases.
Secondary research has been mainly conducted to obtain critical information about the value chain of the market, the total pool of key players, market classification and segmentation according to the industry trends to the bottom-most level, geographic markets, and key developments from both market-and technology-oriented perspectives. Secondary data has been collected and analyzed to arrive at the overall market size, which has been further validated by primary research.
Primary Research
Extensive primary research has been conducted after understanding and analyzing the current scenario of the QCL market through secondary research. Several primary interviews have been conducted with key opinion leaders from both demand and supply sides across 4 major regions: Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, and RoW. Approximately 25% of the primary interviews have been conducted with the demand side, while 75% have been conducted with the supply side. Primary data has been collected mainly through telephonic interviews, which consist of 80% of the total primary interviews. Questionnaires and e-mails have also been used to collect data.
After interacting with industry experts, brief sessions were conducted with highly experienced independent consultants to reinforce the findings from our primary. This, along with the in-house subject matter experts’ opinions, has led us to the findings as described in the remainder of this report. The breakdown of primary respondents is as follows:
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Market Size Estimation
The bottom-up procedure has been employed to arrive at the overall size of the Quantum Cascade Laser Market.
- Identifying the types of QCLs and their penetration in different applications
- Analyzing the penetration of each type of QCL through secondary and primary research
- Identifying the ASP of different types of QCLs for the respective applications by conducting multiple discussion sessions with key opinion leaders to understand the detailed working of QCLs and their implementation in multiple applications; this helped analyze the break-up of the scope of work carried out by each major company
- Verifying and cross-checking the estimates at every level with key opinion leaders, including CEOs, directors, and operation managers, and finally with MarketsandMarkets’ domain experts
- Studying various paid and unpaid sources of information, such as annual reports, press releases, white papers, and databases
The top-down approach has been used to estimate and validate the total size of the Quantum Cascade Laser Market.
- Focusing on the expenditures being made in the ecosystem by QCL manufacturers
- Splitting the market by fabrication technology, operation mode, packaging type, end-user industry, and region, and listing the key developments
- Identifying all leading players and end users in the QCL market based on fabrication technology, operation mode, packaging type, and end-user industry through secondary research and verifying them through a brief discussion with industry experts
- Analyzing revenues, product mix, and geographic presence of all identified players to estimate and arrive at percentage splits for all key segments
- Discussing splits with the industry experts to validate the information and identify the key growth pockets across all segments
- Breaking down the total market size based on verified splits and key growth pockets across all segments
Data Triangulation
After arriving at the overall size of the Quantum Cascade Laser market from the estimation process explained earlier, the global market was split into several segments and subsegments. Where applicable, data triangulation and market breakdown procedures have been employed to complete the overall market engineering process and arrive at the exact statistics for all segments and subsegments. The data was triangulated by studying various factors and trends from the demand and supply sides. Additionally, the market size has been validated using top-down and bottom-up approaches.
Market Definition
Quantum cascade lasers emit light in mid to far-infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. They differ from other semiconductor diode lasers in their fundamental structure. These lasers are unipolar and rely only on electrons for their progression. Quantum cascade lasers are used in spectroscopy, free-space communication, breath analysis, and missile countermeasure applications. The market research study includes only QCL-based products, modules, and chips. It does not include any other type of semiconductor laser, fiber laser, and carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. The scope of the study includes different fabrication technologies, operation modes, packaging types, and end users of quantum cascade lasers as well as regions wherein they are used.
Key Stakeholders
- Brand Product Manufacturers/Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)/Original Device Manufacturers (ODMs)
- Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) Product Manufacturers
- Semiconductor Component Suppliers/Foundries
- Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) Material and Component Suppliers
- Manufacturing Equipment Suppliers
- System Integrators
- Technology/IP Developers
- Consulting and Market Research Service Providers
- Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) and Material-related Associations, Organizations, Forums, and Alliances
- Venture Capitalists and Startups
- Research and Educational Institutes
- Distributors and Resellers
- End Users
Report Objectives
- To define, describe, and forecast the size of the market, by fabrication technology, operation mode, packaging type, and end-user industry.
- To describe and forecast the market size, by region, for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW), in terms of value.
- To analyze the emerging application/use cases in the QCL market.
- To provide detailed information regarding major factors such as drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges influencing the growth of the market
- To provide Porter’s five forces analysis along with the technology and the market roadmaps for the QCL market
- To describe the ecosystem/value chain of the QCL market consisting of material and component suppliers, driver IC suppliers, manufacturing equipment suppliers, manufacturers, and brand product manufacturers.
- To strategically analyze the micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and contribution to the total market
- To analyze opportunities in the market for stakeholders and provide a detailed competitive landscape for the market players.
- To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their market ranking and core competencies.
- To analyze competitive developments, such as joint ventures, collaborations, agreements, contracts, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and product launches and developments in the market.
Available customizations:
With the given market data, MarketsandMarkets offers customizations according to the specific requirements of companies. The following customization options are available for the report:
- Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players based on various blocks of the supply chain
Growth opportunities and latent adjacency in Quantum Cascade Laser Market