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materials | SAPPHIRE WAFERS
$35
$30
$25
$20
$15
$10
$5
$0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Q1-Q2
2009
2" epiready wafer
($/wafer)
Dec.
2009
Mar.
2010
2" Core
($/mm)
26 FEBRUARY 2011 LEDsmagazine.com
Jun.
2010
Aug.
2010
FIG. 2. Recent pricing trends for 2-inch sapphire core material,
and wafers. (Epiready = material that can be used directly for
epitaxial MOCVD growth). Source: Yole Développement.
tal growth stage, where suppliers must install additional furnaces
in order to add capacity. Rubicon, for example, recently opened a
new manufacturing facility in Batavia, Illinois, and is now fi lling
this factory with new crystal growth furnaces. When fully fi tted out,
the new facility is expected to double Rubicon’s capacity, which currently
stands at 5 million 2-inch-equivalent wafers per year.
Like many other crystal growers, Rubicon makes its own proprietary
equipment, understands the process and can qualify new
furnaces relatively quickly. But furnaces are now also available as
turnkey solutions from companies such as GT Solar, Th ermal Technology
and ARC Energy. In December 2010, for example, GT Solar
announced large orders from two Chinese companies for growth
furnaces (www.ledsmagazine.com/press/28616), while Th ermal
Technology launched a commercial kyropoulos crystal grower
(www.ledsmagazine.com/press/28768).
But how long will it take to get these furnaces up and running?
Depending on the company’s experience and its infrastructure, says
Virey, this could be anywhere from 6 months to 18 months. “It is certainly
possible to enter the market more quickly than a few years
ago, but it is still not a slam-dunk,” he says. “A lot of companies are
underestimating the time required.”
A further consideration is the availability of raw materials for crystal
growth; in the case of sapphire, this is high-grade (high-purity)
alumina in a suitable form, such as pellets or microbeads. Virey says
there are around 8-10 suppliers and pricing went up a little recently
but there did not appear to be a supply shortage. “Th e key players are
increasing capacity, so it looks like any issues will be resolved,” he says.
Moving to 6-inch wafers
Most if not all major LED makers have considered the benefi ts and
challenges of moving to 150-mm (approximately 6-inch) diameter
sapphire wafers, but in most cases the move is not a certainty. “LED
makers will only go to 6-inch if they can demonstrate clear advantage
in terms of cost of ownership,” says Virey.
Companies at the forefront of 6-inch wafer manufacturing
include LG Innotek, which has placed a $71 million, 12-month
order for 6-inch sapphire with Rubicon. However, LG is rumoured
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