China SHANGHAI FAMOUS TRADE CO.,LTD company news

   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.            

SiC dislocation detection method           In order to grow high-quality SiC crystals, it is necessary to determine the dislocation density and distribution of seed crystals to screen out high-quality seed crystals. In addition, studying the changes of dislocations during the crystal growth process is also conducive to the optimization of the growth process. Mastering the dislocation density and distribution of the substrate is also very important for the study of defects in the epitaxial layer. Therefore, it is necessary to characterize and analyze the crystallization quality and defects of SiC crystals through reasonable techniques to accelerate the production and preparation of high-quality and large-sized SiC. The detection methods for SiC defects can be classified into destructive methods and non-destructive methods. Destructive methods include wet etching and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Non-destructive methods include non-destructive characterization by cathodic fluorescence (CL), X-ray profiling (XRT) technology, photoluminescence (PL), photostress technology, Raman spectroscopy, etc.         Wet corrosion is the most common method for studying dislocations. Due to the need to carry out corrosion in high-temperature molten alkali, this method is highly destructive. When the corroded SiC wafers are observed under a microscope, corrosion pits of different shapes and sizes can be seen. Generally, there are three shapes of corrosion pits on the Si surface: nearly circular, hexagonal, and shell-shaped. Corresponding to TEDs, TSDs and BPDs defects respectively, Figure 1 shows the morphology of the corrosion pit. With the development of detection equipment, the lattice distortion detector, laser confocal microscope, dislocation detector and other devices developed can comprehensively and intuitively detect the dislocation density and distribution of the corrosion plate. Transmission electron microscopy can observe the subsurface structure of samples at the nanoscale and also detect crystal defects such as BPDs, TEDs and SFs in SiC. As shown in Figure 2, it is a TEM image of dislocations at the interface between seed crystals and growing crystals. CL and PL can non-destructively detect defects on the subsurface of crystals, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. However, compared with PL, CL has a wider measurable band range, and wide bandgap semiconductor materials can be effectively excited.     Fig. 2 TEM of dislocations at the interface between seed crystals and growing crystals under different diffraction vectors       Fig. 3 The principle of dislocations in CL images       X-ray topography is a powerful non-destructive technique that can characterize crystal defects through the width of diffraction peaks. synchrotron monochromatic beam X-ray topography (SMBXT) uses highly perfect reference crystal reflection to obtain monochromatic X-rays, and a series of topography maps are taken at different parts of the reflection curve of the sample. Different regions show different diffraction intensities, thus enabling the measurement of lattice parameters and lattice orientations in different regions. The imaging results of dislocations play an important role in studying the formation of dislocations. As shown in Figure 5(b) and (c), they are the X-ray topography diagrams of dislocations. Optical stress technology can be used for non-destructive testing of the distribution of defects in wafers. Figure 6 shows the characterization of SiC single crystal substrates by optical stress technology. Raman spectroscopy is also a non-destructive subsurface detection method. Feng et al. discovered by Raman scattering method that the sensitive peak positions of MP, TSDs and TEDs are at ~796cm-1, as shown in Figure 7.     Fig. 7 Detection of dislocation by PL method. (a) The PL spectra measured by TSD, TMD, TED and dislocation-free regions of 4H-SiC; (b),(c),(d) Optical microscope images of TED, TSD, and TMD and PL intensity mapping maps; (e) PL image of BPDs     ZMSH offers ultra-large-sized monocrystalline silicon and columnar polycrystalline silicon, and can also customize the processing of various types of silicon components, silicon ingots, silicon rods, silicon rings, silicon focusing rings, silicon cylinders, and silicon exhaust rings.         As a global leader in silicon carbide materials, ZMSH provides a comprehensive portfolio of high-quality SiC products, including 4H/6H-N type, 4H/6H-SEMI insulating type, and 3C-SiC polytypes, with wafer sizes ranging from 2 to 12 inches and customizable voltage ratings from 650V to 3300V. Leveraging proprietary crystal growth technology and precision processing techniques, we have achieved stable mass production with ultra-low defect density (

Another hot application of SiC - full-color optical waveguides     As a typical material of the third-generation semiconductor, SiC and its industrial development have been growing like bamboo shoots after a spring rain in recent years. SiC substrates have established a foothold in electric vehicles and industrial applications, such as in 800V fast charging of electric vehicles. SiC has become a key driving force for this development due to its excellent performance and continuously evolving supply chain. Meanwhile, SiC has excellent thermal conductivity, so a similar rated power can also be achieved in a smaller package.     In addition, we also observe the application of SiC materials in holographic optical waveguides. It is reported that many leading AR enterprises have begun to turn their attention to silicon carbide optical waveguides.     The promotional image of SiC full-color optical waveguide at the SEMICON exhibition       Why can SiC material be used in the field of full-color optical waveguides?     (1) SiC has a high refractive index   The refractive index of SiC (2.6-2.7) is significantly higher than that of traditional glass (1.5-2.0) and resin (1.4-1.7). Due to the high refractive index of SiC, the optical waveguide lenses made from it can provide a wider field of view. Meanwhile, this high refractive index enables SiC to more effectively confine light in the diffractive optical waveguide, thereby reducing light energy loss and enhancing display brightness.     ZMSH's 6inch SiC Wafers SEMI & 4H-N Type       (2) Single-layer design     Theoretically, a single-layer SiC lens can achieve a full-color field of view of over 80°, while glass lenses need to be stacked in three layers to reach 40°.     (3) Reduce weight     The single-layer structure reduces the amount of material used. Combined with the high strength of SiC itself, the overall weight of AR glasses is significantly reduced, enhancing the wearing comfort. ‌     SiC lenses can significantly reduce device weight and expand field of view, making the overall weight of AR glasses break through the 20g critical point, close to the shape of ordinary glasses ‌. The Micro LED display technology with silicon carbide substrate can compress the module volume by 40%, increase the brightness efficiency by 2.3 times, and enhance the display effect of AR glasses.     ZMSH's 2inch SiC Wafers 4H-SEMI Type         (4) Heat dissipation characteristics     SiC material has an excellent thermal conductivity (490W/m·K), which can rapidly conduct the heat generated by the opto-mechanical and computing modules through the waveguide itself, rather than relying on the traditional mirror leg heat dissipation design. This feature resolves the performance degradation issue of AR devices caused by heat accumulation and simultaneously enhances the heat dissipation efficiency. ‌   High thermal conductivity combined with low-stress cutting technology can greatly improve the "rainbow pattern" problem of optical waveguide lenses. Meanwhile, in combination with the integrated heat dissipation design of the waveguide sheet, the operating temperature of the opto-mechanical system can be reduced and the heat dissipation problem can be improved.     (5) Support     The mechanical strength, wear resistance and thermal stability of SiC ensure the structural stability of optical waveguides during long-term use, especially suitable for scenarios requiring high-precision optical components, such as space telescopes and AR glasses.   The characteristics of the above-mentioned SiC material have broken through the bottlenecks of traditional optical waveguides in terms of display effect, volume weight and heat dissipation capacity, and have become a key innovation direction in the field of full-color optical waveguides. ‌     ZMSH provide a comprehensive range of high-quality silicon carbide (SiC) substrates, including 4H/6H-N type, 4H/6H-SEMI insulating type, 6H/4H-P type, and 3C-N type polytypes, meeting the demanding requirements of power devices and RF chips. Through proprietary crystal growth technologies and precision processing techniques, we have achieved mass production of large-diameter SiC substrates (2-12 inches) with ultra-low defect density (

Geoscience Knowledge  Sapphire: There's More Than just Blue in the "top-tier" wardrobe       Sapphire, the "leading figure" of the corundum family, resembles an elegant gentleman dressed in a "deep blue suit." Yet, upon closer acquaintance, one discovers its wardrobe encompasses far more than just "blue" or even "dark blue." From "cornflower blue" to "royal blue," each hue dazzles with brilliance. When blue might seem monotonous, it reveals other shades: green, gray, yellow, orange, purple, pink, and brown.     Sapphire of different colors       Sapphire Chemical Composition: Al₂O₃ Color: The color variations in sapphire result from elemental substitutions within its crystal lattice, encompassing all corundum colors except red (ruby). Hardness: Mohs hardness of 9, second only to diamond. Density: 3.95–4.1 g/cm³ Birefringence: 0.008–0.010 Luster: Transparent to translucent, exhibiting vitreous to sub-adamantine. Special Optical Effects: Some sapphires display asterism (the "star effect"), where microscopic inclusions (e.g., rutile) reflect light to form six-rayed stars on cabochon-cut stones.   Six-shot Starlight Sapphire           Primary Sources   Renowned origins include Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Australia, India, and parts of Africa.   Sapphires from different regions exhibit distinct characteristics. For example: Myanmar and Kashmir sapphires derive vivid blue hues from titanium impurities. Australian, Thai, and Chinese sapphires exhibit darker tones due to iron content.         ZMSH's synthetic gemstones——Royal Blue           Ore Formation Mechanisms   Sapphire formation involves complex geological processes: Metamorphic Origin: Corundum forms when magnesium-rich rocks (e.g., marble) interact with titanium/iron-rich fluids under high pressure (6–12 kbar) and temperatures (700–900°C). The "velvet effect" inclusions in Kashmir sapphires are signatures of these extreme conditions.         Magmatic Origin: Basaltic magma transports corundum crystals to the surface, creating deposits like Mogok (Myanmar), where rutile inclusions often align to form asterism.     The characteristic arrow-shaped rutile inclusions in Mogok sapphires from Myanmar       Pegmatitic Type: Sri Lanka’s alluvial sapphires originate from weathered granitic pegmatites.     Sri Lankan placer sapphire rough stone         Sapphires span jewelry, science, education, and artistic expression: Gemstone Value: Prized for their beauty, hardness, and durability, sapphires are used in high-end jewelry (rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets).       Sapphires of different colors and chromic ions            

Lithium niobate crystals, single crystal thin films and their future layout in the optical chip industry         Abstract of the article   With the rapid development of application fields such as 5G/6G communication technology, big data and artificial intelligence, the demand for the new generation of photonic chips is increasing day by day. Lithium niobate crystals, with their excellent electro-optic, nonlinear optical and piezoelectric properties, have become the core material of photonic chips and are known as the "optical silicon" material of the photonic era. In recent years, breakthroughs have been made in the preparation of lithium niobate single crystal thin films and device processing technology, demonstrating advantages such as smaller size, higher integration, ultrafast electro-optic effect, wide bandwidth, and low power consumption. It has broad application prospects in high-speed electro-optic modulators, integrated optics, quantum optics and other fields. The article introduces the domestic and international research and development progress and relevant policies of the preparation technology of optical-grade lithium niobate crystals and single crystal films, as well as their latest applications in the fields of optical chips, integrated optical platforms, quantum optical devices, etc. The development trends and challenges of the lithium niobate crystal-thin-film - device industrial chain were analyzed, and suggestions were put forward for the future layout. At present, China is in a stage of catching up with the international advanced level in the fields of lithium niobate single crystal thin films and lithium niobate-based optoelectronic devices, but there is still a considerable gap in the industrialization of high-quality lithium niobate crystal materials. By optimizing the industrial layout and strengthening basic research and development, China is expected to form a complete lithium niobate industrial cluster from material preparation to device design, manufacturing and application.       ZMSH's LiNbO3 Wafers         Quick Overview of the Article       With the rapid development of fields such as 5G/6G communication technology, big data, artificial intelligence, optical communication, integrated photonics and quantum optics, the demand for the new generation of photonic chips and their basic crystal materials is becoming increasingly urgent. Lithium Niobate (LN) is a multifunctional crystal with properties such as piezoelectricity, ferroelectricity, pyroelectricity, electro-optics, acoutooptics, photoelasticity, and nonlinearity. It is currently one of the crystals with the best comprehensive performance in photonics. The role of lithium niobate in future optical devices is similar to that of silicon-based materials in electronic devices, and thus it is also known as the "optical silicon" material of the photonic age. Lithium Niobate Thin Film (LNOI) is a kind of thin film material based on lithium niobate crystals and has excellent photoelectric properties: ① High electro-optic coefficient. Lithium niobate single crystal thin films have excellent electro-optic effects and are suitable for high-speed optical modulators. ② Low optical loss. The thin-film structure reduces light propagation loss and is suitable for high-performance optoelectronic devices. ③ Wide transparent window. It has high transparency in the visible light and near-infrared bands. ④ Nonlinear optical characteristics. Support nonlinear optical effects such as Secondary Harmonic Generation (SHG). ⑤ Compatible with silicon-based integration. Integration with silicon-based optoelectronic devices can be achieved through bonding technology. In recent years, many research projects deployed at home and abroad have taken lithium niobate crystals and single crystal films as important development directions , especially in the fields of microwave photonic chips, optical waveguides, electro-optic modulators, nonlinear optics, and quantum devices.       Table 1 Important technological events lithium field         Lithium niobate thin films have become an important candidate material for the substrate of a new generation of multifunctional integrated photonic information processing chips. The market capacity of optical modulators based on lithium niobate crystal materials is predicted to be 36.7 billion US dollars in 2026. Compared with silicon photonic modulators and indium phosphide modulators, thin-film lithium niobate modulators have the advantages of high bandwidth, low insertion loss, low power consumption, high reliability and high extinction ratio. At the same time, they can also be miniaturized, which can meet the increasingly miniaturized requirements of coherent optical modules and data communication optical modules. China is independently controllable in crystal materials, crystal films, processing methods, devices and systems. At present, many domestic manufacturers have released 800 Gbps thin-film lithium niobate solution optical modules. Downstream customers have tested the corresponding products. In the future, the application advantages of 1.6T optical modules will be more obvious.       1. Research Progress of Lithium Niobate Crystals and Single Crystal Films       The physicochemical properties of lithium niobate single crystals largely depend on [Li]/[Nb] and impurities. The Congruent Lithium Niobate (CLN) crystal with the same composition is deficient in lithium, so it contains a large number of Li vacancies (VLi) and inverse Nb (Nb) point defects. The [Li]/[Nb] ratio of Stoichiomentric Lithium Niobate (SLN) is close to 1∶1. Although it has excellent performance, its preparation is difficult and the production cost is high. Lithium niobate single crystals are classified into acoustic grade and optical grade. The relevant units mainly engaged in the growth of lithium niobate crystals are shown in Table 1. Among them, the company mainly engaged in the growth of optically grade lithium niobate is a Japanese enterprise. At present, the domestic production rate of optical-grade lithium niobate wafers is less than 5%, and they are highly dependent on imports. Yamashiro Ceramics Co., LTD. (referred to as Yamashiro Ceramics) has industrialized 8-inch lithium niobate crystals and wafers (Figure 1 (a)). In China, Tiantong Holdings Co., LTD. (referred to as Tiantong Co., LTD.) and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation Deqinghua Ying Electronics Co., LTD. (referred to as Deqinghua Ying) respectively produced 8-inch lithium niobate crystals and wafers in 2000 and 2019, but they have not yet achieved industrial mass production. In terms of stoichiometric ratio and optically grade lithium niobate, there is still a technological gap of about 20 years between Chinese lithium niobate crystal growth enterprises and Japanese enterprises. Therefore, there is an urgent need in China to make breakthroughs in the growth theory and process technology of high-quality optically grade lithium niobate crystals.           Fig. 1 Lithium niobate crystal and single-crystal thin film       The breakthroughs in lithium niobate photonic structures and photonic chips and devices worldwide are mainly attributed to the development and industrialization of lithium niobate thin film material technology. However, due to the high brittleness of lithium niobate single crystals, it is extremely difficult to prepare hundred-nanometer-scale films (100-2,000 nm) with low defects and high quality. Ion implantation and direct bonding techniques exfoliate bulk single crystals into nanoscale lithium niobate single crystal films, making large-scale lithium niobate photonic integration possible. At present, only a few companies in the world, including Jinan Jingzheng, French Soitec SA Company, and Japanese Kiko Co., LTD., have mastered the preparation technology for lithium niobate single crystal thin films. Jinan Jingzheng has adopted the core technologies of ion beam slicing and direct bonding, and has been the first in the world to achieve industrialization. It has formed a globally leading lithium niobate thin film brand (NanoLN), supporting over 90% of the basic research and development of lithium niobate thin film devices worldwide. In 2023, Jinan Jingzheng launched an 8-inch optical-grade lithium niobate film (Figure 1 (b)), and it is also the first enterprise in the industry to produce lithium niobate films from 8-inch X-axis lithium niobate crystals. The key indicators of Jinan Jingzheng series products, such as physical properties, thickness uniformity, defect suppression and elimination, are all at the international leading level. The situation of enterprises related to the preparation of lithium niobate crystals and single crystal films is shown in Table 2.       Table 2 Manufacturing companies of lithium niobate crystals and single-crystal thin films         2. Advanced applications of lithium niobate       Compared with traditional lithium niobate single crystal materials, thin-film lithium niobate has a smaller size, lower cost, higher integration, and can operate stably under a wider range of temperature and electric field conditions. These advantages make it have broad application prospects in fields such as 5G communication, quantum computing, optical fiber communication and sensors, especially demonstrating great potential in photoelectric modulation, optical signal processing and high-speed data transmission (Table 3).       Table 3 Main application fields of lithium niobate crystal and single-crystal thin film         2.1 High-speed Electro-optic Modulator       Lithium niobate modulators are widely used in ultra-high-speed trunk optical communication networks, submarine optical communication networks, metropolitan core networks and other fields due to their advantages such as high speed, low power consumption and high signal-to-noise ratio. Key technologies such as large-scale lithography technology, ultra-low loss waveguide processing technology and heterogeneous integration have promoted the development of thin-film lithium niobate modulators, enabling them to support applications of 800 Gbps and 1.6T high-speed optical modules. Compared with materials such as indium phosphide, silicon photonics and traditional lithium niobate, thin-film lithium niobate has outstanding features such as ultra-high bandwidth, low power consumption, low loss, small size and the ability to achieve large-scale production at the wafer level (Table 4), making it an ideal material for photoelectric modulators. The global thin-film lithium niobate modulator market is growing steadily. It is expected that the total global market value will reach 2 billion US dollars in 2029, with a compound annual growth rate of 41.0%.     Table 4　Performance comparison of substrate materials for optical modules       Internationally, The research team from Harvard University successfully developed Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor with a bandwidth of 100 GHz in 2018. CMOS) compatible integrated Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) electro-optic modulator, while Fujitsu Optical Devices Co., Ltd. launched the world's first commercial 200 GBaud thin-film lithium niobate modulator in 2021. Domestic progress has also been remarkable. In 2019, a research team from Sun Yat-sen University achieved a hybrid integrated electro-optic modulator of silicon and lithium niobate. Ningbo Yuanxin Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd. released the domestically produced thin-film lithium niobate strength modulator product in 2021. In 2022, Sun Yat-sen University collaborated with Huawei to develop the world's first polarization-multiplexed coherent optical modulator chip based on lithium niobate thin films. The lithium niobate thin-film coherent modulator chip of Niobo Optoelectronics supports 100 km optical fiber transmission of 260 GBaud DP-QPSK (Gigabaud Dual Polarization Quadrature Phase Shift Keying) signals. In 2023, Zhuhai Guangku Technology Co., LTD. (referred to as Guangku Technology) showcased a thin-film lithium niobate strength modulator product featuring ultra-high bandwidth and small volume. Chengdu Xinyisheng Communication Technology Co., LTD. (referred to as Xinyisheng) has applied this technology to 800 Gbps optical modules, with a power consumption of only 11.2W. Thin-film lithium niobate shows great potential in related applications of long-distance transmission, metropolitan area networks and data center interconnection networks, as well as in four-level Pulse Amplitude Modulation (Pulse Amplitude Modulation 4, PAM-4) applications of data centers and artificial intelligence clusters. Such as the 130 GBaud coherent drive modulator and 800 Gbps PAM-4 product of Guangkuo Technology, as well as the PAM-4 transceiver jointly launched by HyperLight Corporation of the United States, Newesun and Arista Networks Corporation of the United States. These products fully demonstrate the significant advantages of thin-film lithium niobate technology in enhancing bandwidth and reducing power consumption. At present, China is in a stage of running neck and neck with the international advanced level in this field.       2.2 Lithium niobate Integrated Optical Platform       On the lithium niobate integrated optical platform, the application from frequency comb to frequency converter and modulator has been realized, while integrating the laser on the lithium niobate chip is a major challenge. In 2022, a research team from Harvard University, in collaboration with HyperLight and Freedom Photonics, achieved a chip-level femtosecond pulse source and the world's first lithium niobate chip fully integrated high-power laser on a lithium niobate integrated optical platform (Figure 2 (a)). This type of lithium niobate on-chip laser integrates high-performance, Plug-and-play lasers, which can significantly reduce the cost, complexity and power consumption of future communication systems. At the same time, it can be integrated into larger optical systems and can be widely applied in fields such as sensing, atomic clocks, lidar, quantum information, and data telecommunications. Further development of integrated lasers that simultaneously possess narrow linewidth, high stability, and high-speed frequency modulation performance is also an important demand in the industry. In 2023, researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and IBM achieved low-loss, narrow linewidth, high modulation rate and stable laser output on a lithium niobate-silicon nitride heterointegrated optical platform. The repetition rate is approximately 10 GHz, the optical pulse is 4.8 ps at 1,065 nm, the energy exceeds 2.6 pJ, and the peak power exceeds 0.5 W.         Fig. 2　Integrated lithium niobate photonic application     Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the United States have successfully generated a continuous-frequency comb spectrum spanning the ultraviolet to visible spectrum by introducing multi-segment nanopphotonics integrated thin-film lithium niobate waveguides, combined with engineered dispersion and chirp quasi-phase matching. The integrated lithium niobate microwave photonic chip developed by the research team of City University of Hong Kong can use optics for ultrafast analog electronic signal processing and computing. It is 1,000 times faster than traditional electronic processors, with an ultra-wide processing bandwidth of 67 GHz and excellent computing accuracy. In 2025, a research team from Nankai University and City University of Hong Kong collaborated to successfully develop the world's first integrated thin-film lithium niobate photonic millimeter-wave radar based on a 4-inch thin-film lithium niobate platform, achieving breakthroughs in centimeter-level distance, speed detection resolution, and two-dimensional imaging of inverse synthetic aperture radar (Figure 2 (b)). Traditional millimeter-wave radars usually require multiple discrete components to work together. However, through on-chip integration technology, all the core functions of the radar are integrated onto a single 15mm × 1.5mm × 0.5mm chip, significantly reducing the system complexity. This technology will be applied in fields such as vehicle-mounted radars, airborne radars and smart homes in the 6G era.   2.3 Quantum Optics Applications     A variety of functional devices, such as entangled light sources, electro-optic modulators, and waveguide beam splitters, are integrated on lithium niobate films. This integrated design can achieve efficient generation and high-speed control of on-chip photonic quantum states, making the functions of quantum chips more abundant and powerful, and providing a more efficient solution for the processing and transmission of quantum information. Researchers at Stanford University combined diamond and lithium niobate on a single chip. The molecular structure of diamond is easy to manipulate and can accommodate a fixed qubit, while lithium niobate can change the frequency of the light passing through it to modulate the light. The combination of this material provides new ideas for the performance improvement and functional expansion of quantum chips. The generation and manipulation of compressed quantum states of light is the core basis of quantum enhancement technology, but its preparation system usually requires additional large optical components. A research team from the California Institute of Technology has successfully developed an integrated nanoparticle platform based on lithium niobate materials, enabling the generation and measurement of compressed states on the same optical chip. This technique for preparing and characterizing sub-optical periodic compressed states in nanophotonic systems provides an important technical path for the development of scalable quantum information systems.   3. Development Trends and Challenges       With the development of artificial intelligence and large models, the future growth points of lithium niobate will mainly focus on the high-end optical chip field (Table 5), specifically including breakthroughs in core optical chip technologies such as high-speed optical modulators, lasers and detectors; Promote the application of lithium niobate thin films in optical chips and enhance the performance of the devices; Strengthen the research and development of lithium niobate thin film preparation technology to achieve large-scale production of high-quality thin films; Promote the integration of lithium niobate films with silicon-based optoelectronic devices to reduce costs.       Table 5 Outlook of lithium niobate photonics and its applications         Optical lithium niobate is mainly applied in fields such as optical communication, fiber optic gyroscopes, ultrafast lasers, and cable television. The direction that may enter mature application the fastest might be optical communication. In the field of optical communication, the market size of lithium niobate modulator chips and devices is approximately 10 billion yuan. Many high-quality optical-grade lithium niobate substrates in China need to be imported from Japan. As Japan intensifies its restrictions on China's semiconductor sector, lithium niobate substrates may appear on the restricted list. As high-speed coherent optical transmission technology continues to expand from long-distance/trunk lines to regional/data center and other fields, the demand for digital optical modulators used in high-speed coherent optical communication will continue to grow. The global shipment of high-speed coherent optical modulators is expected to reach 2 million ports in 2024. Correspondingly, the demand for lithium niobate substrates will also increase significantly.     ZMSH's LiNbO3 Crystal       The biggest bottleneck in the mass production of optical lithium niobate materials is the consistency of optical quality, including the consistency of the composition, defects and microstructure of the crystal material itself, as well as the precision of the wafers processed by the Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) process. Compared with foreign countries, the main problem lies in the insufficient research on deeper scientific and technological issues of crystal growth. The growth of high-quality optical-grade LN urgently requires in-depth research to understand its multi-scale physicochemical mechanisms. For instance, cluster structures in high-temperature melts, solid-liquid interface structures, interfacial ion transport, as well as dynamic defect structures and formation mechanisms during the growth process, and simulation of the real crystal growth process, etc. How to break through the preparation theory and technology of large-sized crystal materials? Ranking first among the 10 frontier scientific questions released by the China Association for Science and Technology in 2021 indicates that the fundamental scientific issues in the preparation of large-sized crystal materials have become the key factor restricting the rapid development of this industry.     The technical challenges of lithium niobate electro-optical devices mainly lie in thin-film formation, etching and CMP processes, with problems such as high surface roughness of ridge-shaped waveguides and low processing yield. Optical applications have high requirements for wafer and device processing, and high-precision equipment is basically monopolized by foreign equipment. The defect changes brought about by the thin-film formation of lithium niobate single crystals and their influence on the structure-performance relationship, such as the DC drift problem of lithium niobate thin films in integrated optical platforms.       4. Suggestions       （1）Strengthen strategic planning and policy guidance, establish an innovation ecosystem highland, and achieve cluster effects. Lithium niobate single crystal thin films have broad application prospects in optoelectronic chips, photonic chips, integrated photonic devices and other fields. The government has established strategic planning and policy guidance, built an ecosystem and industrial cluster area with "lithium niobate Valley" as the core, encouraged the cultivation of start-up companies, and promoted the rapid development and expansion of the lithium niobate industry.     (2) Strengthen cooperation among material, device and system enterprises and research institutes to form a collaborative innovation ecosystem. Universities and research institutions provide theoretical research and technical support, while enterprises are responsible for transforming research results into practical products and promoting the industrial application of lithium niobate technology. Relevant enterprises form cooperative alliances to jointly solve technical problems and share resources and markets. For instance, in the production of lithium niobate materials, the manufacturing of devices and application development, enterprises can enhance efficiency, reduce costs and strengthen market competitiveness through cooperation.       ZMSH's Lithium Niobate Single Crystal       (3) Strengthen the "first principles" and explore disruptive technological paths. From the perspective of "first principles", we should closely grasp the original technology and fundamental scientific issues to achieve the research and development of core technologies from lithium niobate crystals, films to devices, and explore a disruptive technological path. For instance, explore the application of lithium niobate in quantum technologies, such as quantum computing and quantum communication.     (4) Interdisciplinary cooperation and technological integration to cultivate compound talents. The research and development of lithium niobate crystals, films and devices requires knowledge and technology from multiple disciplines such as physics, chemistry, materials science, electronic engineering, software and artificial intelligence, and needs more compound talents. Therefore, the government's talent introduction policies (such as settlement subsidies and housing preferences) are needed to attract more high-end talents at home and abroad. The job market promotes the mobility of talents and the innovation of enterprises.       5. Conclusion     China is in a stage of keeping pace with the international advanced level in lithium niobate single crystal films and advanced devices, but there are still some problems in high-quality crystal growth, device industry, and advanced applications. For instance, to further enhance the uniformity and optical performance of lithium niobate single crystal films and achieve devices with higher quality factors and lower losses, it is still necessary to further break through the processing technology and material preparation techniques, and develop more precise numerical simulation and optimization methods. In the future, it is necessary to promote the large-scale integration of lithium niobate thin-film optoelectronic devices, reduce costs, and further expand the application of lithium niobate in emerging fields such as integrated optics, quantum computing, and biosensing. China has a complete layout in the optoelectronic industry chain and is expected to form a lithium niobate industrial cluster with international competitiveness.     ZMSH specializes in the supply and precision processing of lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) crystal substrates, while also providing customized services for semiconductor materials including silicon carbide (SiC) and sapphire (Al₂O₃), meeting advanced requirements in optoelectronics, 5G, and power electronics applications. Leveraging cutting-edge manufacturing processes and stringent quality control, we offer comprehensive support from R&D to mass production for global clients, driving innovation in the semiconductor industry.     ZMSH's 12inch SiC wafer and 12inch sapphire wafer:             * Please contact us for any copyright concerns, and we will promptly address them.                

The Tiny Sapphire Crystal Propelling the "Grand Future" of Semiconductors       In our daily lives, electronic devices such as mobile phones and smartwatches have become our inseparable companions. These devices are becoming increasingly thin and lightweight while offering more powerful functionalities. Have you ever wondered what lies behind their continuous evolution? The answer is semiconductor materials, and today, we will focus on one of the standout performers in this field: sapphire crystal.   Sapphire crystal, primarily composed of α-Al₂O₃, is formed by the combination of three oxygen atoms and two aluminum atoms through covalent bonding, resulting in a hexagonal crystal structure. Visually, it shares similarities with gem-quality sapphires we commonly see. However, as a semiconductor material, sapphire crystal is more valued for its excellent properties. It exhibits remarkable chemical stability, generally insoluble in water and resistant to corrosion by acids and bases, acting as a "chemical protection guardian" that maintains its characteristics in various chemical environments. Additionally, it boasts good light transmittance, allowing light to pass through smoothly; excellent thermal conductivity, which helps dissipate heat promptly to prevent devices from "overheating"; and outstanding electrical insulation, ensuring stable transmission of electronic signals and preventing leakage issues. Furthermore, sapphire crystal has excellent mechanical properties, with a hardness of nine on the Mohs scale, second only to diamond in nature, making it highly resistant to wear and erosion, and capable of "standing firm" in various complex environments.           The "Secret Weapon" in Chip Manufacturing   (I) Key Material for Low-Power Chips   Today, electronic devices are rapidly evolving towards miniaturization and high performance. Products like smartphones, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds are expected to have longer battery life and faster operation. This places extremely high demands on chips, with low-power chips becoming the industry's pursuit. Traditional chips, as the number of transistors increases and their size shrinks, experience a decline in the insulation performance of dielectric materials at the nanometer scale, leading to current leakage, increased energy consumption, severe device heating, and reduced stability and lifespan.   The research team at the Shanghai Institute of Microsystems and Information Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has, after years of dedicated research, successfully developed artificial sapphire dielectric wafers, providing strong technical support for the development of low-power chips. They employed an innovative metal intercalation oxidation technique to oxidize single-crystal aluminum into single-crystal aluminum oxide, also known as artificial sapphire. This material achieves extremely low leakage current at a thickness of 1 nanometer, effectively solving the challenges faced by traditional dielectric materials. Compared to traditional amorphous dielectric materials, artificial sapphire dielectric wafers have significant advantages in structure and electronic performance, with a state density reduced by two orders of magnitude and greatly improved interfaces with two-dimensional semiconductor materials. The research team utilized this material in combination with two-dimensional materials to successfully fabricate low-power chip devices, significantly enhancing the battery life and operational efficiency of chips. This achievement means that for smartphones, battery life will be greatly extended, eliminating the need for frequent charging; for fields like artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, low-power chips will enable more stable and longer-lasting device operation, driving faster development in these areas.           (II) The "Perfect Partner" of Gallium Nitride   In the semiconductor field, gallium nitride (GaN) stands out as a shining star due to its unique advantages. As a wide-bandgap semiconductor material with a bandgap of 3.4eV, much larger than silicon's 1.1eV, GaN excels in high-temperature, high-voltage, and high-frequency applications, offering high electron mobility and breakdown electric field strength, making it an ideal material for manufacturing high-power, high-temperature, high-frequency, and high-brightness electronic devices. For example, in the power electronics field, GaN power devices operate at higher frequencies with lower energy consumption, offering significant advantages in power conversion and power quality management. In the microwave communications field, GaN is used to manufacture high-power and high-frequency microwave communication devices, such as power amplifiers in 5G mobile communications, which improve signal transmission quality and stability.   Sapphire crystal and gallium nitride are "Perfect Partner". They exhibit good lattice matching, and although the lattice mismatch is higher than that of silicon carbide, sapphire substrates demonstrate lower thermal mismatch during GaN epitaxy, providing a stable foundation for GaN growth. Additionally, sapphire crystal's good thermal conductivity and optical transparency allow it to rapidly dissipate heat during high-temperature operation of GaN devices, ensuring stable device performance and maintaining light output efficiency. Furthermore, sapphire crystal's excellent electrical insulation effectively reduces signal interference and power loss. Based on the combination of sapphire crystal and gallium nitride, many high-performance devices have been manufactured. In the LED field, GaN-based LEDs have become the market mainstream, widely used in lighting and display applications, from household LED bulbs to large outdoor displays. Lasers also play an important role in optical communications and laser processing.           Expanding the Boundaries of Semiconductor Applications   (I) The "Shield" in Military and Aerospace Fields   Military and aerospace equipment often operates in extremely harsh environments. In space, spacecraft face near-absolute zero temperatures, intense cosmic radiation, and challenges posed by vacuum environments. Military equipment, such as fighter jets, experiences temperatures exceeding 1000°C due to air friction during high-speed flight, along with high overload and strong electromagnetic interference.   Sapphire crystal, with its unique properties, is an ideal material for critical components in these fields. Its high-temperature resistance is outstanding, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 2045°C while maintaining structural stability without deformation or melting, acting as a resilient "high-temperature guardian" to ensure normal device operation. Additionally, its strong radiation resistance means that in cosmic and nuclear radiation environments, sapphire crystal's performance remains almost unaffected, effectively protecting internal electronic components.   Based on these characteristics, sapphire crystal is extensively used in manufacturing high-temperature-resistant infrared windows. In missile guidance systems, infrared windows are crucial components that must maintain good light transmittance under high temperatures and high-speed flight conditions to allow infrared detectors to accurately capture target infrared signals. Sapphire crystal-based infrared windows not only withstand high temperatures but also ensure high infrared light transmittance, significantly improving missile guidance accuracy. In the aerospace field, satellite optical equipment also relies on sapphire crystal, providing stable protection for optical instruments in harsh space environments and ensuring clear and accurate satellite imagery.           (II) The "New Foundation" for Superconductivity and Microelectronics   In the superconductivity field, sapphire crystal serves as an indispensable substrate for superconducting films. Superconducting films have broad application prospects in power transmission, magnetic levitation trains, and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, enabling zero-resistance electrical conduction and significantly reducing energy loss. However, preparing high-performance superconducting films requires high-quality substrate materials. Sapphire crystal's stable crystal structure and good lattice matching with superconducting materials provide a stable foundation for superconducting film growth. By epitaxially growing superconducting materials like MgB₂ (magnesium diboride) on sapphire crystal, high-quality superconducting films can be prepared, with significant improvements in critical current density and critical magnetic field performance indicators. For example, in power transmission, using superconducting films based on sapphire substrates for cables can greatly enhance power transmission efficiency and reduce energy loss during transmission.   In the microelectronics integrated circuit field, sapphire crystal also plays an important role. Different crystal orientations of sapphire substrates, such as R-plane () and A-plane (), exhibit different electrical properties and crystal structures. Utilizing these characteristics, silicon epitaxial layers with specific electrical properties can be grown. R-plane sapphire substrates are commonly used in high-speed integrated circuits, providing good lattice matching for silicon epitaxial layers, reducing crystal defects, and thereby improving integrated circuit speed and stability. A-plane sapphire substrates, due to their high insulation and uniform capacitance characteristics, are widely used in hybrid microelectronics technology. They not only serve as growth substrates for high-temperature superconductors but also help optimize circuit layouts in integrated circuit design, enhancing circuit integration and reliability. High-end electronic devices, such as core chips in high-performance computers and communication base stations, feature sapphire substrates, providing solid support for the development of microelectronics technology.           The Future Blueprint for Sapphire Crystal   Sapphire crystal has already demonstrated significant application value in the semiconductor field, playing an indispensable role in chip manufacturing, military and aerospace applications, superconductivity, and microelectronics. As technology continues to advance, sapphire crystal is expected to achieve breakthroughs in more fields in the future. In the artificial intelligence field, as the demand for computing chip performance continues to rise, there is an urgent need for low-power, high-performance chips. Sapphire crystal, as a key material, is expected to drive further development of artificial intelligence chips and promote broader applications of AI technology in fields like healthcare, transportation, and finance. In the quantum computing field, although still in its early stages, sapphire crystal's excellent properties make it a potential candidate material for quantum chips, supporting breakthroughs in quantum computing technology.         ZMSH specializes in premium sapphire optical windows and GaN-on-sapphire epitaxial wafers tailored for mission-critical applications. Our sapphire windows combine military-grade durability with optical perfection, featuring sub-angstrom surface roughness for superior light transmission across extreme environments. The GaN-on-sapphire platform achieves breakthrough performance with our proprietary defect-reduction technology, delivering

Meta, Tianke Heda, Mu De Weina, how to cross over silicon carbide AR glasses         With the rapid development of augmented reality (AR) technology, smart glasses, as an important carrier of AR technology, are gradually moving from concept to reality. However, the popularity of smart glasses still faces many technical challenges, especially in terms of display technology, weight, heat dissipation and optical performance. In recent years, silicon carbide (SiC) as an emerging material, with its excellent physical and optical properties, has been widely used in a variety of power semiconductor devices and modules, and now it has also become a key material in the field of AR glasses across the border. The high refractive index, excellent heat dissipation performance and high hardness of silicon carbide make it show great application potential in the display technology, lightweight and heat dissipation of AR glasses. The following will discuss how silicon carbide brings revolutionary changes to smart glasses from the aspects of silicon carbide characteristics, technological breakthroughs, market applications and future prospects.       Characteristics and advantages of silicon carbide     Silicon carbide is a kind of wide band gap semiconductor material with high hardness, high thermal conductivity and high refractive index. These properties give it a wide range of potential applications in electronic devices, optical devices and thermal management. Specific to the field of smart glasses, the advantages of silicon carbide are mainly reflected in the following aspects:   The first is the high refractive index: the refractive index of silicon carbide is as high as 2.6 or more, much higher than that of traditional glasses materials such as resin (1.51-1.74) and glass (1.5-1.9). The high refractive index means that silicon carbide can more effectively constrain light propagation and reduce light energy loss, thereby improving display brightness and field of view (FOV). For example, Meta's Orion AR glasses use silicon carbide waveguide technology to achieve a 70-degree field of view, far exceeding the 40 degrees of traditional glass materials.   It is excellent heat dissipation performance: the thermal conductivity of silicon carbide is hundreds of times that of ordinary glass, and it can conduct heat quickly. For AR glasses, heat dissipation is a key issue, especially in high brightness displays and long periods of use. Silicon carbide lenses can quickly conduct the heat of the optical machine, thereby improving the stability and service life of the equipment.   High hardness and wear resistance: silicon carbide is one of the hardest materials known, its hardness is second only to diamond. This makes the silicon carbide lenses more wear-resistant and suitable for everyday use. In contrast, glass and resin materials are easy to scratch, affecting the user experience.         Fourth, anti-rainbow effect: traditional glass materials are easy to produce rainbow effect in AR glasses, that is, the dynamic color light pattern formed after the reflection of ambient light on the waveguide surface. By optimizing the grating structure, silicon carbide can effectively eliminate the rainbow effect easily produced by traditional glass materials in AR glasses, that is, the dynamic color light pattern formed by the reflection of ambient light on the waveguide surface, thereby improving the display quality.       Technological breakthrough of silicon carbide in AR glasses     In recent years, the technological breakthrough of silicon carbide in the field of AR glasses is mainly reflected in the research and development of diffractive optical waveguide lenses. Diffracted optical waveguide is a display technology based on the diffraction phenomenon of light and the combination of waveguide structure, which can propagate the image generated by the optical machine through the grating in the lens, thereby reducing the lens thickness and making the appearance of AR glasses more similar to ordinary glasses.     In October 2024, Meta (formerly Facebook) used a combination of silicon carbide etched waveguides + microleds in its AR glasses Orion, solving key bottlenecks in field of view, weight and optical artifacts for AR glasses. Pascual Rivera, a Meta optics scientist, said that silicon carbide waveguide technology has revolutionized the display quality of AR glasses, transforming them from a "disco like rainbow spot of light" to a "symphony hall like quiet experience."   In December 2024, Shuoke Crystal successfully developed the world's first 12-inch high-purity semi-insulated silicon carbide single crystal substrate, marking a major breakthrough in the field of silicon carbide materials in the field of large-size substrates. This technology will accelerate the expansion of silicon carbide in new applications such as AR glasses and heat sink. For example, a 12-inch silicon carbide wafer can be made into 8-9 pairs of AR glasses lenses, significantly increasing production efficiency.         Recently, silicon carbide substrate supplier Tianke Heda and micro nano optoelectronic device company Mode Micro Nano jointly established a joint venture company to focus on the development and marketing of AR diffraction optical waveguide lens technology. Tianke Heda, with its technology accumulation in the field of silicon carbide substrates, will provide high-quality silicon carbide substrate products to Munde, while Munde will leverage its advantages in micro-nano optical technology and AR optical waveguide processing to further optimize the performance of diffractive optical waveguides. This collaboration is expected to accelerate technological breakthroughs in AR glasses and drive the industry towards higher performance and lighter weight.   The second generation of silicon carbide AR glasses exhibited by Mode Weina at SPIE AR|VR|MR 2025 weigh only 2.7 grams per lens, the thickness is as thin as 0.55 mm, which is even thinner than the daily wear sunglasses, so that users can hardly feel its existence when wearing, truly "light pack".         Jingsheng Electromechanical also recently said that it is actively promoting industry technological innovation and domestic replacement of the whole industrial chain equipment, as these enterprises accelerate the expansion of production capacity, China is expected to significantly alleviate the global semi-insulated silicon carbide substrate supply and demand contradictions in the next three years. This will help push the optical limits and enable silicon carbide to enable AI+AR applications.       Application case of silicon carbide in AR glasses       In the manufacturing process of silicon carbide waveguide, the Meta team overcame the technical problem of slope etching. Nihar Mohanty, research manager, said bevel etching is a non-traditional grating technique that distributes etched lines at oblique angles to optimize the efficiency of light coupling in and out.   This technological breakthrough has laid the foundation for the large-scale application of silicon carbide in AR glasses. Meta's Orion AR glasses are representative applications of silicon carbide technology in the AR field. By using silicon carbide waveguide technology, Orion achieves a 70-degree field of view Angle and effectively solves problems such as double shadows and rainbow effects.         Giuseppe Carafiore, head of AR waveguide technology at Meta, notes that silicon carbide's high refractive index and thermal conductivity make it an ideal material for AR glasses.   After the material was identified, the next hurdle turned to the fabrication of waveguides - specifically, an unconventional grating technique called bevel etching. "The grating is the nanostructure responsible for coupling light into and out of the lens," explains Carafiore. "For the silicon carbide to work, the grating must be etched with a bevel. The etched lines are not arranged vertically, but at an oblique Angle."   Nihar Mohanty added that they are the first team in the world to achieve slope etching directly on the device, and the entire industry has relied on nanoimprint technology in the past, but this cannot be applied to high refractive index substrates. For this reason, no one had considered the silicon carbide option before.   In 2019, Nihar Mohanty and his team partners jointly built an exclusive production line, before which most semiconductor chip suppliers and foundries lacked relevant equipment because slope etching technology was not yet mature. Therefore, at that time, there was no facility in the world that could produce etched silicon carbide waveguides, and it was impossible to verify the technical feasibility outside the laboratory. Nihar Mohanty further revealed that it was a significant investment and they built the complete production chain. The processing equipment was customized by the partners and the process was developed by Meta itself - initially the equipment was only up to research grade standards because there was no manufacturing grade system at the time, so they then worked with the manufacturing partners to develop the production grade bevel etching equipment and process.   Now that the potential of silicon carbide has been proven, the Meta team is looking forward to the rest of the industry starting to develop their own devices, because the more companies invest in optical grade silicon carbide research and development and equipment development, the more robust the industry ecosystem for consumer AR glasses will be.       Challenges and future prospects of silicon carbide     Although silicon carbide shows great potential in AR glasses, its application still faces some challenges. At present, the price of silicon carbide materials is high, mainly due to its slow growth rate and difficult processing. For example, Meta's Orion AR glasses lenses cost up to $1,000 per lens, which is difficult to meet the needs of the consumer market.   However, with the rapid development of the new energy automobile industry, the cost of silicon carbide is gradually decreasing. In addition, the development of large-size substrates (such as 12 inches) will further drive cost reduction and efficiency. The high hardness of silicon carbide makes it very difficult to process, especially in the micro and nano structure processing, the yield is low.   In the future, with the deep cooperation between silicon carbide substrate manufacturers and micro and nano optical manufacturers, this problem is expected to be solved. The application of silicon carbide in AR glasses is still at an early stage, and more enterprises need to participate in the research and development of optical grade silicon carbide and equipment development. The Meta team is looking forward to other manufacturers in the industry to invest in relevant research and jointly promote the industrial ecological construction of consumer AR glasses.       ZMSH 12inch SiC substrate 4H-N type           * Please contact us for any copyright concerns, and we will promptly address them.          

AR silicon carbide waveguide analysis, from the perspective of waveguide design       01     Breakthroughs in materials often bring an industry to new heights and even open up new scientific and technological space for mankind.   The birth of silicon launched the entire era of semiconductors and computing, becoming the basis for silicon-based life.   So, will the emergence of silicon carbide bring AR waveguides to new heights?   Let's first look at the design of the waveguide.     Only by understanding the requirements at the system level can we clarify the direction of material optimization.   The most classic architecture of AR waveguides comes from the former Hololens Dr. Tapani Levola of Finland, and the waveguides are divided into three regions: the entry pupil region, the dilated pupil region, and the exit pupil region.   AR waveguide this piece, the Finns are the absolute core driving force.     From the earliest Nokia, to the Hololens, to the later Dispelix and so on.         (Tapani's classic patent for AR diffracted waveguide, filed at Nokia in 2002, is 23 years old)         02     The entry pupil region of the waveguide couples the entire FOV from the optical machine through the grating into the substrate, which can be glass, silicon carbide material, or even resin material.   Its working principle is similar to optical fiber transmission, when the incidence Angle meets the condition of total reflection, the light will be bound in the base and transmitted to the pupil enlargement area through total reflection.   In the dilated pupil region, light is replicated in the X direction and continues to the exit pupil region.   In the exit pupil region, light is copied in the Y direction and eventually coupled out to the human eye.   If the exit pupil of the optical machine (that is, the entry pupil of the waveguide) is compared to a "round cake", then the essence of the AR waveguide is to copy this "cake" from the optical machine into multiple, such as 4x4, in the exit pupil region.   Ideally, these "cakes" are expected to overlap each other to form a smooth, uniform brightness and color surface, so that the user sees the same picture anywhere on this surface (high uniformity).         AR waveguide design must first consider the requirements of FOV, which determines the size of the picture the user sees, and also affects the design requirements of the optical machine.   The second is the requirements of the Eyebox, which determines whether the user can see the full picture within the eye movement range, affecting comfort.   Finally, there are other indicators, such as brightness uniformity, color uniformity and MTF.   Summarize the flow of AR waveguide design:     Determine the FOV and Eyebox, select the waveguide architecture, set optimization variables and objective functions, and then make continuous optimization adjustments.   So, what does this have to do with silicon carbide? It matters.     The most important diagram in waveguide design is the k-vector wave vector diagram.     In simple terms, incident light (at a specific wavelength and Angle) can be represented as a vector.   The square box in the center represents the FOV size of the incident picture, and the ring area represents the FOV range that the waveguide material of that refractive index can support, beyond which light cannot exist in the waveguide.         The higher the refractive index of the base material, the larger the circle of the outermost ring, and the larger the FOV that can be supported.   Each time the grating is touched, an additional vector is superimposed on the incoming light. The magnitude of the superimposed vector of the grating is related to the wavelength of the incident light.   Therefore, light of different colors coupled into the grating will jump to different positions in the ring (inside the waveguide) due to different raster vectors.   Therefore, a single chip to achieve RGB three colors, can support a lot less FOV than monochrome.       03     To achieve large FOV, there is not only one way to increase the refractive index of the base, there are at least two ways to choose.   For example, it can be done through the splicing of FOV, such as the Hololens classic Butterfly architecture.   The grating in the input region cuts the incident FOV in half, transmits it from the left and right sides to the dilated pupil region, and splice it in the exit pupil region.   In this way, even with low refractive index materials, large FOV can be achieved.     With this architecture, Hololens 2 achieves FOV of more than 50 degrees based on a glass substrate with a refractive index of less than 1.8.     (FOV Spliced waveguide Classic patent filed by Microsoft Hololens2 in 2016)       It is also possible to achieve very large FOV through some architectural design of two-dimensional raster, which involves many details and is inconvenient to expand.   From the FOV point of view, the higher the refractive index of the base, the higher the upper limit of the system.   From this point of view, silicon carbide does provide a higher ceiling for the system.   As a waveguide designer, I certainly like silicon carbide because it gives me enough freedom to design.   But from the user's perspective, it doesn't really matter what base to use.     As long as it can meet the demand, good performance, low price, and light machine, it is a good choice.   Therefore, the choice of silicon carbide or other substrates should be considered comprehensively by the product team.   Need to be considered according to the application scenario, price positioning, design specifications, industrial chain maturity and other aspects.       04     To summarize:     1. If purely from the perspective of FOV, the current high refractive index glass achieves FOV of 50 degrees without pressure.   2. but if you want to achieve more than 60 degrees of FOV, silicon carbide is indeed a good choice.   Materials are a choice at the component and architecture level, and architecture in turn serves the function of the system, and ultimately through the product, to serve the user.     This is a tradeoff process, we need to choose from multiple dimensions such as scene experience, product form, system architecture, components and materials.       ZMSH SIC Substrate 4H/6H-N/Semi/3C/4H/6H-P Type Display             * Please contact us for any copyright concerns, and we will promptly address them.