GT Advanced Technologies has entered into a memorandum of understanding with EV Group to work together in various collaborative arrangements including jointly developing high volume production processes and equipment necessary to bond the ultra-thin sapphire and SiC lamina, produced by GT's Hyperion technology, to engineered substrates such as glass, silicon, and plastics. Additionally, GT announced it will begin working with a leading glass substrate producer to develop specially engineered substrate materials that can be bonded to ultra-thin sapphire lamina to create unique composite solutions that expand the reach of sapphire into a broader set of applications. The company also announced that it has acquired patent-pending technology for producing low-cost, scratch-resistant aluminum oxide coatings for various substrates including glass and plastics.

These coatings are expected to provide some of the durability and scratch-resistant properties of crystalline sapphire at a lower price point to address market opportunities where cost is paramount and not all of the properties of sapphire are required.