Sapphire substrates offer a unique combination of physical properties such as high insulation, transparency and hardness. Combine these physical properties with an excellent resistance to harsh chemicals and high temperature environments and the result is a truly optimal material for optoelectronic manufacturing applications. The exhibition of these same physical properties and resistances are also highly effective in electronic manufacturing processes.
Saint-Gobain Crystals sapphire substrates are at the heart of the optoelectronic revolution; they are your best choice for high brightness LEDs for solid state lighting. Our sapphire substrates are also excellent for Laser Diodes for the next-generation optical recording devices, for high frequency, high power electronics, as well as superconductors and pressure transducers.
Sapphire crystals can also be cut precisely along various orientations and finished with surfaces engineered at the atomic level.
We offer epitaxy ready A, M, R or C plane sapphire substrates in sizes ranging from 2 to 6 inches. Our sapphire substrates arrive with precisely controlled orientation and superior surface characteristics.
With the combined knowledge and skills of our engineering team and corporate research center, our experts will help you in identifying, defining and optimizing the key substrate parameters for your process.
c-plane Sapphire
Substrates with one or both surfaces polished are useful for the growth of III-V and II-VI compounds such as GaN for high-brightness LED applications. Other applications include mercury cadmium telluride for infrared detector applications.
r-plane Sapphire
Substrates are preferred for the hetero-epitaxial deposition of silicon used in microelectronic IC applications. Our improved fabrication process ensures no subsurface work damage. The exceptionally smooth surface finish and high dielectric constant make sapphire an excellent choice for hybrid substrates, particularly for microwave ICs. Additionally, when filmed with an epitaxial silicon process, substrates are useful in high speed IC and pressure transducer applications. Other applications include the growth of thallium and other superconducing compounds, high impedance resistors, the growth of GaAs or as a stable platform for carrying or bonding other materials.
a-plane Sapphire
a-plane sapphire substrates are useful for hybrid microelectronic applications requiring a uniform dielectric constant, and high insulating characteristics. These orientations can be used for the growth of high Tc superconductors. Angstrom level surface finishes allow for fineline interconnects of hybrid modules.