Mitsubishi Materials Corp.

Company Overview

Mitsubishi Materials Corp. (MMC) is a leading manufacturer of products based on nonferrous materials (such as copper, aluminum, gold, and silver). Examples of these products are copper billets and cakes, copper cathodes for electrical wiring, copper wire rods, aluminum cans, aluminum surface treatment materials, and precious metal ingots and jewelry products.

In addition, the company manufactures electronic materials and components (polycrystalline silicon, sol-gel solutions, semiconductor-grade gas, surge absorbers, chip antennas, and thermistors), cements (Portland cement, blended cement, soil stabilizing cement, and building materials), automotive parts (oil pump components, valve seats and guides, gears for electronically controlled throttles, transmission gears, and shock absorbers) and plants for the energy sector and for environmental recycling.

The company’s business activities are divided into eight segments: cement, metals, copper and copper alloy, metalworking solutions, electronic materials and components, aluminum, environments and energy, and others.

Sputtering targets are produced within the electronic materials and components segment. Currently, MMC manufactures targets that are primarily used for semiconductors, flat panel displays, data storage media, and solar cells.

Mitsubishi Materials uses vacuum melting, hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, and proprietary methods to manufacture its sputtering targets in a wide range of sizes, shapes and thicknesses.

For semiconductor applications MMC offers various materials with purity ranging between 4N and 6N: aluminum and aluminum alloys (e.g., aluminum/silicon, aluminum/copper and aluminum/copper/ titanium), silicide (e.g., tungsten silicide and molybdenum silicide), titanium, refractory metals (e.g., tungsten, molybdenum, ruthenium and platinum), silicon, copper and ferroelectric (e.g., barium titanate, barium/strontium titanate, and lead/zirconium titanate). These targets are typically characterized by grain size below 50 microns.

The company recently introduced oxygen-free copper and copper alloy targets with purity up to 7N for semiconductor wiring. In August 2018, the company announced the development of a tungsten-titanium target for barrier films that support semiconductor fine pitch processes.

For data recording media applications, MMC produces chalcogenide targets (based on tellurium and selenium alloys) for phase change layers; rare earth/transition metal targets (e.g., terbium/iron/cobalt and neodymium/iron cobalt) for magneto-optical layers; dielectric targets (e.g., zinc sulfide/ silicon oxide) for protective layers of optical recording media; silicon targets (e.g., silicon, boron/silicon and silicon nitride) for protective layers of magnetic recording layers; alloys (e.g., germanium, chromium and silicon alloys) for interface layers; and pure silver and silver alloys for reflective layers. These targets have purities ranging between 3N and 4N.

For display and touch panel applications, MMC offers primarily planar and cylindrical targets composed of aluminum, silver, or their alloys (e.g., silver/palladium and silver/magnesium) with 4N purity. They are used for deposition of reflective layer, wiring layers, barrier films, and optical layers.

In 2017, MMC announced the introduction of Diasilver 201, a new series of silver alloy targets for OLEDs, which enhance OLED luminescence and longevity. This product, which is characterized by an average grain size below 100 microns, can be fabricated to coat glass sheets with sizes up to 2.94 meters by 3.37 meters in the planar design and up to 2.2 meters by 2.5 meters in the rotatable design.

The company has recently developed a silver alloy for a 40-nm ITO/Ag/ITO multilayer that can replace thicker 150-nm ITO films in display electrodes. This technology is particularly well suited for fabrication of flexible displays.

Targets for solar cells include copper with various concentrations of gallium for applications in CIGS photovoltaic cells, pure silver and silver alloy targets for reflective electrodes, aluminum-zinc oxide (AZO) targets for transparent conductive coatings, nickel targets for electrode fabrication, boron-doped silicon targets, and niobium oxide targets for antireflection layers.

Financial Highlights (FY 2024)

Company's Business Segments

• Metals Business : This segment includes the mining, smelting, refining, precious metal, and resource cycling sectors.
• Advanced Products Business : This segment focuses on developing and providing electronic products and materials, strongly emphasizing engineering services.
• Renewable Energy Business : Under this segment, the company is active in a range of future-oriented operations, including geothermal, solar, and hydraulic power generation, to realize a sustainable society.
• Cement Business : The company has a significant presence in the cement business, primarily through its affiliate, Mitsubishi UBE Cement Corp. It also has other cement-related businesses, including ready-mixed concrete and related materials like waterproofing and plastering. 
• Environment & Energy Business : The company engaged in numerous activities, including developing and implementing sustainable technologies, promoting resource recycling, and contributing to decarbonization efforts.