As prices for 6-inch sapphire wafers are on the decline and China-based LED epitaxial wafer and chip makers are increasing their use of 4-inch sapphire wafers, Taiwan-based LED makers are poised to shift mainly to 6-inch wafers to reduce the competitive pressure from China-based makers, according to industry sources.
Currently, pricing for a 2-inch PSS (patterned sapphire substrate) stands at US$10.0-11.5, a 4-inch PSS at US$42-45 and a 6-inch PSS at US$200, the sources said. For LED epitaxial wafer and chip makers, if prices for a 6-inch PSS drop to US$150, 6-inch PSS will become competitive with 4-inch models in terms of material costs and LED chip output, the sources explained.
Taiwan-based Lextar Electronics will expand overall production capacity by 20-25% in 2015, including installation of 6-inch MOCVD sets in the first half of the year, according to company chairman David Su. Another Taiwan-based maker Epistar has begun using 6-inch sapphire wafers and will increase usage in 2015, the company said.
