GT Advanced Technologies Inc fka GTAT

[Netsurfer]

Here is the roadmap for semi development:
https://www.jsap.or.jp/english/images/academic_roadmap/arm_e_09.pdf

About hyperion.....Its prime function is to cleave thin layers of single crystal materials so as to reduce losses due to more typical cutting methods...diamond blades and wire saws.
With typical cutting the thinnest wafers are up to 5 or more times thicker that needed to convert light to elec. They are that thick due to handling issues as the get too thin. A Hyperion cut wafer would need to be mounted to a carrier...a cheap one but still another operation. With Sapphire the same principal holds. A thin sheet of sapphire could be mounted to a glass carrier to get the scratch resistance......You still need to worry about capacitance if it is going to be a touch screen and there is a lot of wizadery there alone.

Wire saw technology has about reached its limits with respect to wire diameter. The dia. is about the same as wafer thickness.
The wire has to be kept under tension to cut and track properly and below a certain diameter the tension breaks the wire. A slower feed rate might work but then the cutting time goes thru the roof and becomes uneconomical. The cost of the time exceeds the cost of the yield loss. There are a bunch of tradeoffs.



I do not see a direct link between Hyperion and GaN unless someone has bulk single crystal GaN. Then Hyperion could slice the boule into thin sheets and maximize material utilization.

I believe that Sumitomo was making crucibles for Mesa. The crucibles are made of Molybdenum, are single use and cost about $4000 each. There was a lot of work to minimize material use and get multiple crystals per crucible.
Plansee may also be listed as a big creditor.

http://www.sumitomoelectricusa.com/products/tungsten-molybdenum-products/crucible