JBD breaks through Micro LED 12-inch wafer process, yield reaches 98%

Shanghai Xianyao Display Technology Co., Ltd. (abbreviated as: JBD) announced that it has completed the upgrade of the MicroLED micro-display mass production system from 4-inch to 12-inch wafer reconstruction. It has opened up the technical bottleneck and process path of 12-inch wafer reconstruction. The pilot line has completed the line verification, and the wafer reconstruction yield has exceeded 98%. It is accelerating the simultaneous introduction into the mass production line.

Left: 7 4-inch epitaxial wafers; Right: 12-inch silicon-based reconstructed wafer

In 2018, JBD used wafer-level "hybrid integration" technology to promote Micro LED mass production. In the early stages of the industry, the competition for MicroLED microdisplays mainly focused on performance indicators such as brightness, size and power consumption. As technology paths gradually become clearer, manufacturing capabilities are becoming the core variable that determines industrial advancement. Large-scale, low-cost production has become the focus of a new round of technological competition.

The "2025 AI+AR Glasses Optical Display Research White Paper" shows that there are two main solutions in the current industry. One is a sapphire substrate, using 4-inch epitaxy and laser lift-off technology to prepare Micro LED; the other industry is 8-inch and 12-inch silicon substrate LED epitaxy. Considering size adaptability, silicon-based 8-inch or even 12-inch ones have a larger area and higher utilization rate.

Main substrates and processes, source: "2025 AI+AR Glasses Optical Display Research White Paper"

If a 4-inch mass production system is used, the utilization rate is about 77%, and if an 8-inch/12-inch silicon-based substrate is used, 100% utilization rate can be theoretically achieved.

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JBD stated that the current 8-inch solution still faces two basic challenges: First, due to the size mismatch between the epitaxial wafer and the silicon-based backplane, geometric calculations indicate that approximately 56% of the silicon-based backplane area cannot be effectively utilized; second, experimental results continue to show that the 8-inch wafer has a low yield rate in key links such as bonding and substrate stripping, which has also become an important factor restricting its large-scale manufacturing.

Based on this, JBD chose to skip the 8-inch architecture and move directly to the 12-inch wafer reconstruction system.

8-inch wafer manufacturing process (about 56% of silicon-based backplane is unused), source: JBD

On the specific implementation path, JBD has officially introduced the "die-to-wafer-to-wafer" bonding solution into the mass production system: first, small-size epitaxial cutting is performed into die, and defects are screened out through pre-inspection and sorting; then the qualified die is reconstructed into a temporary 12-inch substrate to achieve highly consistent epitaxial integration; finally, wafer-level bonding is completed with the same 12-inch silicon-based backplane.

Xianyao Co., Ltd.’s 12-inch wafer reconstruction manufacturing process, source: JBD

This solution realizes the efficient use of silicon-based backplane wafers, avoids the impact of epitaxial defects on finished products from the source, significantly reduces the uncertainty of back-end manufacturing, and greatly improves the yield rate.

More importantly, this path effectively combines the process advantages of mature small-size epitaxy with the scale capabilities of 12-inch advanced backplanes. On the premise that native 12-inch epitaxy failed to achieve a breakthrough, the manufacturing system has been upgraded and a more stable manufacturing foundation has been established for high-precision hybrid bonding. Moreover, as the pixel pitch continues to shrink, MicroLED's dependence on advanced process backplanes will further increase.

Li Qiming, CEO of Xianyao Technology, said: "The 12-inch wafer reconstruction solution breaks the key bottleneck of the MicroLED microdisplay industry in large-scale manufacturing and achieves a better balance between efficiency and cost. This achievement is the result of years of continuous innovation by the company’s engineering and technical teams. We believe that this solution will become the core path for MicroLED microdisplays to move towards mass production. Not only that, light is becoming an important carrier of the next generation of information technology, and the establishment of the 12-inch MicroLED mass production platform has also opened up new possibilities for the evolution of broader ‘optical computing’ technologies.” 1.1 Summary of the development and key events of the AI glasses industry in 2026

1.2 The industrial chain structure and application direction of AI glasses

1.3 Analysis of the global market competition landscape of AI glasses

2. AR glasses optical display technology progress and supply chain map

2.1 AI+AR glasses optical display principles and breakthrough directions

2.2 AI+AR glasses optical display industry chain map

2.3 AR glasses optical waveguide structure and substrate material progress

2.4 AR glasses micro-display technology classification and progress

3. Optical waveguide and SiC technology and application progress

3.1 The benefits of SiC lenses for optical waveguides

3.2 Technology and application progress of SiC optical waveguide

3.3 SiC optical waveguide cost and cost reduction path analysis

3.4 Optical-grade SiC crystal growth process and core equipment technology analysis

3.5 Optical-grade SiC substrate cutting, grinding, polishing process and equipment technology progress

3.6 SiC optical waveguide preparation process and core equipment technology analysis

3.7 SiC optical waveguide supply chain localization progress and global competition situation

4. Micro LED optical machine technology and application progress

4.1 Differences and progress of Micro LED VS Micro OLED optical engine

4.2 Analysis of Micro LED optical engine technology roadmap

4.3 Cost reduction path for Micro LED microdisplay

4.4 Progress of optical-mechanical driver IC

4.5 Progress of optical-mechanical supporting materials and equipment

4.6 Progress and competitive landscape of key enterprises in Micro LED supply chain

4.7 Progress and trend analysis of Micro LED technology brand-side introduction

5. Analysis of AI+AR glasses market development trends and market size

5.1 Analysis of AI+AR glasses industry ecology

5.2 Analysis of the global AI+AR glasses industry market size from 2026 to 2030

5.3 Analysis of shipments of SiC optical waveguide lenses from 2026 to 2030

5.4 Analysis of shipments of Micro LED epitaxial wafers for AR from 2026 to 2030

5.5 Analysis of the evolution trend of optical display technology routes and analysis of the prospects of SiC optical waveguide+Micro LED AR glasses

6. AI (including AR) glasses industry chain map and progress of key manufacturers

6.1 AI (including AR) glasses industry chain map

6.2 Progress of key brand manufacturers of AI (including AR) glasses

6.3 Progress of key manufacturers of optical-grade SiC substrates

6.4 Progress of key manufacturers of SiC optical waveguide supporting materials

6.5 Progress of key manufacturers of Micro LED micro-display solutions

6.6 Progress of key manufacturers of SiC substrate/Micro LED micro-display supporting equipment