Al₂O₃ Maintains 60% Market Share at US$0.5/cm², Still Indispensable for Cost-Sensitive Designs
2022-01-09
Despite constant innovation in ceramic materials, for cost-sensitive applications with moderate thermal
demands, mature and stable Al₂O₃ remains the default choice for many engineers.
Thanks to highly standardized processes and massive production capacity, Al₂O₃ substrates can cost as little as US$0.5 per cm² and account for roughly 60% of global ceramic substrate shipments. With 25–30 W/(m·K) thermal conductivity, breakdown voltage above 15 kV/mm and excellent polishability, they easily meet the needs of LEDs, power modules and many consumer electronics products.
In general lighting, power adapters, smart home devices and wearables, Al₂O₃ offers more than sufficient performance, enabling products to balance BOM cost, reliability and large-volume production.
Unless thermal or high-frequency performance clearly becomes the limiting factor, there is no need to blindly upgrade to more expensive ceramics. It is more rational to first optimize design on Al₂O₃ and then decide whether AlN or Si₃N₄ is truly necessary.