This Standard was technically approved by the HB-LED Global Technical Committee. This edition was approved for publication by the global Audits and Reviews Subcommittee on May 11, 2016. Available at www.semiviews.org and www.semi.org in August 2016; originally published January 2013; previously published March 2015.

Sapphire wafers are widely used in producing high brightness-light emitting diode (HB-LED) devices that are used in multiple applications such as LCD backlights, signage and solid-state lighting. Improving manufacturing efficiency and cost reductions are critical elements in enabling continued industry advance. Sapphire wafers represent a key inflection point to obtain these goals. A recent SEMI survey identified key parameters and dimensions critical to enabling manufacturing automation across multiple manufacturing steps. This Specification is intended to provide the necessary information for specifying such wafers.

This Specification covers dimensional, wafer preparation, and crystallographic orientation characteristics for five categories of single-crystal single-side polished sapphire wafers used in HB-LED manufacturing as follows:

• Category 4a – Flatted 100 mm diameter, 650 µm thick, polished c-axis sapphire wafers
• Category 6a – Flatted 150 mm diameter, 1,000 µm thick, polished c-axis sapphire wafers
• Category 6b – Flatted 150 mm diameter, 1,300 µm thick, polished c-axis sapphire wafers
• Category 6c – Notched 150 mm diameter, 1,000 µm thick, polished c-axis sapphire wafers
• Category 6d – Notched 150 mm diameter, 1,300 µm thick, polished c-axis sapphire wafers

In addition, methods of measurements suitable for determining the characteristics in the specifications are indicated.

Those characteristics for which standardized values have been agreed upon are indicated in the specification tables.

A complete purchase specification requires that additional characteristics be specified along with test methods suitable for determining their magnitude. Guidance for such characteristics is provided in Related Information 1.

This Specification is directed specifically to sapphire wafers with one polished surface. Wafers polished on both sides, or unpolished, or with epitaxial film, are not covered; however, customers of such wafers may find that this Specification is useful guides in defining their requirements.

For referee purposes, SI (System International commonly called metric) units are used for all sapphire wafers.

SEMI M1 — Specification for Polished Single Crystal Silicon Wafers
SEMI M12 — Specification for Serial Alphanumeric Marking of the Front Surface of Wafers
SEMI M20 — Practice for Establishing a Wafer Coordinate System
SEMI M40 — Guide for Measurement of Roughness of Planar Surfaces on Polished Wafers
SEMI M65 — Specifications for Sapphire Substrates to Use for Compound Semiconductor Epitaxial Wafers
SEMI MF26 — Test Method for Determining the Orientation of a Semiconductive Single Crystal
SEMI MF523 — Practice for Unaided Visual Inspections of Polished Silicon Wafer Surfaces
SEMI MF533 — Test Method for Thickness and Thickness Variations of Silicon Wafers
SEMI MF534 — Test Method for Bow of Silicon Wafers (Withdrawn 0115)
SEMI MF671 — Test Method for Measuring Flat Length on Wafers of Silicon and Other Electronic Materials
SEMI MF847 — Test Method for Measuring Crystallographic Orientation of Flats on Single Crystal Silicon Wafers by X-Ray Techniques
SEMI MF928 — Test Method for Edge Contour of Circular Semiconductor Wafers and Rigid Disk Substrates
SEMI MF1152 — Test Method for Dimensions of Notches on Silicon Wafers
SEMI MF1390 — Test Method for Measuring Bow and Warp on Silicon Wafers by Automated Noncontact Scanning
SEMI MF1530 — Test Method for Measuring Flatness, Thickness, and Total Thickness Variation on Silicon Wafers by Automated Noncontact Scanning
SEMI MF2074 — Guide for Measuring Diameter of Silicon and Other Semiconductor Wafers