GT Advanced Technologies to provide large diameter sapphire cores to Chongqing Silian Optoelectronics for production of HB LED substrates

MERRIMACK, USA: GT Advanced Technologies Inc. announced that its subsidiary, GT Crystal Systems, has entered into a purchase agreement with Chongqing Silian Optoelectronics Science & Technology Co. Ltd (Silian) to supply 500,000 TIE (2-inch equivalent) of 6-inch diameter C-plane sapphire cores, which Silian will use to produce high quality sapphire substrates for the high brightness LED industry.

“We are pleased to announce this important agreement for large diameter sapphire cores and to continue our long and successful relationship with Silian,” said Cheryl Diuguid, GT Advanced Technologies’ VP and GM of its Sapphire Equipment and Materials Group. “Silian has an outstanding reputation for providing high quality substrates to some of the most advanced LED producers in the industry. This contract further validates that sapphire material produced in our ASF furnaces is well suited for use in the LED supply chain.”

"ASF-grown sapphire has helped Silian and our customers to achieve the high yields necessary for the maturing LED industry,” said David Reid, COO and GM, Chongqing Silian Optoelectronics Science & Technology Co. Ltd. “The consistency and quality of ASF-grown sapphire has served our business well and we look forward to continued collaboration with GT Crystal Systems.”

GT’s ability to produce LED-grade sapphire at diameters of six inches and larger helps to accelerate the transition to next generation MOCVD production tools capable of handling the larger diameter wafers. Larger substrates allow more efficient MOCVD production processes than current generation MOCVD tools processing two- and four-inch wafers.

The large diameter cores will be produced from boules grown in GT’s ASF sapphire growth furnaces installed in the company’s newly expanded sapphire manufacturing facility in Salem, Massachusetts. This is the same technology which has been sold commercially to GT’s ASF equipment customers.