Molybdenum is a metal element mainly used in steel, most of which is directly used for steelmaking or cast iron after industrial molybdenum oxide pressing, while a small amount of molybdenum is smelted into molybdenum-iron or molybdenum foil before being used for steelmaking. It can enhance the strength, hardness, weldability, and toughness of the alloy, as well as its high-temperature resistance and corrosion resistance.
Molybdenum sputtering target can form films on various kinds of substrates, which are widely used as electronic components and products, such as the current widely used TFT-LCD (Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display), plasma display panel, inorganic light emitting diode display, field emission displays, thin film solar cells, sensor, semiconductor device and field effect transistor gate with tunable function CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Transistor), etc.
In the electronics industry, molybdenum sputtering targets are mainly used for planar display, thin film solar cell electrode and wiring material and semiconductor barrier layer materials, which are based on molybdenum with the high melting point, high conductivity, low specific impedance, good corrosion resistance and good environmental performance. Molybdenum has the advantages of specific impedance and membrane stress only half that of chromium, and there is no environmental pollution problem, so it has become one of the preferred materials for sputter target of the flat panel display. Besides that, the use of molybdenum in the components of LCD can greatly improve the performance of LCD in brightness, contrast, color, and life.
One of the main market applications of molybdenum sputtering targets is TFT-LCD in the planar display industry. Market research shows that the next few years will be the peak of LCD development, with an annual growth rate of about 30%. With the development of LCD, the consumption of the target material of LCD sputtering will also increase rapidly, with an annual growth rate of about 20%.
Apart from the planar display industry, the application of molybdenum sputtering target on thin-film solar photovoltaic cells is also increasing with the development of new energy industry. The target material of molybdenum sputtering mainly forms the electrode layer of CIGS (copper indium gallium selenium) thin film battery by splatter plating. Molybdenum is at the bottom of the solar cell. As the back contact of the solar cell, it plays an important role in nucleation, growth, and morphology of CIGS thin film crystal.
