Overview of aluminum nitride industry

Aluminum nitride has become a material of great concern in the electronics field due to its outstanding thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient matching that of silicon. With the development of industries such as 5G and new energy, aluminum nitride ceramic substrates have attracted much attention. The technical barriers of high-performance aluminum nitride are high, and there are very few companies with production technology, and the production capacity is seriously insufficient relative to demand.

The performance characteristics of aluminum nitride are mainly the following aspects: high thermal conductivity, thermal expansion coefficient close to that of silicon, good matching with semiconductor silicon, good interface compatibility, which is conducive to the installation of large silicon patches, and high heat resistance cycle reliability; high mechanical strength, which can improve the mechanical properties of composite materials.

It is not only an ideal material for the new generation of heat dissipation substrates and electronic device packaging, but also can be used for heat exchangers, piezoelectric ceramics and thin films, thermal conductive fillers, etc., with broad application prospects.

China started late in this industry, and cannot compare with Japan, the United States, Germany and other countries in terms of product quality, talent reserves, R&D investment, production scale, and production process. China's current products are mainly low-end products, and high-end products are mainly imported. In recent years, due to the increasing demand for high-end products, the country has also increased investment in the aluminum nitride industry to improve product quality and optimize product structure.

Development status of aluminum nitride

In 019, the global aluminum nitride market size was US$82.33 million. Due to the impact of the epidemic in the past two years, according to the company's latest survey, the global aluminum nitride market size in 2022 will be US$99.65 million, and the annual compound growth rate (CAGR) during the five years from 2018 to 2022 will be 7.02%. It is expected that the global scale will reach US$150.04 million by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.50% from 2023 to 2029.

Global Aluminum Nitride Market Revenue and Growth Rate: (2018-2029) & (US$ Million)

Global Aluminum Nitride Market Size: 2018 VS 2022 VS 2029 (US$ million)

The list of aluminum nitride companies is as follows:

1. Fujian Huaqing Electronic Materials Technology Co., Ltd.

Founded in August 2004, Fujian Huaqing Electronic Materials Technology Co., Ltd. mainly produces aluminum nitride ceramic substrates. It is a leading material supplier in China and a high-tech enterprise specializing in the research, development, production and sales of high thermal conductivity aluminum nitride ceramic substrates and electronic ceramic components.

The products are mainly used in high-tech fields such as 5G communications, LED packaging, semiconductors, power modules (IGBT), image sensors, medical, and automotive electronics. In the current domestic aluminum nitride market, Huaqing is the largest company in the field of aluminum nitride ceramic substrates, with a market share of more than 60%. Its leading products are aluminum nitride ceramic substrates and their electronic components.

2. Ningxia Aisenda New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.

Ningxia Aisenda New Materials was established on December 27, 2013. The business scope includes: production and sales of aluminum nitride powder and aluminum nitride ceramic electronic circuit substrates; research and development, technical consulting services, and technology transfer of metal ceramic powder, metal ceramic substrates, ceramic circuit boards, ceramic packaging devices and related products; Aisenda has an advanced aluminum nitride powder heat dissipation substrate production line. The company uses its independently developed high-level electronic-grade aluminum nitride powder to successfully break the monopoly of foreign companies and improve the company's aluminum nitride industry chain. The annual output of aluminum nitride substrates has reached 1.2 million pieces, and the annual output of powder has reached 120 tons.

3. Jiangxi Chuangke New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.

Jiangxi Chuangke New Materials is a high-tech enterprise integrating research and development, production and sales. It mainly produces aluminum nitride ceramic substrates, 99.6% alumina ceramic substrates and silicon nitride substrates; the company's products can be widely used in optical general devices, automotive control circuits, electronic power devices, high-frequency microwaves and electronic information.

4. Zhuhai Yueke Jinghua Technology Co., Ltd.

Zhuhai Yueke Jinghua was established in March 2010. Its predecessor was Zhuhai Yueke Jinghua Electronic Ceramics Co., Ltd., which was established in 1999. The company is located in the core area of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It is a high-tech enterprise integrating scientific research, development, production and sales. The technology comes from the "ceramic substrate casting method preparation technology" of the National Key Laboratory of "New Ceramics and Fine Technology" of Tsinghua University. Typical products include alumina, zirconia electronic ceramic substrate products, high-temperature co-fired ceramic heating elements, ceramic metallization, zirconia solid electrolyte sheets, etc. These products are widely used in communications, aerospace, automotive electronics, printers and semiconductors. The company has rich management and operation experience, profound technical accumulation, sophisticated production equipment, complete testing methods, advanced production technology, reliable quality assurance, and thoughtful after-sales service. With strong technical strength and excellent product quality, Zhuhai Yueke Jinghua Technology Co., Ltd. has become a direct or indirect supplier of many domestic and foreign companies in the new energy, communications and automotive industries.

5.  Sichuan Liufang Yucheng Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.

Sichuan Liufang Yucheng Electronics was established in 2019. It is committed to building a high-tech modern enterprise and is determined to become the backbone manufacturing force of electronic ceramic materials and components, replacing imported ceramic substrates and RF/optoelectronic components. 5. Sichuan Liufang Yucheng Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. Liufang Yucheng has built three large-scale production lines for thin-film ceramic substrates, thin-film circuits and thick-film circuits. Liufang Yucheng has the leading domestic electronic ceramic substrate production line, which can provide customers with high-quality 99.6% alumina and aluminum nitride thin-film circuit ceramic substrates.

6.  Zhejiang Zhengtian New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.

Zhejiang Zhengtian New Materials was established in 2017. Its main business is the research and development, production and sales of aluminum nitride (AIN), silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramic substrates and products and industry services. Zhejiang Zhengtian New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.'s specific business includes aluminum nitride ceramics, aluminum nitride substrates, silicon nitride ceramics, silicon nitride substrates, etc. The products are mainly used for copper-clad ceramic substrates in power modules on electronic components in motor power systems. Zhengtian New Materials has several large-scale cast production lines, with a complete processing chain from cast, cutting, punching, static pressing, hot cutting to sintering.

7. Jiuhao Precision Ceramics Co., Ltd.

Jiuhao Precision Ceramics was established in 1991. It is a professional manufacturer of Taiwan's chip-type alumina precision ceramic substrates and has the core technology of precision ceramic flat-panel process. Jiuhao started to produce aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramic substrates in 2013. At present, Jiuhao provides various aluminum nitride substrates for use in various environments, including sintered substrates, grinding substrates and polishing substrates, and can also provide metallized aluminum nitride substrates.

8. Hebei Zhongci Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.

It is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the research and development, production and sales of electronic ceramic series products. It is committed to becoming a world-class supplier of electronic ceramic products and providing customers with innovative, high-quality and competitive electronic ceramic products.

The main products of Zhongci Electronics include optical communication device housings, wireless power device housings, infrared detector housings, high-power laser housings, SAW crystal oscillator housings, 3D optical sensor module housings, 5G communication terminal module housings, aluminum nitride ceramic substrates, ceramic components, integrated heaters, etc. Zhongci Electronics has the ability to deliver small batches of aluminum nitride packaging for IGBT.

9.  Chaozhou Sanhuan (Group) Co., Ltd.

Sanhuan Group began to develop aluminum nitride ceramic substrates in 2008, and built a small batch production line for aluminum nitride ceramic substrates with an annual output of 10 million cm² in 2010. Today, Sanhuan has the ability to make its own aluminum nitride powder, which will greatly reduce dependence on imported powders and reduce production costs.

Chaozhou Sanhuan (Group) Co., Ltd. Sanhuan Group's aluminum nitride substrate products are mainly used for high-power LED lamp packaging heat sinks, IGBT power modules, high-voltage power MOSFETs and other electronic power modules.

10. Hefei Shengda Electronic Technology Industry Co., Ltd.

Hefei Shengda Industry is a high-tech enterprise focusing on the research and development of high-end packaging and electronic materials. Its products cover metal packaging, ceramic packaging, packaging materials and other fields, and provide supporting solutions for integrated packaging needs.

Shengda Technology now has research and development and production lines for metal packaging shells, aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramic materials, electronic pastes, etc. At present, the annual output of metal packaging shells exceeds 3 million sets, the DBC substrate production capacity reaches 1 million pieces per year, the AlN substrate production capacity reaches 4,000 square meters per year, and the electronic paste production capacity reaches 60 tons per year. AlN substrates are mainly used in power electronic modules, optoelectronic components, semiconductor power devices, semiconductor refrigerators, and microwave power devices.

11. Wuxi Haigood New Technology Co., Ltd.

Wuxi Haigood was established in November 2008 with a plant area of 8,000 square meters. The core products are aluminum nitride (AIN) ceramic substrates and their components. The project originated from the transformation of national 863 scientific and technological achievements of Tsinghua University, and formed an integrated strategic cooperation of production, learning and research with the Joint National Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering of Tsinghua University.

Haigode is currently a domestic enterprise with advanced technology, huge investment and has formed a large-scale production, research and development and sales of high-performance aluminum nitride ceramics. The aluminum nitride ceramic substrates and components produced have been widely used in high-power integrated circuit modules, LED packaging, RF/microwave communications, automotive electronics and image sensing.

12. Fujian Zhenjing New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.

Fujian Zhenjing New Materials was established in 2018 and is a leading third-generation semiconductor nitride material supplier and thermal management solution provider in China.

The main products are: high-purity aluminum nitride powder, aluminum nitride granulation powder, aluminum nitride large particle filling powder, spherical filling powder, aluminum nitride ceramic substrate, silicon nitride ceramic substrate. At present, the production capacity of the workshop ceramic casting line can reach 3 million pieces/year. Products are widely used in chips, IGBT modules, 5G communications, LED packaging, RF/microwave communications, new energy vehicles and aerospace.

13.  Chengdu Xuci New Materials Co., Ltd.

In December 2020, Xuguang Electronics and other parties jointly invested in the establishment of Xuci. Xuci has now built three production lines for aluminum nitride powder, aluminum nitride ceramic substrates and aluminum nitride structural parts, and all have achieved mass production, and product sample verification and sales have been achieved. Ningxia Beici New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Xuci.

Xuci uses the carbon reduction method to independently develop and produce high-purity AlN powder, and the casting process to make aluminum nitride substrates. After years of independent research and development and industrialization inspection, it has mastered all the core technologies of aluminum nitride ceramic powders and substrates, and has independent invention patents and practical patents.

Beici New Materials currently has an annual production capacity of 70 tons of aluminum nitride powder and has been verified by the market. The aluminum nitride powder expansion project is under construction, and the production capacity will reach 500 tons/year after reaching full capacity. Xuci New Materials is building an electronic ceramic production line, with an annual output of 5 million pieces of aluminum nitride ceramic substrates and other electronic ceramic related products.

14. Ningxia Shixing Technology Co., Ltd.

Ningxia Shixing was established in 2019. It is one of the main integrators of domestic nitride production, an important production base of nitride raw materials and ceramic substrate materials, a frontier developer of proprietary technologies for the synthesis of nitrides and their products, and a reliable provider of imported substrate replacement products for my country's electronic materials industry and related industries.

Shixing Technology is the nitride research and development and production base of Ningxia Qinshi New Materials Co., Ltd. The project is located in Yinchuan Economic and Technological Development Zone, covering an area of 56 acres, with a total construction area of 16,000 square meters and a total investment of 280 million yuan. At present, a 600-ton/year aluminum nitride powder production line has been built. The trial production was successful in July 2021 and has now entered the formal production stage. A 2 million pieces/year high thermal conductivity aluminum nitride ceramic substrate production line is being implemented.

15. Yangzhou Zhongtianli New Materials Co., Ltd.

Yangzhou Zhongtianli was established in October 2006. Its leading products include more than a dozen products in three series, including high-purity arsenic, high-purity alumina, and silicon carbide. It specializes in serving LED, sapphire, lithium battery ceramic diaphragm manufacturers, and pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers.

Zhongtianli uses the existing high-purity aluminum nitride as raw material to extend the industrial chain, develop and produce aluminum nitride substrates, which are mainly used in electronic functional materials and ceramic substrates for integrated circuits.

16.  Laiding Electronic Materials Technology Co., Ltd.

Laiding Electronics was established in 2012. Based on advanced ceramic technology, it specializes in the production and development of high thermal conductivity aluminum nitride ceramic substrates, ceramic metallization products, various electronic ceramic components, and oxygen sensors. The leading products cover power semiconductor modules, automotive electronics, solar and wind energy, high-power LEDs and other application fields.

17. Shenzhen Jiarifengtai Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.

Shenzhen Jiarifengtai Company was established in 2010 and is a subsidiary of Jiarifengtai Group (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. It is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the research and development, production and sales of electronic thermal conductive insulation materials. Products include thermal conductive silicone series, thermal conductive ceramic sheet series, electromagnetic shielding series and other products.

The thermal conductive ceramic sheet series includes: alumina ceramic sheets (conventional TO-220, TO-3P, TO-247 ceramic sheets, special-shaped) alumina ceramic tubes, alumina ceramic structural special-shaped parts, silicon carbide ceramics (conventional/special-shaped), aluminum nitride ceramic sheets (conventional/special-shaped) ceramic products can accept custom-made drawings.

18.  Baoding Zhongchuang Yanyuan Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd.

Zhongchuang Yanyuan Semiconductor Company was established on May 18, 2016. It is a high-tech enterprise engaged in the technology and application of key materials for third-generation semiconductors. The main business is new graphic substrates and substrate resurrection, high heat dissipation aluminum nitride ceramic substrates and LED smart bio-agriculture.

Zhongchuang Yanyuan Semiconductor covers an area of 107.8 acres. There are 100-level, 1,000-level and 10,000-level workshops, equipped with new graphic substrate production lines, substrate resurrection production lines, high heat dissipation aluminum nitride ceramic substrate preparation production lines, LED smart bio-agriculture demonstration production lines, and will gradually expand production capacity. Zhongchuang Yanyuan Semiconductor conducts in-depth research on high heat dissipation AlN ceramic substrate material preparation, surface metallization, module packaging and other technologies, and uses independent innovation technology to prepare AlN diaphragms.

19.  Shandong Guoci Functional Materials Co., Ltd.

Shandong Guoci Company was established in April 2005 and is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the research and development and production of functional ceramic materials. The main products include: nano-grade barium titanate and formula powder, nano-grade composite zirconium oxide, high thermal stability aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, honeycomb ceramics, ceramic inks for inkjet printing, ceramic balls and ceramic bearings, etc.

The high-end, high-purity, ultra-fine aluminum nitride powder project has made a major breakthrough. At present, the high-end, high-purity, ultra-fine aluminum nitride powder material has been recognized by customers and successfully mass-produced and sold in batches; the public information of the Guoci high thermal conductivity ceramic substrate project shows that after the completion of the project, it can achieve an annual output of 3,000 tons of alumina powder, 200 tons of aluminum nitride powder, and 2 million pieces of high thermal conductivity ceramic substrates. The aluminum nitride ceramic substrate product has completed the pilot test in 2020

20. Shenzhen Taotao Technology Co., Ltd.

Taotao Technology is a national high-tech enterprise specializing in the field of advanced ceramics, integrating R&D, manufacturing, sales and services. Headquartered in Nanshan District, Shenzhen, the production base is located in Qishi Town, Dongguan City, a manufacturing base, with a factory area of more than 30,000m². Shenzhen Taotao Technology Co., Ltd. Taotao Technology focuses on advanced ceramic application fields such as semiconductors, automotive electronics, new energy, consumer electronics, communications and lasers. The product line includes ceramic substrates, heating components of electronic cigarette atomization equipment, high-end ceramic structures and appearance parts, etc. TaoTao Technology produces bare ceramic boards and metallized ceramic substrates.