Quality Gallium Nitride Wafer & Sapphire Wafer manufacturer

   Sapphire – No Misnomer Here!         Watch enthusiasts are certainly familiar with the term "sapphire crystal," as the vast majority of well-known watch models—except for vintage-inspired pieces—almost universally feature this material in their specifications. This raises three key questions:     1. Is sapphire valuable? 2. Is a "sapphire crystal" watch glass really made of sapphire? 3. Why use sapphire?       In reality, the sapphire used in watchmaking is not the same as the natural gemstone in the traditional sense. The correct term is "sapphire crystal" (sometimes called "sapphire glass"), which is a synthetic sapphire primarily composed of aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃). Since no coloring agents are added, synthetic sapphire is colorless.         From a chemical and structural perspective, there is no difference between natural and synthetic sapphire. However, compared to natural sapphire, synthetic sapphire is not particularly valuable.   The reason why major watch brands unanimously favor sapphire crystal for watch glasses isn’t just because it sounds premium—it’s mainly due to its exceptional properties:       - Hardness: Synthetic sapphire matches natural sapphire at 9 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamond, making it highly scratch-resistant (unlike acrylic, which can easily get scuffed).   - Durability: It is corrosion-resistant, heat-resistant, and highly thermally conductive.   - Optical Clarit: Sapphire crystal offers exceptional transparency, making it arguably the perfect material for modern watchmaking.         The use of sapphire crystal in watchmaking began in the 1960sand quickly became widespread. Over the following decades, it became the standard for modern watches, and today, it is practically the only choice in high-end horology.       Then, in 2011, sapphire once again became a sensation in the luxury watch industry when RICHARD MILLE unveiled the RM 056, featuring a fully transparent sapphire case—an unprecedented innovation in high-end watchmaking. Many brands soon realized that sapphire wasn’t just for watch crystals—it could also be used for cases, and it looked stunning.           Within just a few years, sapphire cases became a trend, evolving from clear transparency to vibrant colors, resulting in increasingly diverse designs. As technology advanced, sapphire-cased watches transitioned from limited editions to regular production models, and even core collections.   So today, let’s take a look at some of the sapphire-crystal-cased watches.     ARTYA     Purity Tourbillon This Purity Tourbillon by Swiss independent watchmaker ArtyA features a highly skeletonized design and a transparent sapphire case, maximizing the visual impact of the tourbillon—just as its name suggests: pure tourbillon.     BELL & ROSS     BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon Sapphire In 2016, Bell & Ross debuted its first sapphire watch, the BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon Sapphire, limited to just 5 pieces and priced at over €400,000—a true high-end statement. A year later, they released an even more transparent skeletonized version, the BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire. Then, in 2021, they introduced the BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire, featuring their signature skull motif in a bold square case.         BLANCPAIN   L-Evolution Strictly speaking, Blancpain’s L-Evolution Minute Repeater Carillon Sapphire doesn’t have a fully sapphire case, but its transparent sapphire bridges and side windows create a striking see-through effect—a "half-step" into sapphire cases.     CHANEL           J12 X-RAY For the 20th anniversary of the J12, Chanel unveiled the J12 X-RAY. What makes this watch remarkable is that not only the case and dial are made of sapphire—the entire bracelet is too, achieving a fully transparent look that’s visually breathtaking.             CHOPARD     L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire Released in 2022, Chopard’s L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire was the first minute repeater with a sapphire case. To maximize transparency, even the gongs are made of sapphire—a world-first innovation. The watch also earned the Poinçon de Genève (Geneva Seal), the first non-metal timepiece to do so. Limited to 5 pieces.     GIRARD-PERREGAUX     Quasar In 2019, Girard-Perregaux introduced its first sapphire-cased watch, the Quasar, featuring its iconic "Three Bridges" design. Meanwhile, the Laureato Absolute collection debuted its first sapphire model in 2020, alongside the Laureato Absolute Tribute with a red transparent case—though not sapphire, but a new polycrystalline material called YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet).         GREUBEL FORSEY     30° Double Tourbillon Sapphire Greubel Forsey’s 30° Double Tourbillon Sapphire stands out because both the case and crown are made of sapphire crystal. The manually wound movement, visible through the case, boasts four series-coupled barrels for 120 hours of power reserve. Priced at over $1 million, limited to 8 pieces.     JACOB & CO.     Astronomia Flawless To fully showcase the JCAM24 manual-winding movement, Jacob & Co. created the Astronomia Flawless with a fully sapphire case. From every angle, the intricate movement appears to float in mid-air.     RICHARD MILLE     As the trendsetter in sapphire cases, RICHARD MILLE has mastered the material. Whether in men’s or women’s watches, or complicated timepieces, sapphire cases are a signature. Like carbon fiber, RICHARD MILLE also emphasizes color variations, making their sapphire watches ultra-trendy.       From sapphire crystals to sapphire cases, this material has become a symbol of high-end watchmaking innovation. Which sapphire watch is your favorite? Let us know!

  Laser slicing will become the mainstream technology for cutting 8-inch silicon carbide in the future       Q: What are the main technologies for silicon carbide slicing processing?   A: The hardness of silicon carbide is second only to that of diamond, and it is a high-hardness and brittle material. The process of cutting the grown crystals into sheets takes a long time and is prone to cracking. As the first process in the processing of silicon carbide single crystals, the performance of slicing determines the subsequent grinding, polishing, thinning and other processing levels. Slicing processing is prone to cause cracks on the surface and subsurface of the wafer, increasing the breakage rate and manufacturing cost of the wafer. Therefore, controlling the surface crack damage of the wafer slicing is of great significance for promoting the development of silicon carbide device manufacturing technology. The currently reported silicon carbide slicing processing technologies mainly include consolidation, free abrasive slicing, laser cutting, cold separation and electrical discharge slicing, among which reciprocating diamond consolidated abrasive multi-wire cutting is the most commonly used method for processing silicon carbide single crystals. When the size of the crystal ingot reaches 8 inches or more, the requirements for wire cutting equipment are very high, the cost is also very high, and the efficiency is too low. There is an urgent need to develop new cutting technologies that are low-cost, low-loss and high-efficiency.       ZMSH's SiC crystal ingot       Q: What are the advantages of laser slicing technology over traditional multi-wire cutting technology? A: In the traditional wire cutting process, silicon carbide ingots need to be cut along a certain direction into thin sheets with a thickness of several hundred microns. These sheets are then ground with diamond grinding fluid to remove tool marks and surface subsurface crack damage and reach the required thickness. After that, CMP polishing is carried out to achieve global planarization, and finally, the silicon carbide wafers are cleaned. Due to the fact that silicon carbide is a high-hardness and brittle material, it is prone to warping and cracking during cutting, grinding and polishing, which increases the breakage rate of the wafer and the manufacturing cost. Moreover, the surface and interface roughness is high, and the pollution is severe (such as dust and wastewater). Additionally, the multi-wire cutting processing cycle is long and the yield is low. It is estimated that the traditional multi-wire cutting method has an overall material utilization rate of only 50%, while after polishing and grinding, the cutting loss ratio is as high as 75%. Early production statistics from abroad show that with 24-hour continuous parallel production, it takes about 273 days to produce 10,000 pieces, which is a relatively long time. At present, most domestic silicon carbide crystal growth enterprises adopt the approach of "how to increase production" and significantly raise the number of crystal growth furnaces. In fact, when the crystal growth technology is not yet fully mature and the yield rate is relatively low, they should consider "how to save" more. The adoption of laser slicing equipment can significantly reduce losses and increase production efficiency. According to estimates, taking a single 20-millimeter SiC ingot as an example, 30 350um wafers can be produced using a wire saw, while more than 50 wafers can be produced with laser slicing technology. Meanwhile, due to the better geometric characteristics of the wafers produced by laser slicing, the thickness of a single wafer can be reduced to 200um, which further increases the number of wafers. A single 20mm SiC ingot can produce over 80 wafers. The traditional multi-wire cutting technology has been widely applied in silicon carbide of 6 inches and below. However, it takes 10 to 15 days to cut 8-inch silicon carbide, which has high requirements for equipment, high cost and low efficiency. Under such circumstances, the technical advantages of large-sized laser slicing become apparent and it will become the mainstream technology for 8-inch cutting in the future. Laser cutting of 8-inch silicon carbide ingots can achieve a single-piece cutting time of less than 20 minutes per piece, while the single-piece cutting loss is controlled within 60um.       ZMSH's SiC crystal ingot     Overall, compared with multi-wire cutting technology, laser slicing technology has advantages such as high efficiency and speed, high slicing rate, low material loss, and cleanliness. Q: What are the main difficulties in silicon carbide laser cutting technology? A: The main process of silicon carbide laser cutting technology consists of two steps: laser modification and wafer separation. The core of laser modification is to shape and optimize the laser beam. Various parameters such as laser power, spot diameter, and scanning speed will all affect the effect of silicon carbide ablation modification and subsequent wafer separation. The geometric dimensions of the modification zone determine the surface roughness and the subsequent separation difficulty. High surface roughness will increase the difficulty of subsequent grinding and increase material loss. After laser modification, the separation of wafers mainly relies on shear force to peel the cut wafers off the ingots, such as cold cracking and mechanical tensile force. Currently, domestic manufacturers' research and development mostly use ultrasonic transducers to separate by vibration, which may lead to problems such as fragmentation and chipping, thereby reducing the yield of finished products.   The above two steps should not pose significant difficulties for most research and development units. However, due to the different processes and doping of crystal ingots from various crystal growth manufacturers, the quality of crystal ingots varies greatly. Or, if the internal doping and stress of a single crystal ingot are uneven, it will increase the difficulty of crystal ingot slicing, increase losses and reduce the yield of finished products. Merely identifying through various detection methods and then conducting zonal laser scanning slicing may not have a significant effect on improving efficiency and slice quality. How to develop innovative methods and technologies, optimize the slicing process parameters, and develop laser slicing equipment and technologies with universal processes for crystal ingots of different qualities from different manufacturers is the core of large-scale application.   Q: Besides silicon carbide, can laser slicing technology be applied to the cutting of other semiconductor materials? A: Early laser cutting technology was applied in various material fields. In the semiconductor field, it was mainly used for dicing chip wafers. Currently, it has expanded to the slicing of large-sized single crystals. In addition to silicon carbide, it can also be used for slicing high-hardness or brittle materials such as single crystal materials like diamond, gallium nitride and gallium oxide. The team from Nanjing University has done a lot of preliminary work on the slicing of these several semiconductor single crystals, verifying the feasibility and advantages of the laser slicing technology for semiconductor single crystals.       ZMSH's Diamond wafer & GaN wafer       Q: Are there any mature laser slicing equipment products in our country at present? What stage are you currently at in the research and development of this device?   A: Large-sized silicon carbide laser slicing equipment is regarded by the industry as the core equipment for slicing 8-inch silicon carbide ingots in the future. Large-sized silicon carbide ingot laser slicing equipment can only be provided by Japan. It is expensive and subject to an embargo against China. According to research, the domestic demand for laser slicing/thinning equipment is estimated to reach around 1,000 units based on the number of wire cutting units and the planned capacity of silicon carbide. Currently, domestic companies such as Han's Laser, Delong Laser, and Jiangsu General have invested huge amounts of money in developing related products, but no mature domestic commercial equipment has yet been applied in production lines.   As early as 2001, the team led by Academician Zhang Rong and Professor Xiu Xiangqian from Nanjing University developed a laser exfoliation technology for gallium nitride substrates with independent intellectual property rights, accumulating a rich research foundation. In the past year, we have applied this technology to the laser cutting and thinning of large-sized silicon carbide. We have completed the development of prototype equipment and slicing process research and development, achieving the cutting and thinning of 4-6 inch semi-insulating silicon carbide wafers and the slicing of 6-8 inch conductive silicon carbide ingots. The slicing time for 6-8-inch semi-insulating silicon carbide is 10-15 minutes per slice, with a single-slice loss of less than 30 μ m. The single-piece cutting time for 6-8-inch conductive silicon carbide ingots is 14-20 minutes per piece, with a single-piece loss of less than 60um. It is estimated that the production rate can be increased by more than 50%. After slicing and grinding and polishing, the geometric parameters of the silicon carbide wafers comply with the national standards. The research results also show that the thermal effect during laser slicing has no significant influence on the stress and geometric parameters of silicon carbide. Using this equipment, we also conducted a feasibility verification study on the slicing technology of single crystals of diamond, gallium nitride and gallium oxide.     As an innovative leader in silicon carbide wafer processing technology, ZMSH has taken the lead in mastering the core technology of 8-inch silicon carbide laser slicing. Through its independently developed high-precision laser modulation system and intelligent thermal management technology, it has successfully achieved an industry breakthrough by increasing the cutting speed by more than 50% and reducing material loss to within 100μm. Our laser slicing solution employs ultraviolet ultra-short pulse lasers in combination with an adaptive optical system, which can precisely control the cutting depth and heat-affected zone, ensuring that the TTV of the wafer is controlled within 5μm and the dislocation density is less than 10³cm⁻², providing reliable technical support for the large-scale mass production of 8-inch silicon carbide substrates. At present, this technology has passed automotive-grade verification and is being applied industrially in the fields of new energy and 5G communication.       The following is the SiC 4H-N & SEMI type of ZMSH:               * Please contact us for any copyright concerns, and we will promptly address them.          

Prediction and Challenges of Fifth-Generation Semiconductor Materials     Semiconductors are the cornerstone of the information age, and the iteration of their materials directly determines the boundaries of human technology. From the first generation of silicon-based semiconductors to the current fourth generation of ultra-wide bandgap materials, each generation of innovation has driven leapfrog development in fields such as communication, energy, and computing. By analyzing the characteristics of fourth-generation semiconductor materials and the logic of generational replacement, the possible directions of fifth-generation semiconductors are speculated, and at the same time, the breakthrough path for China in this field is explored.       I. Characteristics of Fourth-Generation Semiconductor Materials and the Logic of Generational Replacement         The "Foundational Era" of the first generation of semiconductors: Silicon and germanium     Characteristics: Elemental semiconductors represented by silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge) have the advantages of low cost, mature process and high reliability. However, they are limited by the relatively narrow bandgap width (Si: 1.12 eV, Ge: 0.67 eV), resulting in poor withstand voltage and insufficient high-frequency performance. Applications: Integrated circuits, solar cells, low-voltage and low-frequency devices. The reason for generational change: With the surging demand for high-frequency and high-temperature performance in the communication and optoelectronics fields, silicon-based materials are gradually unable to meet the demands.         ZMSH's Ge optical Windows & Si wafers         Second-generation semiconductors: The "Optoelectronic Revolution" of compound semiconductors   Characteristics: III-V group compounds represented by gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP) have an increased bandgap width (GaAs: 1.42 eV), high electron mobility, and are suitable for high-frequency and photoelectric conversion. Applications: 5G radio frequency devices, lasers, satellite communications. Challenges: Scarce materials (such as indium reserves of only 0.001%), high preparation costs and the presence of toxic elements (such as arsenic). The reason for generational replacement: New energy and high-voltage power equipment have put forward higher requirements for voltage resistance and efficiency, which has driven the emergence of wide bandgap materials.       ZMSH's GaAs wafer & InP wafers       Third-generation semiconductors: The "Energy Revolution" with Wide bandgap   Features: With silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) as the core, the bandgap width is significantly increased (SiC: 3.2 eV, GaN: 3.4 eV), featuring a high breakdown electric field, high thermal conductivity and high-frequency characteristics. Applications: Electric drive systems for new energy vehicles, photovoltaic inverters, 5G base stations. Advantages: Energy consumption is reduced by more than 50% compared with silicon-based devices, and the volume is reduced by 70%. The reason for generational replacement: Emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing require higher-performance materials for support, and ultra-wide bandgap materials have emerged as The Times require.       ZMSH's SiC wafer & GaN wafers       Fourth-generation semiconductors: The "Extreme Breakthrough" of Ultra-Wide Bandgap   Characteristics: Represented by gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) and diamond (C), the bandgap width has further increased (gallium oxide: 4.8 eV), featuring both ultra-low on-resistance and ultra-high withstand voltage, and having huge cost potential. Applications: Ultra-high voltage power chips, deep ultraviolet detectors, quantum communication devices. Breakthrough: Gallium oxide devices can withstand voltages of over 8000V, and their efficiency is three times higher than that of SiC. The logic of generational replacement: The global pursuit of computing power and energy efficiency has approached the physical limit, and new materials need to achieve performance leaps at the quantum scale.       ZMSH's Ga₂O₃ wafer & GaN On Diamond         Ii. Trends in Fifth-Generation Semiconductors: The "Future Blueprint" of Quantum Materials and Two-dimensional Structures       If the evolutionary path of "bandgap width expansion + functional integration" continues, the fifth-generation semiconductors may focus on the following directions: 1) Topological insulator: With the characteristics of surface conduction and internal insulation, it can be used to build zero-energy electronic devices, breaking through the heat generation bottleneck of traditional semiconductors. 2) Two-dimensional materials: such as graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), with atomic-level thickness, endow ultra-high frequency response and flexible electron potential. 3) Quantum dots and photonic crystals: By regulating the band structure through the quantum confinement effect, the multi-functional integration of light, electricity and heat is achieved. 4) Biosemiconductors: Self-assembling materials based on DNA or proteins, compatible with biological systems and electronic circuits. 5) Core driving forces: The demand for disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, brain-computer interfaces, and room-temperature superconductivity is promoting the evolution of semiconductors towards intelligence and biocompatibility.       Iii. Opportunities for China's Semiconductor Industry: From "Following" to "Keeping Pace"       1) Technological breakthroughs and industrial chain layout · Third-generation semiconductors: China has achieved mass production of 8-inch SiC substrates, and automotive-grade SiC MOSFETs have been successfully applied in automakers such as BYD. · Fourth-generation semiconductors: Xi 'an University of Posts and Telecommunications and the 46th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation have broken through the 8-inch gallium oxide epitaxial technology, entering the first echelon of the world.     2) Policy and capital support · The country's 14th Five-Year Plan has listed the third-generation semiconductors as a key focus, and local governments have established industrial funds worth over 10 billion yuan. · Among the top ten technological advancements in 2024, achievements such as 6-8-inch gallium nitride devices and gallium oxide transistors were selected, demonstrating a breakthrough trend across the entire industrial chain.       Iv. Challenges and the Path to Breaking Through       1) Technical bottleneck · Material preparation: The yield of large-sized single crystal growth is low (for example, gallium oxide is prone to cracking), and the difficulty of defect control is high. · Device reliability: The life test standards under high frequency and high voltage are not yet complete, and the certification cycle for automotive-grade devices is long.       2) Shortcomings in the industrial chain · High-end equipment relies on imports: for instance, the domestic production rate of silicon carbide crystal growth furnaces is less than 20%. · Weak application ecosystem: Downstream enterprises prefer imported components, and domestic substitution requires policy guidance.     3) Strategic development 1. Industry-university-research collaboration: Drawing on the "Third Generation Semiconductor Alliance" model, we will join hands with universities (such as Zhejiang University Ningbo Institute of Technology) and enterprises to tackle core technologies. 2. Differentiated competition: Focus on incremental markets such as new energy and quantum communication, and avoid direct confrontation with traditional giants. 3. Talent cultivation: Establish a special fund to attract top overseas scholars and promote the discipline construction of "Chip Science and Engineering".   From silicon to gallium oxide, the evolution of semiconductors is an epic of humanity breaking through physical limits. If China can seize the window of opportunity of the fourth-generation semiconductors and make forward-looking plans for the fifth-generation materials, it is expected to achieve a "lane change overtaking" in the global technological competition. As Academician Yang Deren said, "True innovation requires the courage to take uncharted paths." On this path, the resonance of policy, capital and technology will determine the vast ocean of China's semiconductor industry.     ZMSH, as a supplier in the semiconductor materials sector, has established a comprehensive presence across the full supply chain spanning from first-generation silicon/germanium wafers to fourth-generation gallium oxide and diamond thin films. The company focuses on enhancing mass production yield for third-generation semiconductor components such as silicon carbide substrates and gallium nitride epitaxial wafers, while advancing in parallel its technical reserves in crystal preparation for ultra-wide bandgap materials. Leveraging a vertically integrated R&D, crystal growth, and processing system, ZMSH delivers customized material solutions for 5G base stations, new energy power devices, and UV laser systems. The company has developed a graded production capacity structure ranging from 6-inch gallium arsenide wafers to 12-inch silicon carbide wafers, actively contributing to China's strategic goal of building a self-sufficient and controllable material foundation for next-generation semiconductor competitiveness.       ZMSH's 12inch sapphire wafer & 12inch SiC wafer:           * Please contact us for any copyright concerns, and we will promptly address them.