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Market Research Report

Sapphire Market 2010

Published by Yole Developpement
Published February, 2010 Product code 114221
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This publication has been discontinued on May 12, 2011.

Below is the updated product.

Published: November, 2010
Product code: 135550

Introduction

Abstract

TOTAL SAPPHIRE MARKET FOR SUBSTRATES TO EXCEED $200 IN 2010

Sapphire product is serving mainly 2 applications in the electronics field: GaNbased LED and RF devices, both for mobile phones (Silicon-on-Sapphire "SoS" technology). The sapphire substrate market for electronic applications has reached a market volume of approximately 9 million wafers (2" equivalent) for LED augmented by some 10' s of thousands 6" and 8" wafers for SoS RF applications in 2009.

Despite the 2009 economic situation and thanks mostly to LCE LED backlight applications, the c-plan sapphire wafer market grew +4% over 2009 compared to 2008 in the LED segment. On the other hand, r-plan sapphire business for SoS applications has been strongly affected by the recession as the main application markets are related to consumer appliances (mainly mobile phones). As a result, a -55% revenue decline has been observed on the r-plan side.

2"SAPPHIRE PRICE AS LOW AS EVER BUT SHORTAGE RISK COULD GENERATE TURBULENCE

The price pressure on 2" remains critical and our models showed that most of the suppliers are having a very tiny margin on that material and some of them are even losing money in that business. The 2" price level, especially in Taiwan, was extremely low and the psychological $10 threshold has probably been reached. We' re forecasting a ~ 5% price increase across the board.

However, just like for cores, it will be unevenly distributed through the different diameters, with 2" price to increase up to 40% in 2010 while, on the other hand, we expect 3" and 4" price to remain stable compared to their low of 2009 and actually decrease another 20% compared to their ASP through 2009. Indeed, our Demand-Capacity analysis shows a "risk-zone" that should occur during the second half of 2010, where all the planned capacity won' t be fully installed, facing a demand in LED that can create some turbulence. Now, we feel comfortable saying that this stress period should end early in 2011 with the full ramp-up of sapphire producers.

Is 6" saphire economicaly viable for LED?

Year 2009 saw the introduction of first industrial tools running 6" diameter for LED manufacture. It is still unclear how 6" sapphire can bring a strong added-value on the LED manufacturing cost as the market price of these substrates stays very high in comparison to $/ sq. inch costs for 2" and 4" wafers. We ran our proprietary Sapphire Growth Cost Model tool and found that only Kyropulos and EFG growth techniques could generate a sub $6/sq. inch c-plan wafer cost in 6" diameter, which is again very expensive compared to smaller diameter materials.

JAPAN CAPTURES ALMOST HALF THE BUSINESS

With more than 44% market share, Japanese sapphire producers are again leading the business in 2009. Kyocera and Namiki are now collecting more than $100M in sapphire revenues for both substrates and non-substrate (Optical applications) products. Shinkosha and Sumitomo Metal Mining are also part of the TOP-12 players. In the US, Rubicon has faced a severe downturn on the r-plan segment as its main client Peregrine has strongly reduced its orders. In Europe, Monocrystal Plc. remains the number one actor.

This report provides a complete analysis of the 2 main applications targeted by the sapphire substrates along with key market metrics. It describes the involvement of the major material suppliers and gives a snapshot of the sapphire industry playground. The report presents the $ and unit values on the 2006-2013 time scale for the GaNbased LED and SoS-based RF devices and their equivalence in substrate consumptions and related material market size.

Table of Contents

Glossary

Latest Noteworthy News

Executive Summary

2005-2013 sapphire total market size in M$ and Msi (LED & SoS)

Sapphire substrate market p9

  • Introduction
  • Main applications of Sapphire-based devices
  • Sapphire properties
  • Sapphire characteristics by application
  • Growth methods for sapphire substrates
  • Typical sapphire polished wafer manufacturing cost breakdown
  • Map of sapphire suppliers location
  • Company business model
  • Overview of the company?s products
  • Overview Of Non Electronic Applications
  • Companies Not Involved in the Substrate Business
  • 2009 Total sapphire vendor revenues (Substrate + Others)
  • 2009 sapphire vendor revenues breakdown by region
  • 2009 sapphire for substrates. Vendor revenues (split ingots + blanks & epi-ready)
  • 2009 sapphire for substrates. Vendor revenues (split by LED vs. SoS)
  • 2009 Epi-ready substrates only geographic breakdown: Supply-chain of the sapphire business
  • Patterned Substrates
  • Opportunities for Equipment Manufacturers
  • Substrate reclaiming
  • Zoom On Korea
  • Zoom on Taiwan
  • Alternative to Sapphire (Si, GaN, ZnO, Glass)
  • 6? wafers for LED: when and at what price?
  • Sapphire for LED: Diameter Trends
  • CREE and Sapphire
  • Sapphire Shortage: Risk analysis
  • Sapphire wafer diameter roadmap
  • Time to market

Sapphire for Nitride LEDs p59

  • Market segmentation
  • LED Market Volume as a function of LED type
  • LED Market Revenues as a function of LED type
  • LED regional production capacity
  • 2008 LED market shares
  • LED manufacturers? position on the value chain.
  • LED regional production capacity as of early 2009
  • From epi capacity to LED capacity
  • Sapphire substrates for LED market price projection split by diameter
  • 2005-2013 Sapphire substrates market for LED in volume, by diameter & related market size
  • 2005-2013 Sapphire substrates market for LED in value, split by diameter
  • Sapphire substrates consumption for LED
  • Regional usage breakdown 2008 and 2009
  • Conclusion and perspectives

Silicon-on-Sapphire p80

  • Antenna Switch Module (ASM) market
  • Latest noteworthy news of SoS industry
  • What we saw, what we missed?
  • Comparison with 2008 edition
  • Comparison of cell-phone antenna switching module (ASM) technologies
  • Antenna Switching Module (ASM) market data and main players
  • Comparison of Si CMOS vs. SoS UltraCMOSR architectures
  • Comparison of main specifications of GaAs vs. SoS antenna switches
  • 2005-2013 RF switch technology market breakdown.
  • Main data of the SoS UltraCMOSR switch manufacturing process
  • 2005-2013 SoS sapphire substrate ASP
  • 2005-2013 sapphire substrate market size and volume for SoS applications
  • Estimation of 2009 r-plan sapphire wafer orders, split by company
  • Conclusion and Outlook

Possible other markets for Sapphire material p93

Company Profiles p98-167

Location contact, business model, overview, employees, capacity, application, products, revenues, growth technology

  • ACME Electronics Corporation.
  • Alpha Crystal Technology Corp.: ACTC
  • Advanced System Technology
  • Crystal GmbH
  • CrystalQ
  • Crystal Systems
  • Crystal Wise
  • Crystal On
  • Epistone
  • Exiton
  • ILJIN Display Co.
  • Jiaozuo City Crystal Photoelectric Material Co., Ltd .
  • Juropol
  • Kyocera
  • M.J Corporation
  • Monocrystal PLC, Inc.
  • Namiki
  • N-Crystals
  • Precision Sapphire Technologies
  • Rubicon Technology
  • Saito Optical Science
  • Saifei
  • Saint-Gobain Crystals
  • San Chih Semiconductor
  • Sapphire Technology Co., Ltd
  • Sino American Silicon
  • Shinkosha
  • Silian Sapphire Corporation
  • Siltron / LG
  • Sumitomo Metal Fine Technology
  • Tera Xtal Technology
  • Wafer Works

Press Release

Sapphire: prices for 2" cores to increase by 40% in 2010

March 3rd, 2010

Global Information would like to present a new market research report, "Sapphire Market 2010" by Yole Developpement.

Sapphire is currently found in primarily found in two applications relating to the electronics field: RF devices and GaNbased LED, both of which are used in mobile phones (e.g. Silicon-on-Sapphire "SoS" techonology). In the year 2009, the sapphire substrate market for electronic applications is estimated to have reached a market volume of 9 million 2" wafers for LED and approximately tens of thousands of 6" and 8" wafers for SoS RF applications.

Research and analysis by Yole Development shows that the price levels of 2" sapphire wafers was extremely low, especially in Taiwan; however, prices are forecasted to rise by 5% across the board. Despite this modest estimate, it is plausible for the sapphire market to see price increases of 2" wafers to increase by 40% in 2010. Meanwhile, Yole Developments research expects the prices of 3" and 4" sapphire wafers to remain relatively stable, despite a possible 20% price decrease. Yole Developments "Demand-Capactiy" analysis indicates a "risk-zone" in the latter half of 2010, where "all the panned capacity wont be fully installed, facing a demand in LED that can create some turbulence". However, this period of turbulence is predicted to conclude by early 2011 with a "full ramp-up of sapphire producers".

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