New White Paper Examines the LED Market and Emerging Markets for Sapphire

Rubicon Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:RBCN) a leading provider of sapphire substrates and products to the LED, semiconductor, and optical industries, today announced the publication of a new white paper that examines markets that leverage the highly versatile material, sapphire. “Opportunities for Sapphire,” based on research from IMS Research, takes an in-depth look at the demand for sapphire in key markets. IMS Research is a leading provider of market research and consultancy to the global electronics industry and is part of IHS Inc.

Sapphire has emerged as a versatile material in a range of industries for many varied applications. Sapphire’s inherent physical attributes for durability, light transmission, chemical inertness and thermal insulation make it desirable for many markets for applications in LEDs, optical windows, lenses and covers, and semiconductor applications in smart phones and other consumer devices.

“At the moment, these advantages are critical,” said white paper author Jamie Fox of IMS Research. “Every LED company we spoke to during the research for this paper purchases sapphire and benefits from the superior yields and quality. Substrate demand in 2012 is estimated at 42 million two-inch equivalent wafers (TIE) and expected to grow to 57 million TIE in 2013 according to market research firm Displaybank. As the lighting market grows into a more significant segment and larger, thicker wafers are utilized, sapphire demand will accelerate.”

“Opportunities for Sapphire” discusses the role of sapphire in LED production, the emergence of large diameter sapphire wafers and sapphire demand by application. In addition, the white paper discusses emerging markets for sapphire including use as a substrate for RFICs (radio frequency integrated circuits) and its use in optical and industrial markets for lenses, sensors and power devices.

“Sapphire’s exceptional physical and optical qualities offer many benefits for a wide range of applications from the high growth LED lighting market to emerging markets for semiconductor and optical applications,” said Raja M. Parvez, President and CEO of Rubicon Technology. “Rubicon has been the driving force in sapphire innovation, and we are working with our customers in existing and emerging markets to develop new sapphire processes and products to meet their needs.”

The complete white paper can be downloaded at http://rubicontechnology.com/resources/papers.

About Rubicon Technology

Rubicon Technology, Inc. is an advanced electronic materials provider that is engaged in developing, manufacturing and selling monocrystalline sapphire and other crystalline products for light-emitting diodes (LEDs), radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs), blue laser diodes, optoelectronics and other optical applications. The Company applies its proprietary crystal growth technology to produce very high-quality sapphire in a form that allows for volume production of various sizes and orientations of substrates and windows. Rubicon is a vertically-integrated manufacturer with capabilities in crystal growth, high precision core drilling, wafer slicing, surface lapping, large-diameter polishing and wafer cleaning processes, which the Company employs to convert the bulk crystal into products with the quality and precision specified by its customers. The Company is the world leader in larger diameter products to support next-generation LED, RFIC and optical window applications. Further information is available at http://rubicontechnology.com.

About IHS Inc.

IHS (NYSE: IHS) is the leading source of information, insight and analytics in critical areas that shape today’s business landscape. Businesses and governments in more than 165 countries around the globe rely on the comprehensive content, expert independent analysis and flexible delivery methods of IHS to make high-impact decisions and develop strategies with speed and confidence. IHS has been in business since 1959 and became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange in 2005. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, USA, IHS is committed to sustainable, profitable growth and employs more than 6,000 people in 31 countries around the world. www.ihs.com