·     Arima Optoelectronics will expand ultra-high-brightness LED production.

·     AXT producing brighter AlInGaN HB-LEDs; company expanding fab facilities in China.

·     BMDO changing its name to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). 

·     Brown University/Agilent/Lumileds researchers create a monolithic dual-wavelength InGaN LED.

·     Cermet receives BMDO contracts to develop bulk GaN substrate and GaN FET technology.

·     Color Kinetics introduces ColorDial technology for controlling LED lighting.

·     Color Kinetics to provide LEDs to illuminate B/E Aerospace airplane interiors.

·     Cree announces new, brighter X-Bright LEDs (50% brighter than “MegaBright” line).

·     Cree doubles brightness of green MegaBright diodes.

·     Cree reports GaN-on-SiC blue laser lifetimes of 1000 hours.

·     Cree profiled -- claims X-Bright line are brightest LEDs in industry, ahead of Nichia for the first time.

·     Cree develops green LED with brightness of 7mW.

·     Crystal Systems unveils novel FAST substrate cutting technology.

·     DARPA SUVOS presentations available online.

·     Dow Corning announces new Thin Film Technology Platform program.

·     Easby Electronics introduces new line of HB LEDs.

·     Ekips Technologies – developing mfg process for semiconductor lasers with enhanced heat dissipation.

·     EMCORE announces Q1 FY2002 loss of $17.7 million.

·     Energy Policy Act of 2002 :  revised draft is available for review.

·     Gallium supplies: U Greenwich professor expresses concern about future gallium supplies. 

·     GELcore launches new LED lighting for signage.

·     GELcore announces a new white light LED technology using novel phosphor.

·     Harvard and Nanosys scientists develop nanowire superlattice structures.

·     Hong Kong U of Sci/Tech awarded HK$15 million by its government to develop mfg technology for blue/green HB-LEDs.

·     Intense Photonics opens new III-V manufacturing facility specializing in proprietary quantum well intermixing fabrication process.

·     ITRI's OES has developed the first domestically produced GaN laser diode, as well as novel techniques for laser diode, LED, and VCSEL manufacturing.

·     LED Forecasts : Electronic Design provides LEDs forecasts.

·     Ledtronics “PathLEDs” light strips named as one of the 100 hot products of 2001 by EDN.

·     Light Up The World: Non-profit’s efforts to provide LED lighting in third world countries profiled.

·     Lumileds: Electronic Design Magazine provides predictions of increased performance of company's LED products.

·     Lumileds using EMCORE’s GaNzilla reactors to  ramp up production of blue spectrum LEDs.

·     Lumileds to market unmounted individual Luxeon emitters.

·     Lumileds adds AIXTRON MOCVD reactor for manufacturing capabilities, making Lumileds the largest producer of GaN, InGaN, AIN and other compound semiconductor materials.

·     Matsushita develops nano-particle silicon-based LED.

·     Microsemi launches its first LED driver for battery-operated applications.

·     Microsemi announces new white Optomite HB-LED line.

·     Microsemi introduces new UltraBright blue LED and its LightChip technology at the Strategies in Light Conf.

·     Motorolacreates Thoughtbeam Inc.  subsidiary to commercialize its semiconductor technology.

·     NanoPierce and Opto Tech sign agreement to develop connection technology.

·     NanoPierce receives German government funding to further develop novel LED-substrate connection technology.

·     National Semi introduces 6 new white LED drivers to its portable power portfolio.

·     NEC Research Institute scientists use CVD with quartz crystals to create nearly defect-free photonic crystal on a silicon chip.

·     Nichia files antitrust lawsuits against Rohm and Cree alleging conspiracy to keep Nichia out of US markets.

·     Nichia's patent-infringement lawsuit against Sumitomo/Cree dismissed by Tokyo court.

·     Nichia licensed InGaN blue LED patents to Citizen Electronics.

·     Nichia to invest in Malaysian production facilities for LEDs.

·     Nichia has developed a SMT white LED with a luminous intensity of 600 mcd (50% increase over current parts).

·     Nitronex announces new technique to grow very high-purity GaN-on-Si wafers.

·     Nitronex profiled by EE Times.

·     Osram investing 75 mil Euro in LED production in Malaysia and Germany.

·     Osram Opto increases efficiency of AlGaInP HB-LEDs to greater than 50 lumens/watt.

·     Osram Opto LED technology in Ford “Mighty F-350 Tonka” concept vehicle.

·     Princeton and NEC scientists publish technique for the self-assembly of photonic crystals on silicon wafers.

·     Quinghua U and Incalcu (China) scientists develop new blue HB-LED technology.

·     Rensselauer’s Lighting Research Center to hold first “LED Lighting Institute” for lighting professionals.

·     RF Micro Devices acquires RF Nitro Communications and will focus on communication technology.

·     Rohm to contribute $2.5 mil to UC-SB's Solid State Lighting and  Design Center.

·     Sanken Electric claims method for constructing Si substrate that costs less than 10% of sapphire or SiC substrates.

·     Spectra-Physics announces new 532 nm Millennia laser.

·     Stanley Electric offers AlGaInP LED series that is 10-15x brighter than conventional through-hole LEDs. 

·     Stanley Electric introduces HB LEDs for automotive instruments, computers, office equip, and industrial controls.

·     Stratos Lightwave acquires Spire's MOCVD facilities in New England, forms Bandwidth Semiconductor subsidiary.

·     TIR speakers focus on quality of light at 2002 Strategies in Light Conference.

·     TIR Systems receives funding from Canadian government to develop solid-state lighting technology.

·     Toshiba Research Europe and U of Cambridge scientists develop new LED emitting single photons at 5 K

·     Toyoda Gosei receives favorable judgment from Japanese court which they say substantially invalidates a Nichia blue LED patent; Toyoda adds 15.5 billion yen damage suit to litigation against Nichia.

·     Toyoda Gosei launches new line of “White Hi” LEDs (400 mcd) and applies for patent on phosphor used with these products, along with co-developers Tridonic Opto (Austria), Leuchtstoffwerk Breitungen and Litec (Germany).

·     Tsinghua University and Incalcu scientists install new MOCVD technology for the production of ultra-high brightness blue LEDs.

·     Uniroyal Optoelectronics develops 450 nm LED with a large-area chip that produces 60 mW of power.

·     Uniroyal Technology Corporation reported a 44% increase in sales for its Compound Semiconductor and Optoelectronics segment for Q4 FY2001, with that segment having a net loss of $34.9 million; company to improve position in semiconductor market by selling Coated Fabrics division and reducing its workforce.

·     UC-Santa Barbara's Nakamura gives keynote address at the International Electron Devices Meeting in December.

·     UC-SB reports successful generation of UV optical pulses with ultrashort duration from InGaN light emitter.

·     UC-SB and Intense Photonics investigating technique for smearing lattice boundaries that provides precise match up at active-passive regions without complex regrowth processes.

·     U Minnesota scientist creating crystals to change red light to blue or green.

·     University of Rochester scientist develops pyramid-shape Si nanocrystals.

·     University of Toronto researchers have produced photonic semiconductors consisting of regularly arranged quadratic-spiral structures.

·     University of Wisconsin scientists invent novel means of controlling melt composition during semiconductor material crystal growth.

< span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Symbol; layout-grid-mode:line'>·     US Air Force Research Lab scientists stop light in a crystal of yttrium silicate and praseodymium.

·     US Office of Naval Research's Max Yoder to retire.

ABSTRACTS

·      Arima Optoelectronics Corporation (Taiwan) has added additional AIXTRON reactors in order to expand Arima's production of nitride-based ultra-high-brightness LEDs in blue, green, yellow and red wavelengths.  [ Press release.]

·      AXT announced the production of brighter green, blue and cyan HB-LEDs using AlInGaN chips.  The new green, cyan and blue LEDs have typical output powers (at 20 milliamps) of 2.0 milliwatts, 2.2 milliwatts, and 3.0 milliwatts, respectively.  The expected packaged lamp power output for these devices is 4.0 milliwatts, 4.4 milliwatts, and 6.0 milliwatts.  This represents a 30% increase in power over AXT's previous generation of LEDs.  [ www.axt.com -- see Investors/News]

·      AXT will be expanding its operations in China through the development of controlling partnerships in two compound semiconductor materials extraction facilities.   The two companies are Beijin Ji-Ya, a gallium extraction facility in Shan Xi and Nanjing Jinmei Gallium Ltd., an InP polycrystalline manufacturing facility.  AXT sees expansion in mineral-rich China as a cornerstone of its growth strategy. [ www.axt.com -- see Investors/News]

·      BMDO is changing its name to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) as part of a shift towards a broader strategy of defense technology development.  MDA will remain under the control of DoD’s Pentagon.  Air Force Lt. Gen. Ronald Kadish remains as director.  According to a memo issued by Donald Rumsfeld, the director of the MDA has the “authority to use transactions other than contracts, grants and cooperative agreements to carry out basic, applied, and advanced research."  [See CompoundSemi News article online .]

·      Researchers at Brown University, Agilent Technologies , and Lumileds Lighting have fabricated a monolithic dual-wavelength InGaN LED.  Although the device was introduced as a component in the fingerprinting of fluorescent dyes, the developers also foresee application of this technology to full-color displays.  By including these blue- and green-emitting LEDs in a display, the number of LED elements could be reduced from three to two.  The device features two active regions that emit at 470 and 535 nm, respectively.  The regions can be controlled independently at speeds up to 100 MHz.  [Laser Focus World article , December 2001]

·      Cermet has received two important DoD Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) contracts.  Under the first, Cermet will develop a 2-inch diameter bulk GaN crystal substrate.  The two-year contract is for $770,000.  The second contract, also for 2 years and valued at $1,100,000, requires Cermet to develop GaN -based high frequency field effect transistor (FET) technology in collaboration with researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University. [Full text of press release online.]

·      Color Kinetics introduced its ColorDial technology on January 28, 2002.  ColorDial is a means of controlling LED lighting fixtures using a dial switch.  The control knob allows for the rapid switching between pre-programmed colors and affects, including fixed color, color wash and white light.  ColorDial can be mounted to a standard single- or multi-gang wall box and covered with a standard faceplate. [Full text of press release online .]

·      Color Kinetics and B/E Aerospace have signed an agreement to provide LED interior lighting for aircraft.  Under the agreement, Color Kinetics’ "Chromacore" LEDs will be used to provide ambient lighting for the cabin interior.  Chromacore LEDs combine LED lighting technology with a microprocessor, permitting fine controls over lighting color and brightness.  Chromacore LEDs are available in a full spectrum of colors.  Potential applications include custom effects such as programming “sunset” ambience for overnight flights and “sunrise” lighting for early morning flights.  [Full text of press release online.]

·      Cree, Inc. (Durham, NC) announced on October 23, 2001 that its new "X-Bright" LEDs were 50% brighter than its existing, "MegaBright" LEDs.  X-Brights, available in the third quarter of 2002, will be made in the blue and UV wavelengths.  X-Brights incorporate Cree's GaN-on-SiC chip technology. The X-Bright chips feature a geometrically enhanced Epi-down design and require a single wire bond connection.  They can withstand 1000 V ESD.  The X-Bright chips are compatible with most radial and SMT LED assembly processes.  [Full text of press release online .]

·      Cree has announced recent technological advances to their green HB-LED "MegaBright" diodes.  The new green LED exhibits a typical brightness of 8 mW, a more than twofold brightness increase over existing Cree UltraBright green LEDs.  Volume production of the green MegaBright LEDs will begin in December 2001.  [Full text of press release online.]

·      Cree reported on November 5, 2001 that their GaN-on-SiC blue lasers have achieved a lifetime of over 1000 hours in the 400nm range.  The company also reported that the efficiency of these devices has also been increased, but did not supply specifics.  Cree is targeting its blue and UV laser developments towards improved optical data storage devices.  [Full text of press release online.]

·      Cree was recently profiled at length in the News & Observer paper in Raleigh.  Part of this profile included some interesting news about Cree’s competitive status.  The company claims that it's XBright technology, for the first time, puts it ahead of its competitors, including Nichia, and is expect to have the most impact on their financial growth in the future.  The company's shares got a boost recently when Cree was added to the S&P 500 Index.  A potential problem facing the company over the long term is that Cree's margin could decline if it fails to develop brighter products that yield higher returns, according to the article.  The company also needs to continue to expand its product line into new markets and increase the number of customers creating substantial portions of its revenue.  (Five customers accounted for 72% of the company's earnings, according to SEC filings.)  The article continued to reviewed the company's other potential strengths and weaknesses from the investor's point of view. 

·      Cree announces the development of a 525 green MegaBright LED with a brightness of 7mW.  Volume production of this LED, intended for use in full color indoor and outdoor displays, will commence in the first quarter of 2002.  [Full text of press release online.]

·      Crystal Systems (Salem, Mass.) has developed a new technology for multiple wire slicing of the compound semiconductor substrates used in HB-LEDs and laser diodes.  The invention is called Fixed Abrasive Slicing Technology (FAST).  FAST consists of a multi-wire bladepack with diamond particles fixed to the wires.  The workpiece is rotated at speeds as high as 5000 rpm and relies on minimum contact length with the wires to increase the pressure between the diamond particles and the substrate being cut.  FAST was unveiled at the Photonics West conference on January 31, 2002.  [ CompoundSemi News]

·      DARPA SUVOS project: Presentations from the April 2001 DARPA/MTO SUVOS project workshop (Semiconductor UV Optical Sources) have been made available online.  These include an overview by John Carrano (see presentation ) covering program goals and challenges, thrust areas (including materials development and UV emitters), and deliverables. Other presentations available are: Chemical and Biological Sensors (Jim Gillespie AMSRL-SE-EO), Femtosecond Studies of Wide Bandgap Semiconductors for Ultraviolet Emitter and Detector Applications (Michael Wraback ARL), Group III Nitride VCSEL Structure grown by MBE and Ordering in AlGaN Alloys (Theodore Moustakas Boston Univ. ), Device Challenges with Nitride UV Emitters (Arto Nurmikko Brown Univ.), Growth of III-Nitrides for UV Emitters (Ian Ferguson EMCORE), Industrial Development and Applications of UV Photonic Systems (Ed Stokes & Danielle Walker GE R&D Center), III-Nitride UV Optoelectronic Devices (Hongxing Jiang & Jingyu Lin Kansas State), Materials/ Substrate Issues for UV Light Emitters (Rich Molnar MIT Lincoln Lab), UV Emitters Based on AlInGaN Quaternary Alloys (Salah Bedair & N.A. El-Masry NC State), Band Offsets in UV Light Emitting Devices Based on III-V Nitride Heterostructures (Jan Schetzina NC State), Development of AlGaN Based UV LED and Lasers (Fatemeh Shahedipour M. Razeghi Northwestern Univ.),  Improved Characteristics of UV Optoelectronic Devices on Reduced Defect Density GaN Layers (Steve DenBaars UCSB), Growth and Device Strategies for AlGaN-Based UV Emitters (Shuji Nakamura USCB), Processing Technologies for AlxGa1-xN Optoelectronic Devices (Ilesanmi Adesida Univ. of Illinois), Optical Properties of Dopants and Impurities in III-Nitride Materials (Omar Manasreh Univ. of New Mexico),  AlInGaN Based Light Emitters (Asif Khan Univ. of South Carolina), Growth of Narrow Stripe Active Regions for Blue and UV Lasers Using LEO (Daniel Dapkus Univ. of Southern California), GaN/Al1-xGaxN Ultraviolet Photodetectors Grown by Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition (Joe Campbell Univ. of Texas), Toward High-Performance UV Emitters Grown by MOCVD (Russell Dupuis Univ. of Texas at Austin), Growth and Characterization of III-N UV Emitters (Jung Han Yale Univ. ).

·      Dow Corning Corporation has launched their Thin Film Technology Platform, a program designed to invent new products based on silicon-based thin-film materials and processes.  Target application areas include energy, photonics, plasma, flat panel displays, semiconductor device fabrication and packaging. The Thin Film Technology Platform will be based in Midland, Texas and will be directed by Mark Loboda. [Full text of press release online.]

·      Easby Electronics (U.K.) has introduced a series of HB LEDs, the "Para Light LST3xxx" series.  The blue, white and green LEDs have rated brightness at 20mA of 5000, 3000, and 10,000 mCd, respectively.  Emission wavelengths are 470nm (blue) and 525nm (green).  The series has a 5 mm diameter with 2.54 mm pitch and water clear lenses with a 30 degree viewing angle.   [Electronic Times, Dec 10, 2001]

·      Ekips Technologies (Norman, OK) has received $400,000 in grants from the Oklahoma Center for Advancement of Science & Technology for developing a viable commercial manufacturing process for fabricating semiconductor lasers with enhancedheat dissipation.  Ekips holds an exclusive license to patented technology developed by U of Oklahoma and UC Berkeley.  Dr. Patrick McCann, founder of the company, reports that their technology has important applications in solid state lighting, as well as DVD storage, medical diagnostics and air quality monitoring. According to McCann, the technology represents a great advancement in creating and packaging semiconductor lasers.  In the case of blue/UV lasers, improved heat dissipation means commercial products can operate with increased power, longer lifespan and cooler operation.  [Business Wire, Jan 10, 2002]

·      EMCORE Corporation announced a net loss of $17.7 million on revenues of $19.1 million in the first quarter ending December 31, 2001.  $13.3 million of the loss related to EMCORE’s write-down of its common stock holdings in Uniroyal Technology Corporation.  Slowdown in demand for EMCORE’s fiber optic transponders, transceivers and MOCVD equipment contributed to the losses.  Second quarter revenues are projected to be up 15-20% over first quarter revenues, with much of the increase coming from the PhotoVoltaic division and EMCORE’s storage area network product sales.  [Press release online .]

·      Energy Policy Act of 2002 Energy Policy Act of 2002: Section 1213 details the Next Generation Lighting Initiative, which supports the development of white LED lighting with development by 2011 as the goal. Specifically, inorganic white LEDs are targeted to have efficiencies of 160 lumens per watt and a lifetime of 10 years. Appropriations of $50 million per year are included in this bill to fund research and development activities.

·      Future Gallium Supplies: In the context of predicted greater use of GaN-based LEDs in the automotive industry, Aaron Vecht, a materials science professor at the University of Greenwich is quoted as expressing concerns about the future manufacture and growth of blue and UV LEDs because of shortages of gallium.  Vecht says that little provision seems to have been made for the 10-fold expected increase in gallium that would be required for producing these LEDs in quantities. Around 100 tons of gallium is produced annually, mainly as a by-product of the production of zinc and aluminum. "But, it is quite clear that future demands will considerably exceed these values," said Vecht.  [Electronic Times, October 22, 2002]

·      GELcore has announced the production of GE Branded Tetra™ channel lighting system.  Tetra is a UL listed LED system for signage applications that is 80% more energy efficient than red neon.  It is also more durable.  Tetra is available in reels, which can be cut to size on location.  Tetra can be used in both new and retrofit applications.  [Press release online.]

·      GELcore has announced the development of a novel phosphor for combination with visible LED chips to produce white light.  Details about this YAG alternative phosphor were not available.  Patents are pending on the phosphor.  (The company did not supply further details on the phosphor.) [See February 2002 press release online.]

·      Harvard University scientist and Nanosys Incorporated co-founder Charles Lieber report on a novel means of controlling the development of the composition and charge of multiple materials in a single nanostructure.  In a paper published in Nature (February 7, 2002 (415:617-620)) entitled "Growth of nanowire superlattice structures for nanoscale photonics and electronics", a general method for creating defect-free nano-meter-sized heterojuctions is presented.  Potential applications of this technology in a wide variety of fields were demonstrated.  For instance, the researchers developed single nanowire p-n junctions out of silicon, which has potential applications in nanoelectronics, nano-scale sensors and nano-logic arrays.  Single nanowire p-n junctions out of InP were used to create a single nanowire LED device. Other examples included the growth of a single nanowire in which light-emitting GaAs segments alternated with non-emitting GaP segments.  Variation in the length of the two kinds of segments allowed the nanowire to be used as a barcode device.  [See Nature abstract online access requires free registration.]

·      Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (HKUST) has been awarded HK$15 million by its government for developing technology for manufacturing high brightness blue/green LEDs.  The award comes from the government's Innovation and Technology Fund, which aims to help the local optoelectronics industry become more competitive in world markets.  The project will design, fabricate and test prototype LEDs for transfer to industry.  HKUST will collaborate with international and local LED companies to develop technology for the prototype production of inorganic LED structures.  [Hong Kong Industrialist, Dec 1, 2001]

·      Scientists at Quinghua University (Beijing, Peoples Republic of China) in collaboration with Incalcu Group Co. (PRC) have announced the development of a high-brightness blue LED.   Professor Luo Yi of Quinghua University declared that mass production of this device would begin soon.  Details of the technology underlying the HB-LED were not available. [SST Semiconductor Weekly from Xinhua News Agency.]

·      Intense Photonics opened a semiconductor manufacturing facility in High Blantyre, Scotland.  This III-V facility, specializing in GaAs and InP materials processing, will initially manufacture a monolithic array of 980 nm EDFA pump lasers.  The company’s technology is based on a proprietary quantum well intermixing fabrication process, which allows the properties of a semiconductor material to be modified, typically allowing its energy bandgap to be controlled, such that multiple optical communications functions can be monolithically integrated.  [Press release available at Intense Photonics.com, online here.]  (See also news item on UC-SB, below.)

·      ITRI's Opto-Electronics and Systems Laboratories (OES) announced the development of the first domestically produced GaN laser diode for use in HD-DVD pickup heads.  OES has also made significant advances in GaN LED packaging and fabrication technologies.  The new LED packaging permits fine light condensing characteristics, good heat dissipation, and a long lifetime.   The mercury-free UV GaN LED fabrication technique permits the LED to emit invisible light, short light wavelength and high energy.  A new MOCVD VCSEL manufacturing technique was also announced.  [The announcement was made December 28, 2001, see press release.]

·      LED Forecast: Electronic Design Magazine provided a forecast for component development in January of this year.  LEDs were covered in this article.  Noted are LED developments geared to increasing device brightness in all colors, particularly blue and white, for advancing the progress in LED lighting and displays.  While life expectancies routinely are quoted at 100,000 hours and LED reliability at levels that could supplant incandescents, LED development must now focus on improving performance to the point where LEDs are cost-competitive.  The magazine predicts that increases in LED brightness will be steady and, in some cases, dramatic.  White LEDs will achieve greater consistency of color, color of quality rendering, and greater consistency of color temperature from part to part.  Color rendering will improve with better phosphors (color rendering is now in the low 70s for good LEDs, reports the magazine).  The magazine gives examples of predicted improvements in LED efficiency for Lumileds’ Luxeon InGaN LED chips. -- see item on Lumileds .  [Articles available online here and here.]

·      Ledtronics’ “PathLEDs” were named as one of Electronic Design News’ 100 hot products of 2001.  These light strip LEDs can be used for display letters and signage.  The LEDs emit bright light that fills the entire letter form and are prewired in parallel, so that the string works if any one fails.  The product line includes 5 mm, 3 mm, or SMT LEDs, with inter-LED spacing of 3, 6, or 12 inches.  The product comes in six colors including 8000K white and have operating voltages of 2-28 V.  [free registration required to access this article.]

·      Light Up the World efforts: U Calgary's David Irvine-Halliday has a vision for illumination in third world countries.  Dr. Halliday started working in Nepal five years ago, when it occurred to him that LEDs could provide lighting for schools in Nepal using portable pedal- or water-powered generators. Nichia donated 2,000 LEDs to his non-profit organization, Light Up the World, and the organization installed them in about 250 homes in Nepal.  Last year they completed installation in 250 more for a cost of about $75 per household for generators and lighting.   Irvine-Halliday's mission is to have one million homes illuminated by 2005.  [San Jose Mercury News]  (More information is available about this organization online here and here.)

·      Lumileds LED efficiencies forecast: Electronic Design Magazine provided a forecast for component development in January of this year.  LEDs were covered in this article.  The magazine gives examples of predicted improvements in LED efficiency for Lumileds' Luxeon InGaN LED chips.  Here, output will be boosted from 32 to 60+ lumens/w for green; from 8 to 14 lumens/W for blue; and from 50 to 58 lumens/W for the AlInGaP red/orange devices.  Improvements in lumens/package will improve the 1-(cm.sup.2) Luxeon package from 25 to 100 lumens for green; from 5 to 20 lumens for blue; from 18 to almost 50 lumens for white.  [Articles available online here and here .]

·      Lumileds Lighting announced in October that it will use Emcore's "GaNzilla" epitaxial reactors to ramp up Lumiled's production of blue spectrum LEDs.  [See press release online.]

·      Lumileds Lighting has expanded its Luxeon series of ultra compact light sources to include the sale of unmounted individual Luxeon emitters.  This gives developers the chance to experiment with novel array configurations optimized for their particular applications.  [Press release online .  A profile of Luxeon lighting technology was also carried by BuildingOnline , listing the benefits of these products for lighting designers.]

·      Lumileds will add AIXTRON’s high-throughput AIX 2600G3HT MOCVD Planetary Reactor to its manufacturing facility.  According to an AIXTRON press release , this would make Lumileds the largest producer of GaN, InGaN, AlN and related compounds. 

·      Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Japan) has announced the development of a silicon-based LED that uses nano-particle structure.  An article in the January 2002 issue of Nikkei Electronics Asia, Matsushita has reported the device emits light with 1.17 eV peak energy, higher than that 1.11eV of the bulk Si energy gap. The Si particle, which measures 3.8 nm in diameter, has a wider bandgap because of the confinement of the semiconductor material to a small area and an external higher energy barrier.  Si particles were made by laser ablation in which the second harmonic beam of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser is irradiated onto a p-type Si target wafer. The vaporized Si particles are deposited onto another Si substrate in multiple micron-scale square patterns using a standard process.  It is unclear if a p-n junction is made. The light emitted shows 1.17eV with 0.15eV half peak.  [Complete text available at online.]

·      Microsemi has launched a driver optimized for controlling LEDs in battery operations.  The LX1992 offers greater than 90% efficiency, is capable of 150 mA output current.  The new circuit is a compact, high efficiency step-up boost controller for driving white, blue, green or UV HB-LEDs in either backlit or frontlit systems.  Following an announcement that the company is nearing completion of two new LED technologies, Manuel Lynch, VP of Business Development commented, "By year's end, Microsemi will become the only U.S. semiconductor manufacturer able to provide a complete system-engineered solution for battery-operated LED lighting applications."  [Press release online.]

·      Microsemi Corporation has announced its new Optomite line of HB-LEDs, starting with the UPBLED-470B.  The UPBLED-470B uses Cree's MegaBright GaN-on-SiC epi technology.  The 465-475 nm LEDs feature a forward voltage of 3.6V, radiant flux of 10mW, and ultra low thermal resistance of 108 degrees C.  It is able to withstand more than 350 degrees C during manufacturing, which aids in the implementation of this device into transfer molded light piping systems. A white Optomite LED is planned for offering in 2002.  [Press release online .]

·      Microsemi Corporation introduced its new UPBLED470A UltraBright blue LED at Strategies and Light Conference in Burlingame, Calif.  The UltraBright combines Microsemi’s Optomite packaging with a GaN-based die from Cree, producing a more powerful and smaller blue LED.  The UltraBright, along with Microsemi’s MegaBright UPBLED470B, are part of Microsemi’s longer-term strategy to produce a line of high-power, high-brightness blue and white LEDs.  Microsemi also demonstrated a prototype of its LightChip™   technology, a silicon-based GaN die based in Microsemi’s chip-scale MMSM™ technology, which will be used to create white LEDs in UV-resistant glass packages without wire bonds.  LightChip is a product of collaboration between Microsemi and Nitronex and utilizes Nitronex’s SIGANTIC™ GaN-on-Si wafer technology.  [Press release online.]

·      Motorola creates "Thoughtbeam Inc.", a subsidiary dedicated to the commercialization of Motorola's compound semiconductor-on-silicon technology.  The management team is led by Padmasree Warrior, who previously directed the R&D organization for Motorola Semiconductor Products.  Motorola has signed its first licensing agreement for production of its GaAs-on-Si wafers with IQE, Plc. (Cardiff, Scotland, UK).  [ Press release] 

·      NanoPierce Card Technologies GmbH signed a letter of intent with Opto Tech Corporation (Taiwan) for the deployment of the NanoPierce Connection System in Opto Tech’s optoelectronic LEDs.  According to Opto Tech’s H. T. Wang, "…[the] NanoPierce Connection System [is] a potential break-through technology in the problematic area of LED connections.”  [ Press release]

·      NanoPierce Card Technologies GmbH (Munich, Germany), a subsidiary of NanoPierce Technologies, Inc. (Denver, Colo.) has announced the grant of research support from the German ministry of business and technology to develop their proprietary NanoPierce Connection System™ (NCS) technology.  NCS is a means of creating electrical connections between LED dies and substrates.  In the NCS method, diamond dust is placed between the die and the conducting substrate.  Pressure is used to wedge individual diamond particles into the die base, where it contacts a conducting gold layer.  The LED die can then be glued into place.  NanoPierce is collaborating with Elcos AG in the development of applications of the NCS technology.  The collaboration agreement is set to last into 2003.  [ Press release ]

·      National Semiconductor reported that it has launched six new white-LED drivers to its power management portfolio of chips for use in portable electronics.  The drivers will make it easier and simpler for manufacturers to deliver images and text on full-color handhelds without expanding battery size.  The  LM270x devices drive white LEDs more efficiently than any of the switched  capacitor-based  drivers.  The LM2704 achieves 85% efficiency delivering 20 mA at 20V. The LM2703 has a 300 mA peak current limit, and the LM2704 has a 600 mA peak current limit.  Both devices are also applicable as general-purpose magnetic boost DC/DC converters. An example application is the LM2704 boosting the 2.7V to 4.2V rail supplied by a single-cell Li-ion battery into a regulated 5V, 80mA rail. National's LLP packages feature industry-leading thermal capability in dramatically smaller, thinner form factors than traditional power packages. [ Press release ]

·      NEC Research Institute ( http://www.neci.nj.nec.com ) scientist David Norris has developed means of creating almost defect free photonic crystals on a chip.  The crystals range up to 1 cm in size, with stacking errors of 1% and point defects at 10(-3) per unit cell.  Using chemical vapor deposition, quartz spherules approximately 0.86 micrometers in diameter were ordered in layers on an Si wafer.  Up to 20 layers were used.  Once the quartz spherules were removed, an air-filled crystal resulted. The photonic crystal layer can be structured using photolithography and ion etching, allowing these photonic components to be integrated on a chip.  [Item online at stp gateway here.]

·      Nichia Corporation has filed antitrust lawsuits in US District Court against Rohm and Cree November 12, 2001.  Nichia claims that Rohm and Cree conspired to exclude Nichia from US markets and that Rohm knowingly and fraudulently obtained invalid US patents against Nichia.  The ITC is pursuing sanctions against Rohm concerning Rohm's filing of an ITC claim against Nichia in December 2000.  [Press release on file at compoundsemiconductor online here .]

·      On December 20, 2001, Cree announced that the Tokyo District Court in Japan dismissed Nichia's lawsuit (filed April 2000) against Cree's distributor Sumitomo Corporation (Japan).  Nichia had alleged that certain Cree products "infringe Japanese Patent No. 2,778,405," in particular Cree’s HB-LED products and certain of its low current LED products.  The Court found that there was no patent infringement.  [ Press release ]

·      Nichia has announced that it has licensed to Citizen Electronics its patents covering the combination of InGaN blue LEDs with YAG (yttrium, aluminum, garnet) yellow phosphor to produce white-light LEDs.  Citizen will focus on the production of the devices for sale. White SMD LEDs from Nichia achieve 370 to 430 millicandela. [ EE Times, Jan 10 2002]

·      Nichia investment in Malaysia: The Malaysian government is offering incentives to certain companies for foreign investment in higher-value added industries in a bid to differentiate itself in the market.  Promoted activities and products include optoelectronics, alternative energy sources, and advanced materials, among others. Nichia will be investing some RM742 million in its Malaysian operations to produce blue, green and white light-emitting diodes.  [Business Times Malaysia]

·      Nichia announced the development of surface-mount white LEDs with a 50% increase in luminous intensity over current models.  The new white LEDs, incorporated in Nichia’s NCSW215 side-view surface mount LEDs, emit 600 mcd of light.  The height of the LED is 1.0 mm, but is expected to be made as thin as 0.8 mm.  Engineering samples will be available Q1 calendar 2002, with volume production in the subsequent quarter.  Initial applications are in the full-color LCD mobile device screen area. [ Press release ]

·      Nitronex has announced a new technique for growing very high-purity GaN-on-Si that will enable GaN to be used for high-performance radio-frequency devices and wireless circuits.  The new technique uses pendeoepitaxy to grow GaN on 4- and 6-inch silicon wafers.  The company is now using this technology to build and sample discrete power amplifiers for wireless basestations.  [ EE Times, Jan 7 2002]

·      Nitronex profiled: EE Times profiled the company in an article appearing in the January 7th issue of the magazine.  The article reviews the company's pendeoepitaxy techniques for growing very high purity GaN on Si, saying that this breakthrough may allow GaN transistors to play a mainstream role in the production of high performance RF devices.  The article focuses on the company's plans for high power transistor devices.   (This extensive article may be viewed in full online.

·      Osram is investing 75 million euro to develop and produce LEDs at two centers of excellence in Malaysia and Germany as part of a move to enter the consumer market in the Asia Pacific region..  Osram has achieved rapid expansion in the last 10 years in Europe and North America, and intends to expand sales in the Far East and Eastern Europe -- it aims to double its market share in these two regions by 2005.  [STAR (Malaysia)]

·      Osram Opto (Rengensburg, Germany) has announced a significant increase in efficiency of their AlGaInP HB-LEDs.  In a new manufacturing process, the light absorbing GaAs substrates removed after epitaxial growth is complete and a partially-alloyed metal layer is added to the upper side of the LED.  The metal layer adds both a current conductor and a light reflector.  Osram reports red LEDs (615 nm) with luminous efficiencies of greater than 50 lumens/watt.  [ Press release ]

·      Osram Opto Semiconductor's advanced LED technology was on display in Ford’s “Mighty F-350 Tonka” concept vehicle at the 2002 Chicago Auto Show starting February 8, 2002.  Osram’s OS high-flux Power TOPLED products can be found in the vehicles interior lighting, low beam headlamps, fog lamps, running board lamps, signal lamps, center high mount stop lamps and back-up lamps. [ Press release ]

·      Scientists from Princeton University and NEC Research Institute, US, have developed a means for making photonic crystals self-assemble on a chip.  According to the article published in Nature (414 (15 November 2001):289), the chips operate at 1.3 and 1.55µm wavelengths, thereby allowing cost-effective manufacturing of devices for telecommunications and computing. [Item from optics.org online.]

·      Rensselauer’s Lighting Research Center is holding its first “LED Lighting Institute,” March 21-22, 2002.  This two-day instructional workshop for lighting professionals is designed to help participants learn more about the rapidly evolving LED lighting technology.  The two-day curriculum covers important aspects of LED technology and optical design. “Using equipment donated by program sponsors, and the LRC's array of lighting experts, the class will learn about LED lighting technology through classroom instruction and hands-on experimentation. The class will also use optical modeling software to explore the unique optical characteristics of LEDs and see how this technology might best be used in architectural lighting fixtures. Perhaps most importantly, participants will able to develop lighting designs and mock-up lighting installations using available equipment.  For more information, see workshop material online.

·      RF Micro Devices (Greensboro, NC), a supplier of epitaxy-based devices, announced October 15, 2001 that it had acquired RF Nitro Communications, Inc (Charlotte, NC). RF Nitro is a GaN development corporation.  The new company will focus on the wireless communication and fiber optic transmission areas. [ Press release]

·      Rohm announced that it would make a $2.5 million contribution to UCSB's Solid State Lighting and Display Center (SSLDC).  Shuji Nakamura directs this center.  Within five years, the SSLDC hopes to develop a white LED for illumination. Rohm's contribution will support research into a GaN semiconductor element that is brighter than blue LEDs.  SSLDC expects to receive donations of $2.5 each from six other corporate partners, including Mitsubishi Chemical and Cree. [Asia Pulse, Feb 7 2002]

·      Sanken Electric, as reported in the Nikkei Weekly, has created a method for constructing a blue LED on a silicon substrate that costs less than 10% of conventional techniques using sapphire or silicon carbide substrates. Using this method, the blue LED generated commercial grade brightness.  [Nikkei Weekly, Dec 3 2001]

·      Spectra-Physics has introduced a 532 nm, 5 watt, continuous wave, single-pump, all solid-state laser diode.  Part of its "Millennia" laser series, it features a single Spectra-Physics’ ProLite series pump diode capable of 10,000 hours of operation.  The new laser was introduced at the Photonics West Conference and Trade Show (San Jose, January 2002).  [ Press release]

·      Stanley Electric offers an AlGaInP LED series which delivers superior lighting (10-15x brighter) to through-hole LEDs.  These LEDs have a typical luminous intensity of up to 5000 mcd @ 20 mA, depending on the color.  The product comes in three colors and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications.  [Electronic Design, Oct 29 2001]

·      Stanley Electric (Irvine, CA) has introduced HB LEDs (red, orange, yellow, blue, green, or blue-green) for automotive instrumentation, computers, office equipment and industrial controls.  The LEDs provide a viewing angle of 40 - 50 degrees with a typical luminous intensity of 70 - 200 millicandela, depending on the color.  [EBN, Nov 26 2001]

·      Stratos Lightwave has bought the MOCVD foundry portion of Spire Corporation and renamed this subsidiary Bandwidth Semiconductor.  Spire’s experienced MOCVD engineers joined Bandwidth as part of the deal.  The new corporation includes a 13,500 sq ft. foundry in a 50,000 sq. ft. fab in Bedford, Massachusetts and a 40,000 sq. ft. fab in Hudson, New Hampshire.  In the latter facility, Bandwidth will produce 4” GaAs and InP-based compounds.  [CompoundSemi News, article online.]

·      Two speakers from TIR Systems Ltd. spoke on LED light quality at the recent 2002 Strategies in Light Conference in San Francisco, Calif.  Brent York, Vice President of Engineering and Technology covered the topic of "Optical Systems and Visualizing Light", detailing the effects of various optical methodologies and their impact on the luminous environment from the use of high brightness LEDs.  Ian Ashdown, Senior Research Scientist spoke on "Color Rendering Index, Chromacity and Measurement of High Brightness LEDs: What Lighting Practitioners Need To Know." This topic is key to the technical roadmap for the development of white light from LEDs.  [ Press release ]

·      TIR Systems Ltd. disclosed $6.6 million of funding from the Government of Canada to support the development of TIR's solid state lighting technology.  This is a repayable investment, and the company states “The Government of Canada’s investment is an endorsement of TIR’s strategy … “  Among TIR’s activities are the development of high efficiency power supplies, full-range digital control, advanced optical films, thin coatings and next generation communications protocols for SSL technology. [ Press release ]

·      Toshiba Research Europe, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge (UK), has developed a new LED that emits single photons at 5 K.  This single-photon-emitting diode was created by adding a layer of InAs quantum dots to a conventional LED composed of undoped GaAs, with the two layers sandwiched between layers of hole-and electron-doped GaAs.  Although in tests photons were emitted in the infrared wavelength, the quantum dots can be tuned to emit light at any wavelength, including 1.3 µm, which is used in fiber-optic communications.

·      Toyoda Gosei vs. Nichia: Toyoda announced in November that the Japanese Supreme Court had issued a final and conclusive ruling in their favor, which substantially invalidates a Nichia blue LED patent. [ Press release ]  (In October, Toyoda added a claim to its blue LED suit against Nichia for damages incurred between 1998 and 1999.  Toyoda is suing for 15.5 billion yen. [ Press release] )

·      Toyoda Gosei has launched a line of white HB-LEDs that combine a GaN-based blue LED with a phosphor.  These "WhiteHi" LEDs have luminosity levels of 400 millicandela (mcd) and are available as SMD and LED lamps.  Toyoda claims that its phosphor is not the YAG type, and therefore does not infringe on Nichia's patents [see article in EE Times online .]  Toyoda's white LED, which is tucked in a surface-mount package and measures 3 mm square, achieves a brightness of 400 millicandela at 20mA forward current.  Toyoda will begin selling its white LEDs in February.  Toyoda Gosei licensed the phosphor from Tridonic Optoelectronics GmbH (Austria), Leuchtstoffwerk Breitungen Gmbh and Litec GbR (Germany).  All four companies have jointly applied for patents on this technology. [CompoundSemi News article online .]

·      Tsinghua University has installed an AIX 2000HT system for the grown of GaN-related materials.  This is the largest GaN MOCVD reactor in mainland China.  It will be used by Tsinghua University scientists, in collaboration with scientists from Shandong Incalcu Group, to develop ultra-high brightness blue LEDs.  Blue LED epiwafers that meet international standards have been produced. [ Press release online.]

·      Uniroyal Optoelectronics announced on January 11, 2002 the development of a 450 nm LED with a large-area chip.  This chip produces 60 mW of power, making it one of the brightest LED devices in the high brightness LED marketplace, according to the company.  This product is immediately available for sampling by customers.  A UV large-area chip, based on the same technology, is also under development.  Power levels of the finished product are expected to be comparable to the blue LED product.  The company is currently applying for patents to cover portions of this technology.  [Laser Focus World,  online article .]

·      Uniroyal Technology Corporation (UTC) reported a fourth quarter FY2001 increase in sales of 44% over Q4 FY 2000 for its Compound Semiconductor & Optoelectronics segment.  The Q4 FY2001 sales were $1.7 million.  However, the UTC recorded a net loss of $34.9 million over the quarter due to continued investment in research, deferred tax valuations and goodwill write-off. [See press release dated 12-26-01.]

·      Uniroyal Technology Corporation will consolidate its workforce to position itself for the 2002 economic recovery.  The company will continue to narrow its focus to optoelectronics by selling its Coated Fabrics division.  A work force reduction of 90 employees was also expected and consolidation efficiencies are estimated to save the company $7.5 million annually.  According to Howard Curd, Chairman and CEO of Uniroyal Technology Corporation, “…in order to facilitate our consolidation, it became necessary to reduce headcount in the Compound Semiconductor & Optoelectronics segment and to eliminate corporate functions that did not directly support that segment."  The cost cutting measures do not affect R&D funding.  [See press release dated 1-7-02.]

·      UC-Santa Barbara professor Shuji Nakamura, in his keynote address at the International Electron Devices Meeting on December 11, predicted that white InGaN LEDs would replace incandescent bulbs in traffic lights and other lighting applications.  Nakamura reviewed the significant gains inlighting lifetimes and the reduction in energy consumption that would accompany such a technological change.  [ EE Times article online.]

·      UC-SB researchers, using a coated MQW InGaN diode from Nichia, have reported successful generation of UV optical pulses with ultrashort duration.  By actively modelocking an external-cavity InGaN laser, average output power of 2 mW was achieved at a wavelength of 409 nm with a pulse duration of 30 ps. The cavity of the diode consisted of a diffraction grating with 1200 lines/mm and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). The SOA was created by coating a cleaved facet of a ridge waveguide multiple-quantum-well InGaN diode from Nichia. To achieve active modelocking, the scientists drove the SOA with 20 mW RF power at the cavity round-trip frequency along with 43 mA of direct current using a bias tee. The pulse profile shows a spectral width of 0.023 nm at a center wavelength of 408.5 nm and is temporally asymmetric due to a dynamic detuning effect in active modelocking. [Laser Focus World article, Nov 2001 – free registration required to access this article.]

·      UC-SB and startup company, Intense Photonics (Scotland), are investigating quantum well intermixing for application to the integration of optical devices and circuitry.  Discussing their most recent results with this technique at IEEE's LEOS meeting in November, the collaborator Erik Skogun of UCSB says that the compact and simple method of fabricating optical integrated circuits enables the creation of different band-gap regions across an epitaxial wafer without the need for complex, multiple growth steps, and it also provides a great deal of flexibility for design.   The Scottish researchers have workedprimarily with laser-induced and dielectric-cap-induced intermixing. They have used the first of these methods to fabricate a broadband light-emitting diode (LED) with a wavelength variation from about 1400 to about 1550 nm over a distance of 1.5 nm across the device.   [Laser Focus World article, Jan 2002 – free registration required to access this article.]

·      Univ. of Minnesota's Michael Ward is designing crystals with a polar structure that doubles the frequency of light.  The crystals make possible changing red light to green or blue, which could be an enabler of blue lasers.  The crystals could be used in telecommunications optical switching applications.  Ward commented that while there are other materials that can change light in the same fashion, these crystals don't have the same thermal robustness as the ones he has engineered.  [Design News, Feb 4 2002]

·      Scientist Christopher Striemer at the University of Rochester has announced the formation of pyramid-shaped Si nanocrystals in pre-determined spots using standardized lithography, anisotropic etching and controlled crystallization of Si quantum dots.  The resulting supergrids are composed of alternating Si and SiO2 layers.  The SiO2 layers were 30A thick, those of amorphous Si where 50A thick.  [stp gateway item online.]

·      University of Toronto physicist Sajeev John and colleagues have discovered a way to produce a photonic crystal with a large photonic gap.  Made using glancing angle deposition (GLAD), the resulting crystal consists of regularly arranged quadratic-spiral structures.  The spirals are embedded in a material with a different dielectric constant, resulting in a photonic semiconductor.  [stp gateway item online.]

·      University of Wisconsin-Madison Materials Science and Engineering Professor Sindo Kou and graduate student Jia-Jie He have developed a novel method for growing single-crystalline semiconducting materials.  This method overcomes the problem of changes in the uptake of impurities from the melt during crystal growth.  In this new method, pure substrate materials are added to the melt to hold the ratio of melt to impurities constant, and therefore ensure constant conditions during crystal growth.  The invention is being patented through the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.  [Global Technospan item online here.]

·      Scientists at the US Air Force Research Laboratory at Hanscom AFB, along with colleagues in Korea, have found a way to stop light in a crystal of yttrium silicate containing a few atoms of the element praseodymium. In this two-laser technique, scientists used the first laser to excite the atoms in the yttrium silicate crystal to high-energy states. When a second laser was aimed at the same crystal, the light became coupled to the crystal atoms and cannot be propagated through the solid.  Changing the energy of the second laser causes the light to be re-emitted. [Nature, Science Update, Jan 8 2002 online ]

·      Max Yoder announced on November 15, 2001 that he will retire from the US Office of Naval Research. He has long championed research in the III-V compounds, with an emphasis in recent years on GaN.   [CompoundSemi News online .]