At SEMICON Japan 2011 in Chiba, Japan (7–9 December), NGK Insulators Ltd of Nagoya, Japan exhibited samples for the first time of its newly developed wafer products for electronic device applications, including ultra-high-brightness (UHB) LEDs, after targeting wafer products as a major R&D theme in the electronics field.

The firm says that, due to its original liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) growth technology, its new gallium nitride (GaN) single-crystal substrate features low defect density and colorless transparency over the whole wafer surface.

NGK also claims that its GaN wafer has unprecedentedly highly efficient luminescence, enabling the growth of UHB-LEDs applicable to business projectors and automotive headlamps. Application to power devices for hybrid and electric vehicles (HEV) is also anticipated.

In addition, the firm says that it has accelerated its development of wafer products including wafers for next-generation semiconductors that do not include rare metals.