Category Archives: LEDs

June 29, 2012 – Marketwire — Silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors will see 38% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2022, according to “SILICON CARBIDE (SIC) SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS & DEVICES (DISCRETES & CHIP) MARKET – GLOBAL FORECASTS & ANALYSIS (2012 – 2022),” a new report from MarketResearch.com.

In the next 10 years, SiC will join silicon as a mass manufacturing material for semiconductors. The total SiC semiconductor devices’ market revenue (including power, opto & high-temperature) stands at approximately $218 million in 2012 and is expected to reach $5.34 billion by 2022.

SiC offers wider band gap, larger critical electric field, and higher thermal conductivity than silicon. SiC semiconductors and microelectronics offer certain technological advantages over silicon devices, including up to 20% higher efficiency, inherent radiation resistance, high-temperature/voltage operational stability, better power handline and smaller form factors. Discretes based on SiC include Schottky diodes, MOSFETs, and the other advanced transistors, as well as opto-semiconductors (LEDs, laser diodes), and high-temperature rad-hard semis.

Over the past decade, research was carried out on a massive scale to develop SiC-based discretes (MOSFETs & various types in them, IGBTs, diodes & rectifiers, thyristors, and other FETs) and ICs that have advanced and sophisticated characteristics and offer better flexibility for use in several power applications. With such promising futures, the SiC semiconductor devices market is expected to grow robustly at a high CAGR of 37.67% from 2012 to 2022.

The SiC market’s competitive landscape had only a handful of players in the beginning of the previous decade, but it quickly emerged into a vast network with more than forty key players combining both — materials & devices.

Currently, the overall SiC power semiconductors market accounts for less than 1% of the total power semiconductors market (currently at $34 billion including power discretes and power ICs), but over the next ten years, the entire base for power semiconductors & electronics players is expected to penetrate this new value chain, thereby rapidly increasing the percentage share.

Use of SiC in specifically the industrial, power, solar & wind sector (for power applications) also enables smaller heat sink, passive, and magnetic nature in system designs.

SiC electronics also find applications in electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, rail transportation, power supply units, photovoltaic applications, converters & inverters, and many more.

This report defines and segments the global SiC Semiconductor market with analysis and forecasting of the revenues and volumes for the overall market and all its sub segments. This report mainly focuses on three major aspects — the Market Overview (Landscape), the Market Analysis (Dynamics) and the Market Classification (Segmentation). Extensive and detailed classification of the SiC semiconductor devices market is done in this report by technology, products, devices, application and geography. Since the report mainly covers the SiC semiconductor market whose parent market is the global semiconductor market, the report also includes various aspects related to the overall semiconductor industry in several instances throughout the report in various chapters. A comparison of various aspects, of each market segment with its parent market (for example, SiC power semiconductors with overall power semiconductors) is done at every possible level to give an idea about the total addressable markets for each market segment and the market penetrations.

This report is focused on giving a complete bird’s eye-view of the upcoming industry with regards to SiC semiconductor market with highly detailed market segmentations, combined with high level qualitative analysis at each and every aspect of the classifications done by technology, polymer types, substrate technology, technology (process) node, product & device types, applications, and geography. All the numbers, both revenue & volumes, at every level of detail are forecasted till 2022 to give a glimpse of the potential revenue base in the SiC industry and market. The report also gives the market dynamics by identifying the major driving and restraining factors for the global market with analysis of trends, opportunities, winning imperatives, and burning issues along with porter’s five force analysis of the SiC semiconductor devices market.

MarketResearch.com provides global market intelligence products and services. For more information, visit: http://www.marketresearch.com/MarketsandMarkets-v3719/SILICON-CARBIDE-SIC-SEMICONDUCTOR-MATERIALS-7012606/

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June 29, 2012 – Marketwire — Cambridge NanoTech, maker of atomic layer deposition (ALD) technologies, entered a licensing agreement with Ghent University in Belgium to commercialize an ALD particle coating technology. 

Cambridge NanoTech ALD systems are used in the production of semiconductors, flat panel displays, and solid state lighting. The new system, Cyprus, will perform ALD coatings of particles, powders, and small 3D objects with and without plasma. Its rotary reactor architecture optimizes conformal coating without the complexity of traditional fluidized approaches.

"The Cyprus Particle Coating system expands the ability to deposit thin films on powders by utilizing thermal and plasma ALD in a single platform. This in turn and can allow users to take advantage of the full spectrum of additional benefits such as improved nucleation rates, decreased processing temperature, and improved film quality offered by plasma-assisted ALD processes," explains Ganesh Sundaram, VP of technology at Cambridge NanoTech.

Ghent University has been developing its particle and powder coating technologies focusing on surface functionalization uses. "There have been an increasing number of possible applications for nanocoatings on particles and powders emerging over the past decade that require atomic level control of layer thickness and uniformity," said Christophe Detavernier, Professor at Ghent University. "ALD has proven to be a very reliable method for depositing ultrathin, conformal coatings on powders."

Located in Flanders, Belgium, Ghent University is an active partner in national and international educational, scientific and industrial cooperation. Ghent University hosts 32,000 students and 7,100 staff members.

Cambridge NanoTech delivers Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) systems capable of depositing ultra-thin films that are used in a wide variety of research and industrial applications. To learn more about Cambridge NanoTech, please visit www.cambridgenanotech.com.

June 28, 2012 — SEMICON West 2012 will take place July 10-12 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. Following is a preview of the light-emitting diode (LED) and organic LED (OLED) events taking place during SEMICON West.

Wednesday, July 11

10:30am-3:30pm

Enabling the Next Generation of HB LEDs

We’ve invited industry experts from across the globe to talk about practical solutions for enabling the economics for the solid state lighting market to take off, focusing particularly on significant new developments in manufacturing technology. The morning addresses some big-picture topics, with Cree’s Mike Watson discussing business model issues, and Canaccord Genuity’s Jed Dorscheimer examining the impact of improving yields on his projections for wide market adoption. Everlight Electronics’ Ilkan Cokgor focuses on potential solutions for reducing the high cost of packaging. Lunera’s Steve Paolini looks at options beyond blue LED emitters. LayTec’s Kolja Haberland discusses the potential impact of in-situ metrology on yield, while EVG’s Thomas Uhrmann talks about better light extraction with efficient alternatives for nano-patterning sapphire.

The afternoon program looks at the status of some potentially disruptive technologies.

Soraa’s Mike Krames updates on GaN-on-GaN technology, while Lattice Power’s Hanmin Zhao presents results of their GaN-on-Si production, and Yole Développement’s Eric Virey gives an overview the state of GaN-on-Si technology across the industry. Seoul Semiconductor’s Brian Wilcox looks at the potential for AC and UV technologies. James Zahler of GT Advanced Technologies shares results of research on which substrate defects turn out to really matter most. And Dan Morrow of Op-Test shows data on using radiometric color measurements to predict final device performance. http://www.semiconwest.org/node/8501 

Location: Extreme Electronics TechXPOT

Back right-hand corner of Moscone South Hall

 

10:00am-6:00pm

Metal Oxide TFT Devices and Technology Workshop

FlexTech Alliance presents a workshop on the state of low temperature, low cost metal oxide TFTs for OLED and LCDs, with speakers from Sharp, CBRITE, PARC, BizWitz, Cambridge NanoTech, Oregon State, Penn State, Eastman Kodak, and Arizona State. Separate registration required. http://www.semiconwest.org/node/9156

Location: San Francisco Marriott Marquis Hotel, 55 Fourth Street (Fourth & Mission), near Moscone Center

3:30-5:00pm

SEMICON West Happy Hour

Location: South and North Halls

 

Thursday, July 12

10:30-11:45

Plastic/Flexible Electronics program looks at the state of OLED lighting technology

The program on printed/flexible electronics also covers OLED technology this year.

Panasonic’s Takuya Komoda will report on the lower- cost production technology enabling the company’s joint venture commercial OLED lighting products. Display Search’s Jennifer Colegrove gives an update on the state of the OLED market and technology for lighting and displays. IMEC’s Serge Biesemans discusses that research institute’s OLED flexible electronics work. http://www.semiconwest.org/node/8536

Location: Extreme Electronics TechXPOT

3:00 PM to 5:00 PM

 

HB-LED Standards Committee Meeting

The HB-LED Standards Committee will review progress towards 150mm sapphire wafer specifications, automation specifications, and evaluation of wafer defects. The wafer task force will report on progress on its sapphire wafer specifications, and on the available results from its cooperative research effort on the survivability of various wafer marks. The automation task force will update on its progress on specifications for open cassettes, load ports, and software communications interfaces. The new task force on wafer impurities and defects will discuss results from its survey on which sapphire defects matter most and how best to inspect for them. See Standards SEMICON West 2012  for more information and to register.

Location: San Francisco Marriott Marquis Hotel, 55 Fourth Street (Fourth & Mission), near Moscone Center

For more information on SEMICON West 2012, please visit www.semiconwest.org. Register now.

June 27, 2012 — Canon Inc. launched the FPA-3030i5+ i-line stepper for manufacturing micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) and energy-efficient “green” devices such as power semiconductors in solar and wind applications and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Several upgrades were incorporated to the FPA-3000 series to meet the “unique process requirements” in these markets. The FPA-30303i5+ provides imaging resolution below 350nm while maintaining overlay accuracy of <40nm and throughput in excess of 104 wafers per hour (WPH).

The FPA-3030i5+ features an updated software structure and electrical control system that allow the application of advanced hardware and software options to support next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.

The FPA-3030 platform allows processing of silicon (Si), sapphire (Al2O3), silicon carbide (SiC) and a wide variety of wafer materials used in “green” device manufacturing. FPA-3030i5+ options include warped-wafer handling systems to allow processing of distorted substrates. The FPA-3030i5+ stepper can also be configured to process multiple wafer sizes, and hosts various options to improve productivity and efficiency.

Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) provides digital imaging solutions. Internet: http://www.canon.com/.

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June 26, 2012 — Vacuum product and abatement system maker Edwards (NASDAQ:EVAC) introduced the iXH645H dry pump, optimized for metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, a key step in light-emitting diode (LED) and compound semiconductor (III-V materials) manufacturing.

The iXH645H delivers very high gas flow capability and can operate continuously at the high loads required for the latest-generation LED manufacturing tools. LED and compound semiconductor manufacturing processes typically use high flows of light hydrogen and highly corrosive ammonia gasses. The iXH645H reportedly offers superior hydrogen pumping performance and a corrosion-resistant design, including a patented nitrogen purge barrier to protect the pump seals. Its high-temperature capabilities help prevent condensation of any phosphorous compounds present.

Maintenance requirements are minimized to increase uptime. Advanced oil lubrication and seal technology eliminate periodic maintenance requirements, while its thermal and motor design prevent overheating, motor overloads or zones of limited operation. The pump’s optimized temperature control system ensures the pump is ready for process within approximately 30 minutes of start-up.

Also read: Growing market for LEDs fuels need for advanced abatement systems

Visit Edwards at North Hall, Booth 5351 during InterSolar and SEMICON West, taking place July 10-12 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. More SEMICON West products here.

Edwards is a leading manufacturer of sophisticated vacuum products and abatement systems and a leading provider of related value-added services for the manufacture of semiconductors, flat panel displays, LEDs and solar cells, as well as other industries. Edwards’ American Depositary Shares trade on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol EVAC. Further information about Edwards can be found at www.edwardsvacuum.com.

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June 26, 2012 — JP Sercel Associates Inc. released the IX-6168-PS picosecond-laser-based micromachining platform, using lasers with 5-500 picosecond pulse lengths.

The lasers machine glass, ceramics, metals and alloys, and other hard-to-process materials. With ultrafast laser processing, the pulse duration is shorter than the thermal diffusion timescale of the material, resulting in a direct solid to vapor transition that greatly reduces debris formation, and minimizes thermal impact on the surrounding area.

The JPSA picosecond laser platform is designed to accept multiple types of ultrafast lasers. Laser choices include infrared (IR), green or UV wavelengths, and a range of power and pulse rate options. The laser is accommodated in a slide-out service trolley within the workstation, and is fully integrated with the system control software. 

JPSA provides a dual-beam delivery configuration; a fixed-beam configuration can be used to produce a finely focused beam, with a precision air-bearing stage for precise feature positioning; for high-speed processing of complex shapes, a high-accuracy galvanometer configuration incorporates a step-and-scan function. The IX-6168-PS is delivered with both fixed beam and galvanometer scanning capability, and can be easily reconfigured on-site to suit individual needs.

The IX-6168-PS can be supplied as a manual-load system, or combined with JPSA’s Integrated Automation Platform for fully automated operation in semiconductor wafer applications. Configuration options include laser wavelength, power and repetition rate, and a choice of galvanometer scanner and lens systems to optimize large deflection field applications.

JPSA products and services include UV excimer, DPSS and ultra-fast laser micromachining systems, UV and VUV laser beam delivery systems, laser materials processing development, optical damage testing, and excimer laser refurbishment services. JPSA operates a high-performance laser job shop as well as a systems engineering and manufacturing business. For more information, visit http://www.jpsalaser.com.

June 25, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Panasonic Corporation (NYSE:PC, TOKYO:6752) and Sony Corporation will combine their core and printing technology to jointly develop next-generation organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel and module manufacturing technology.

Sony and Panasonic will develop printing-method-manufacturable next-generation OLED technology, targeting low-cost mass production of large, high-resolution OLED panels and modules for TVs and large-sized displays.

Sony and Panasonic plan to establish a mass-production methodology in 2013.

Sony makes 11” and 25” OLED displays, using deposition technologies for manufacturing. Sony has actively promoted the research and development of next-generation OLED technologies such as hybrid OLED element devices and processing technologies that combine deposition and printing methods, thin film transistor (TFT) drivers such as oxide TFTs, and flexible organic TFTs.

Panasonic uses an all-printing method, as well as other printing techniques, to make its large-sized screen, high-resolution OLED panels. Panasonic owns the unique production and equipment technologies to produce OLED panels via this method. Panasonic is also pursuing the future possibility of OLED panels, and is carrying out research and development of advancements in flexible OLED panels and aiming to develop large-sized, high-quality sheet-type displays.

In parallel with the joint development of the next-generation technologies of the OLED panels and modules, Sony and Panasonic plan to continue to study collaboration in the mass production of OLED panels and modules. Also, each company plans to utilize its own strengths to develop and commercialize its own competitive, high-performance, next-generation OLED televisions and large-sized displays.

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June 22, 2012 — A multidisciplinary research team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in Spain developed a new mathematical approach to simulating the electronic behavior of noncrystalline materials, with applications in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), flexible printable organic (FPO) electronic circuits, and solar cells.

This mathematical technique, free convolution (a form of free probability applied to random matrices), has not previously been applied in physics or chemistry. It uses approximations rather than exact solutions, yet the resulting predictions match the actual electronic properties of noncrystalline materials with great precision.

The method takes a matrix problem that is too complex to solve easily by traditional mathematical methods and “approximates it with a combination of two matrices whose properties can be calculated easily,” without the complex calculations that would be required to solve the original problem, explained Jiahao Chen, a postdoc in MIT’s Department of Chemistry.

Simulating materials that lack an orderly crystal structure with random-matrix theory allows researchers to couple disorder in a material with its effect on electrical properties, Chen said. Typically, figuring out the electronic properties of materials from first principles requires calculating certain properties of matrices. The numbers in the matrix represent the energies of electrons and the interactions between electrons, which arise from the way molecules are arranged in the material.
To determine how physical changes, such as shifting temperatures or adding impurities, will affect such materials would normally require varying each number in the matrix, and then calculating how this changes the properties of the matrix. With disordered materials, where the values of the numbers in the matrix are not precisely known, this is a very difficult mathematical problem to solve.

Random-matrix theory’s probability distribution makes it possible to translate basic information about the amount of disorder in the molecular structure of a material into a prediction of its electrical properties.

While mathematicians have used such methods in the abstract, “to our knowledge, this is the first application of this theory to chemistry,” Chen says. The team also investigated why free convolution was so accurate, which led to new mathematical discoveries in free probability theory. The method derived for estimating the amount of deviation between the precise calculation and the approximation is new, Chen says, “driven by our questions” for the mathematicians on the team.

“Our results are a promising first step toward highly accurate solutions of much more sophisticated models,” Chen says. Ultimately, an extension of such methods could lead to “reducing the overall cost of computational modeling of next-generation solar materials and devices. There is a lot of interest in how organic semiconductors can be used to make solar cells” as a possible lower-cost alternative to silicon solar cells, Chen says. In some types of these devices, “all the molecules, instead of being perfectly ordered, are all jumbled up.”

The research is reported in the journal Physical Review Letters, to be published June 29.

The team included Chen, MIT associate professor of chemistry Troy Van Voorhis, chemistry graduate students Eric Hontz and Matthew Welborn and postdoc Jeremy Moix, MIT mathematics professor Alan Edelman and graduate student Ramis Movassagh, and computer scientist Alberto Suárez of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

The work was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation aimed specifically at fostering interdisciplinary research.

Courtesy of David Chandler, MIT News Office. Learn more at www.mit.edu.

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June 21, 2012 — To support the next cycle of LED manufacturing, tools such as MOCVD, plasma etch, lithography, and others must undergo cost efficiency and yield improvements, says Yole Développement. Trends include migrating to larger wafers, silicon substrates, and tools developed specifically for LED fab, rather than retooled from semiconductor manufacturing specs.

The light-emitting diode (LED) market experienced an unprecedented investment cycle in 2010-2011, according to Yole Développement. The LED chip cycle was driven by demand in liquid crystal display (LCD) backlights, anticipation of a general lighting market boom, and generous stimulus subsidies from the Chinese central and local governments. The resulting overcapacity situation will take 12-18 month to absorb.

The next investment cycle, driven by lighting applications, will start in 2013. Expect a more limited cycle due to improvements in fab equipment throughput and yields. To enable massive adoption in general lighting applications, significant technology and manufacturing efficiency improvements are still needed to reduce the cost per lumen of packaged LED.

Figure. LED front end equipment market revenue (MOCVD, lithography, dry etch, PECVD, PVD). SOURCE: Yole June 2012.

LED manufacturing equipment trends

Front-end LED manufacturing typically represents about 50% of the total cost of a packaged LED. LED structures and materials are undergoing performance, manufacturability, and cost improvements.

The metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) equipment market represents a $4.3 billion opportunity in the 2012-2017 period. MOCVD represents the single largest opportunity for front-end cost reduction in LEDs.

Additional equipment — lithography, plasma etch, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD) tools — together represent a $650 million opportunity and will essentially follow a similar trend, with some exceptions. The emergence of LED-dedicated tools has already contributed significantly to cost reduction in lithography, plasma, and PVD processing.

The market for dry etching tools is still growing in 2012 due to increasing adoption for patterned sapphire substrates (PSS).

Most lithography tools will see decreased market as LED makers transition to larger-diameter wafers. The number of wafer starts will see a moderate increase initially but start decreasing in 2015, said Eric Virey, senior analyst, LED, at Yole Développement.

PVD equipment will also experience moderate growth during the next investment cycle.

E-beam evaporators have turned into commodities, with systems available from dozens of vendors at very low cost. But opportunities exist in promoting sputtering for indium tin oxide (ITO) deposition, and sputtering could also gain some traction in metal deposition if the industry adopts large-diameter wafers and moves from batch to single-wafer processing. Sputtering equipment could then offer improved cost of ownership.

Learning from the semiconductor industry

With close to 100 companies involved in front-end LED manufacturing, the industry is too fragmented to generate significant economies of scale. Yole predicts massive consolidation within 3 years (2012-2015), which should speed up process and tools standardization and allow better economy of scale.

LED manufacturing still uses methods that would be considered outdated in most semiconductor industries. Consolidation and emergence of LED “giants” will also facilitate and speed up adoption of manufacturing paradigms coming from the IC industry.

Adoption of silicon substrates for LED manufacturing rapidly move LED epiwafer processing into existing, highly automated and fully depreciated CMOS fabs. This would also give LED makers access to extended “process toolboxes,” which could pave the way for entirely new LED architectures.

Traditional large semiconductor equipment suppliers are mostly absent from the LED manufacturing equipment markets. For MOCVD, the tools are very different than the epitaxy tools used in mainstream semiconductor manufacturing. Designing and building such equipment requires significant and unique expertise that Aixtron, Veeco and Taiyo Nippon Sanso, the leading companies in the sector, have acquired through almost 2 decades.

Other front-end LED manufacturing tools are similar in essence to those used in mainstream semiconductor fabs. However, they often require a full redesign to deliver optimum performance and cost of ownership for LED makers. Smaller companies eager to capture opportunity in this niche market are now offering LED-dedicated tools with cost of ownership (COO) payoffs.

Yole Développement’s new report, “LED Front-End Manufacturing,” is dedicated to the LED manufacturing technology & equipment market, including MOCVD, lithography, dry etching, PECVD and PVD tools.

Companies cited in the report:

ACC Silicon, Accretech, Advanced Dicing Technology, Advanced System Technology (AST), Advatool Semiconductor, Aixtron, ALSI, Altatech (Soitec), AM Technology, AMEC, And Corporation, Applied Materials, APT, Arima, ASM Pacific Technology, ASML, Astri, Aurotek, Autec, Azzurro, Bayer, Beijing Yuji, Bergquist, Bridgelux, Bruker, Canon, Cascade Microtech, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), Chroma, Corial, Cree, Crystal Applied Technology (SAS), Crystal Optech, Crystalwise, Dai Nippon Kaken (DNK), Dai Nippon Screen Mfg, Daitron, Delphi Laser, Denka, Disco, Dow Corning, Dow Electronic Materials, Dynatex, Edison Opto, Epiluxy, Epistar, Eplustek, ESI, Eulitha, EV Group (EVG), Evatec, Everlight Electronics, Fittech, Formosa Epitaxy (Forepi), Four N4, Fraunhofer IZM, FSE Corporation (Fulintec), Galaxia, GE, GloAB, Hans Laser, Hansol Technics, Hauman, Heliodel, Hitachi Cable, Huga, Hybond, Iljin Display, IMEC, Intematix, InVacuo, Ismeca, JCT, JPSA, JT Corp, Jusung Engineering, K&S, KLA Tencor, Lattice Power, Laurier, Laytech, LG Innotek, Lightscape, Lightwave Photonic, Litec, Loomis, Luminus Devices, LWB, Maxis Co, Merk/Litec, Mitsubishi, Mitsuboshi Diamond Industrial, Molecular Imprint, Momentive, Monocrystal, MPI, Nanoco, Nanometrics, Nanosys, Nichia, Nihon Gartner, Nikon, NN Crystal, North Microelectronics, Novellus, NTT, Nusil, Obducat, Oerlikon Systems, OP System, Optest, Opto Supply Ltd, Orbotech, Osram, Oxfrod Instrument Plasma Technology, Palomar Technology, Panasonic, Philips Lumileds, Phosphortech, Plasma-Therm, Procrystal, Proway, Puji Optical, QD Vision, QMC, Quatek, Rigidtek, Rose Street Lab, Rubicon, Rudolph, Samco, Samsung, Sanken, Semileds, Seoul Semiconductors, Sharp, Shibuya, Sino American Silicon (SAS), Sino Kristals Optoelectronics, Sino Nitride, Sky Technology, SNTEK, SPTS, Stararc, Sumitomo Chemical, Suss Microtech, Synova, Tainics, Taiyo Nippon Senso, Tamarack, Tecdia, Technology & Science Enabler (TSE), Tekcore, Temescal, TeraXtal, Toyoda Gosei, Transluscent, TSMC, Ultratech, Ulvac, Uni Via Technology, Ushio, Varian, Veeco, Verticle, Wacker, Waferworks, Wellypower, Wentworth Laboratories, Withlight, YCChem, Ying Lyu, Zeon Chemical.

Dr Eric Virey, holds a Ph.D in Optoelectronics from the National Polytechnic Institute of Grenoble. In the last 12 years, he’s held various R&D, engineering, manufacturing and marketing position with Saint-Gobain Crystals.

Tom Pearsall started the European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC). Before EPIC, he works among others for Bell Laboratories, Thomson/CSF and Corning. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, EPIC, and the IEEE.

Yole Développement provides market research, technology analysis, strategy consulting, media, and finance services. For more information, visit www.yole.fr.

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June 20, 2012 — PLANSEE has developed a pressed-sintered tungsten crucible with an ultra-smooth surface to avoid sapphire ingot or crucible damage in the Kyropoulos method.

When the sapphire crystal is extracted from the crucible, surface adherence can result in cracks or faults in the crystal, as well as damage to the crucible walls. Easier extraction results in higher-quality, higher-yield sapphire ingots for light-emitting diode (LED) wafers. It also enables longer crucible lifetimes.

PLANSEE developed the fully automated crucible manufacturing process with precise control over the material properties of refractory metals. The pressed-sintered tungsten crucible has surface roughness of less than 0.8µm. The smooth surface is less susceptible to corrosion caused by the aggressive melted sapphire, in addition to preventing sapphire cracks and damage.

The tungsten crucible from PLANSEE is high-density, 93%, to retain its shape in high temperatures and rapid temperature changes. PLANSEE tunes the sintering process for the crucibles at very high temperatures and under a uniform temperature distribution to increase density with an extremely homogeneous density distribution.

The crucibles are manufactured in ultra-clean environments and materials supplied in-house to prevent contaminants — iron, titanium, chromium, etc — that can transfer to the sapphire wafers. Purity is in excess of 99.97 %.

Crucibles can be made for 35 to 100kg sapphire ingots, and PLANSEE is process-ready for 200kg sapphire production.

Plansee provides molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, niobium and chromium products for electronics manufacturing. Learn more at www.plansee.com.

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