The 17th national thin film technology symposium was held from november 14 to 16, 2025, at nanshan, shenzhen, concurrently marking the 40th anniversary celebration of the thin film professional committee of the chinese vacuum society.

During this prestigious industry summit, Shenzhen APG Materials Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "APG Group"), which has been deeply engaged in the field of thin film sputtering targets for 15 years, made a stunning appearance with multiple core technological achievements. Through a commitment to independent innovation, the APG Group has successfully addressed critical industry challenges while providing significant momentum to the localization of high-performance thin-film materials.

APG Group's two-fold strategic objective at the Conference:

First, the company showcased its latest breakthroughs in the localization of critical target materials, underscoring the advanced manufacturing capabilities and growing competitive strength of China's domestic industry.

Secondly, it built a deep communication bridge with upstream and downstream partners in the industry chain, as well as research institutions, to foster industry consensus and drive the continuous iteration and application of thin film technology, promoting high-quality development across the industry.

During the symposium, APG Group presented significant advancements in high-end thin-film target material research and product innovation:

(1)To overcome global constraints regarding Reactive Plasma Deposition target materials and to effectively eliminate common issues such as particulate splashing and material fatigue, APG Group proposed powder grain size grading and high-temperature rapid quenching technology, solving the problem of hole structure regulation. This milestone enabled the successful domestic substitution of high-end imported target materials and was further validated by the granting of three core invention patents.

This product also helped our partner, i.e., LONGi Green Energy, achieve the highest the world record for battery efficiency.

(2)To address the manufacturing complexities of high-purity rare-earth terbium (Tb) rotating targets, APG Group has successfully implemented advanced vacuum distillation-plasma purification technology. Complementing this, we introduced a proprietary in-situ defoaming casting technology specifically engineered for rotating targets. These technical breakthroughs have yielded superior material specifications, including high density of >99% and ultra-low oxygen impurity of <500ppm; and this invention is supported by three granted patents.

(3)To address the critical challenges of compositional non-uniformity and excessive oxygen content in high-scandium (Sc) aluminum-scandium targets, APG Group has developed a sophisticated metal purification and grain control technology, achieving a target uniformity of <±0.2% and a remarkably low oxygen content of <50ppm. These technical advancement has been officially recognized with the granting of one core invention patent. 

(4)To solve the problem of "compatibility between densification and high electrical conductivity" for tin oxide targets, APG Group proposed multi-component doping technology, achieving a target density of >99% with a resistivity of <10 mΩ·cm, and this achievement was granted two invention patents.

APG Group Continues to Make Key Technological Breakthroughs

In recent years, APG Group has achieved major breakthroughs in the development of AlSc and PZT targets for 5G filters and piezoelectric devices, alongside high-purity rare earth targets such as Tb, Dy, and PrAlCu for permanent magnets. Additionally, we have advanced high-mobility indium oxide-based TCOs, carrier transport layers utilizing tin and nickel oxides, and critical light absorption materials for CuGa and CdTe solar cells.

Major customers include industry leaders such as LONGi, Fuyao, BOE, and Lens Technology. These successful developments have generated over 350 million yuan in additional revenue.

Notably, the Group’s RPD target technology has achieved an "internationally advanced" rating, enabling the full substitution of imported materials with high-performance domestic alternatives. This breakthrough has significantly enhanced the independence of the domestic supply chain and directly supported photovoltaic customers in achieving world-record solar conversion efficiencies.

Industry-Academia Research Collaboration Drives APG Group’s Technological Breakthroughs

APG Group has established long-term stable partnerships with top universities such as Tsinghua University, Shenzhen University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Through joint internship and R&D bases, the company accelerates the transformation of core technological achievements, achieving deep integration of "Industry-Academia-Research-Application".

Meanwhile, APG Group actively participates in industry associations, leads/participates in the formulation of industry standards, and proactively engages in technical exchanges with peers, driving the overall advancement of the industry.Looking ahead, APG Group will further deepen its industry-academia-research collaboration, focusing on three core directions:Advancing third-generation semiconductor target material preparation technology to provide critical materials for the 5G and new energy vehicle industries.Driving breakthroughs in chip-target technology to lay a solid material foundation for next generation of AI technology development.Expanding research and development in target material recycling and reuse technologies, promoting the concept of resource recycling, reducing industry costs, and supporting sustainable green development.

During the symposium, APG Group’s technological achievements and development plans garnered widespread attention and high recognition across the industry.

As a leading enterprise in the thin film sputtering target field, APG Group will continue to drive technological innovation, focus on the domestic production track, deepen industry-academia-research collaboration, and contribute more to the innovative development of the thin film industry and the independent and controllable development of China’s strategic emerging industries.