China-based HC Semitek is embarking on a 5 billion Yuan project (almost $700 million USD) to produce microLED wafers in Jinwan District, Zhuhai, China. The project will have three phases, with the first one (estimated at $275 million) has officially started last month.
HC Semitek hopes to light up the new production line in September 2024, and to start production by December 2024. When all three phases are complete, the new production line will have a yearly capacity of 58,800 microLED wafers (we do not the wafer size at this project, but we estimate these are 8-inch wafers). It is not clear from the reports, but this production line may also produce mini LEDs, not just microLEDs.
It was also reported that HC Semitek raised around 2 billion Yuan ($285 million USD) from BOE, the world's largest display maker, which now holds a controlling stake at the company - effectively HC Semitek is now a subsidiary of BOE Holdings.
In February 2022 Aixtron announced that HC Semitek is using Aixtron's Planetary AIX 2800G4-TM and AIX G5+ C MOCVD systems to produce microLEDs. All of these systems, shipped in Q4 2021, feature a configuration of 8x6 inches.
