Shaoxing's silicon wafers, synthetic sapphire transforming industry

Building on its roots in silicon crystal-growth furnaces, Jingsheng Electromechanical has expanded from semiconductor equipment into advanced materials, with one-ton-class synthetic sapphire emerging as a key result.

During a recent media visit to the company's base in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, a 450-kilogram sapphire crystal was displayed in its exhibition hall. The company said it can now produce 1,000-kg class ultra-large sapphire using the Kyropoulos growth method, setting a world record.

Synthetic sapphire combines high transparency and thermal conductivity with electrical insulation and wear and corrosion resistance. Its hardness is second only to diamond, making it suitable for light-emitting diode substrates, protective glass for consumer electronics and high-strength laser windows.

Since entering the sapphire business in 2013, the company initially developed 300-kg-class crystals. Its technical progression subsequently reached 450-kg, 750-kg and then 1,000-kg. The company has also built cutting, grinding and polishing capacity, linking crystal growth with downstream material processing, said Zhang Jun, vice-president of Jingsheng Electromechanical.