A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device. When current is supplied to an LED, electron motion occurs in semi-conductive material and some electrons pass on to a lower energy state which releases energy in the form of light. The wave length, and consequently the color of the light can widely vary, therefore different semi-conductive materials and production processes are used to produce different colors. Moreover, the wave length propagation is relatively narrow, which ensures the purity of the generated light.
LED lighting is a new advanced technology based on the property of a luminophor layer to radiate white light when it is radiated by blue light coming from the LED’s crystal. Actually, a white LED is a modification of a blue LED, in this case the role of a luminophor is similar to luminescent lamps in which a luminophor is radiated by ultraviolet. But LEDs are solid-state light sources and do not contain any gas inside them, do not have any glowing filament or glass bulb as luminescent and gas-discharge lamps. This explains their high endurance, safety, reliability and long life.
Modern semi-conductive LED lighting systems possess better characteristics regarding power consumption, light efficiency and operational life compared with conventional filament and luminescent lamps. In addition, they do not contain mercury or lead.
LEDs are widely used in high-definition TV panels, LCD displays, road signs and boards, and mobile phone displays; the application of LEDs in energy-saving systems for general lighting is currently being developed as it requires approximately 30% less electric power.
Today three quarters of LEDs produced in the world are manufactured using sapphire. Monocrystal supplies sapphire wafers with diameters per specification between 2" and 8" for LED manufacturing.
We aim to satisfy the world market’s strictest requirements by constantly refining sapphire growing technologies, enhancing the efficiency and quality of its processing and epitaxy.
We pay particular attention to quality control. We have developed and implemented modern systems for noncontact inspection of geometrical parameters that automatically produce measurement reports for each production lot passing through the inspection operation.
Our system of monitoring each item by its individual laser-marked number enables a higher level of quality control for our products and fulfills our responsibility to the customer.
We own a unique technology for growing monocrystalline sapphire using the Kyropoulos method. First developed at the State Institute of Optics in Saint Petersburg, the technology was enhanced by our experts; it allows the growth of sapphire crystals with a pure aluminum oxide content no less than 99.997%.
In 2007, we developed an 8” diameter sapphire wafer production technology which was successfully placed into full production in the second half of 2008.
