system extending from fabrication of large sapphire crystals to substrate processing

SMM intends to inject the capital investment of ￥1.2 billion (US $120 million) including investment already completed. Through the led high bay light investment, SMM will construct a continuous production system extending from fabrication of large sapphire crystals to substrate processing.

Currently, 2- to 4-inch-diameter sapphire substrates are popular in the market. But it’s a tendency that the demand for larger-diameter substrates is increasing due to needs for cost reductions from LED manufacturers.

Production of 6-inch-diameter substrates requires the fabrication of large-size crystals, but according to SMM, production is technologically difficult and can be performed stably by only a small number of manufacturers worldwide. 

Japanese based company NGK Insulators has released new wafer products for electronic device applications in ultra high brightness LEDs. It has showcased at SEMICON Japan 2011 held between December 7 through 9 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba for the first time. In the R&D line-up, there are bonded wafers that achieve new functions previously unavailable with a single material wafer, and GaN single crystal wafers that have low defect density and colourless transparency over the whole wafer surface.