The price of 2-inch sapphire substrates continues to hold at around US$10/unit. However, industry sources indicated starting from the second half of October, there has been some sapphire substrates being quoted at around US$9/unit. The 4-inch sapphire substrates have also been experiencing significant price drops. Sapphire industry believes the price fluctuations will ease in 2012.

The quote for 4-inch sapphire substrates was around US$90/unit, but by fourth quarter, the price has dropped to US$55/unit. The drop might seem significant, but according to industry sources, the 4-inch surface area is four times of the 2-inch substrates, but the price is six times of the price of 2-inch sapphire substrates, hence demand to incept the 4-inch substrates has been low, only a handful of LED chipmakers have been procuring the product.

The price of sapphire ingots has been bouncing back as well. The current price of 2-inch sapphire ingots from Taiwan-based firms is above US$5/mm. Because Taiwan-based firms were late in developing the technologies causing the price to be higher than the US- and Russia-based firms, which is at US$4.5/mm.

Industry sources noted the price of sapphire substrates has been rising and falling significantly, but the market expects demand from the LED industry to return in 2012, hence the price can stabilize.

Source:digitimes