Solid-State Lighting Issue 15: Selected Business & Technology News (September

ISSUE 15: BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY NEWS
(September - November 2002)

A selection of news appears in this section.

D. Government Activities and Funding News

Where possible, links to full-text articles and press releases have been included in the abstracts.� Click on the links in the table below to go directly to the abstract.

Table of Contents:� Business and Technology News

A. Developer News

� Amtech Lighting Services will provide LED traffic signals for City of Dallas, TX.

� ATMI received a $9.46 million ONR grant to develop AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on 4-inch GaN and SiC substrates, part of DARPA�s Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Technology Initiative.�

� ATMI expands GaN manufacturing, terminates GaAs production.

� Color Kinetics completes a $17 million financing round.

� Color Kinetics will partner with Balboa Instruments and Hayward Pool Products to bring LED lighting to pools and spas.

� Cree has reported a large increase in LED sales in the third quarter of 2002, with overall revenues up 29%.

� Daktronics will provide an integrated display system for Las Vegas� Orleans Arena.

� Epistar has improved its ITO p-type ohmic contact.

� General Electric has acquired Advanced Ceramics, a supplier of boron nitride for MBE and bulk crystal growth.

� GE combines GE Lighting and GE Appliance businesses to form GE Consumer Products.

� Japan's National Institute for Materials Science plans to research ZnO diodes.

� Kopin Corporation reports a 78% increase in revenue in the third quarter over the same quarter in 2001.

� Kopin announced the development of a novel epitaxial ohmic contact technology for GaN LEDs.

� The Light Up the World Foundation received a $50,000 Tech Museum Award and the Rolex Award for Enterprise.

� The National Academy of Sciences published the proceedings of the Partnerships for Solid-State Lighting Workshop held in March 2001.

� Nichia has settled its patent disputes with Toyoda Gosei, Lumileds, and Cree.

� Osram OS has developed a GaN blue laser that has a service life of 143 hours of continuous-wave operation.

� Osram GmbH has licensed its white LED technology to Rohm Co. Ltd.

� Positive Light has filed suit against Quantronix alleging infringement of Positive Light�s US Patent 5,790,303, related to a method for amplifying an optical pulse.

� Sanyo and Sharp plan to begin manufacturing blue-violet lasers in 2003.

� Semiconductor Characterization Instruments has won a $150,000 contract from ONR to measure thermal conductivity in GaN.

� Solid-State Lighting Market: According to Strategies Unlimited, solid-state lighting sales have held steady, despite the weakened economy; normal growth rates expected to return in 2003 (from Laser Focus World).

� Sony plans to commence blue violet laser diode production in Summer 2003.

� Southern California Edison urged customers to save energy this winter in part by using LED holiday lighting.

� Srico has been awarded $100,000 by NSF to develop photonic band-gap optical waveguide structures in opto-electronic substrates.

� STMicroelectronics has developed a silicon LED with the same brightness and efficiency as GaAs LEDs.

� StockerYale received a contract for LED illuminators from Elsag Spa (Italy).

� Sumitomo has officially opened its first US fab: a 90,000 square foot facility for making 6-inch GaAs substrates.

� Sumitomo and Procomp have formed Supra Opto, Inc., to produce ZnSe white LEDs.

� Compound Semiconductor featured the work of Tokyo University�s K. Ohkawa in its October 2002 issue. Ohkawa uses modeling to understand the chemistry of GaN and alloys in an MOCVD reactor.

� University of California-Santa Barbara�s Shuji Nakamura - patent lawsuit decision: Tokyo District Court decides that ownership of patent belongs to Nichia but that Nakamura deserves compensation.

� UCSB�s Nakamura wins The Economist �Innovation Award and the Takeda Award.

� UNC has received $5 million in DoD funding for the Center for Optoelectronics and Optical Communications.

B.� New Products

� BivarOpto has developed an extended-life, high-powered UV LED.

� FORGE Europa has added high performance elliptical LEDs to its product line.

� Kyocera debuted the first surface-mount ceramic package for HBLEDs.

� Natus Medical has launched a blue LED-based phototherapy light product for newborn jaundice management.

� New Millennium Media International plans to develop a larger, true-to-scale prototype of its proprietary �OnScreen� LED display technology.

� New Millennium Media International has established a scientific advisory board for its �Onscreen� LED display program and has appointed David Pelka as chairman.

� Nichia commenced sampling of a 375 nm laser and announced the availability of a 365 nm laser in early 2003.

� Sharp Microelectronics has debuted its RGB Super-luminosity TAF LEDs and expanded its line of Surface Mount Chip LEDs.

� TDI announced the availability of thick p-type GaN substrates.

C. Research Results

� LBNL announced the discovery that the bandgap of InN is 0.7 eV, 1.3 eV lower than previously thought.

� Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology at Lausanne have developed a nanoscale LED for use in optical communications and quantum cryptography.

� Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology scientists have developed a solid-state cathode ray tube.�

� University of California-Berkeley researchers have developed a GaN nanowire laser.

� University of Chicago researchers develop a self-assembled polymer diode measuring 2.5 nm across.

� University of Ulm researchers use quantum-dot LEDs to transmit data.

� Yale University researchers have used terahertz spectroscopy to measure the photoconductivity of semiconductor nanostructures.

D. Government Activities and Funding News:

� The Energy Bill ison hold until the next session of U.S. Congress.Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) will be the new Chair of the Senate Energy Committee.

� Taiwan�s Ministry of Economic Affairs has initiated an 11-member consortium to develop next-generation lighting.

� DOE releases SBIR/STTR solicitation; deadline is January 14, 2003. Topics of interest include �Solid State Organic Light Emitting Diodes,� �New Technologies for General Illumination Applications,� and �Nanomaterials for Energy Efficiency.�

� NSF issues SBIR/STTR solicitation for semiconductors and other materials.

� NSF issues Nanoscale Science and Engineering solicitation, including work in nanoscale manufacturing processes.

� NSF issues Instrumentation for Materials Research solicitation

� ONR issues SBIR/STTR for Zinc Oxide Based Photonics Devices, including development for commercial UV-visible LED applications.

E.� Overview Articles

� An article covering the adoption of green LED traffic signals by municipalities appeared at energycentral.com, the website for the Consortium for Energy Efficiency.

� Laser Focus World has published an overview of the current state of solid-state illumination.

� The Office of Naval Research has published a history of GaN blue LEDs on the ONR Roadmap Website.

� The Economisthad an article featuring LEDs in its October 3, 2002 edition.

� National Public Radio�s �Living on Earth� program features LEDs for lighting and work by the Light up the World Foundation in two segments aired on November 1, 2002.

A. Developer News

�        Amtech Lighting Services, a subsidiary of ABM Industries, Inc., has been awarded a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract with the City of Dallas, Texas, to retrofit traffic signal lamps with LEDs.� Amtech will replace signals in 258-metered intersections, which will involve replacing some 7,000 incandescent traffic lamps with LEDs. [ Press Release]

�        ATMI has received a $9.46 million grant from Office of Naval Research to develop highly uniform, robust, AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on 4 inch GaN and SiC substrates.� The ONR grant is part of DARPA�s Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Technology Initiative (WBSTI).� The 18-month contract includes the development of bulk growth techniques for semi-insulating GaN substrates.� Highly uniform GaN and AlGaN epitaxial processes are also included. Subcontractors on this project include NIST, SUNY-Stony Brook, TRW, TriQuint, Raytheon and Sterling Semiconductor. [ Article at Optics.org]

�        ATMI has expanded its manufacturing production of GaN through the acquisition of an AIXTRON 8-inch x 4-inch III-Nitride MOCVD reactor. The increased production is in response to increased customer demand for GaN (see above).� ATMI is also terminating its GaAs epitaxial wafer product development due to dramatically lower demand in the high-speed optical communications sector.� ATMI will close its GaAs facilities in Phoenix, Arizona.� [Articles in Electronic Materials Update and CompoundSemi News]

�        Color Kinetics has closed its most recent financing round, obtaining $17 million in new financing.� Financing was obtained from both existing and new investors.� The round co-leaders included were not named, but were described as a major worldwide consumer products company and a leading advanced semiconductor company. [ Press Release]

�        Color Kinetics has partnered with Balboa Instruments and Hayward Pool Products in a project to incorporate Color Kinetics� Chromacore� intelligent LED illumination technology in pool and spa lighting.� Balboa will combine Color Kinetics� ColorScape� LEDs with the Chromacore controller in lighting for its portable pools and spas. Hayward will offer a LED-base pool light, called ColorLogic�, which utilizes the Chromacore controller system.� Shipment of the products in Hayward pools is expected in the first quarter of 2003. [ Press Release]

�        Cree reported revenues of $48.8 million in the third quarter of 2002, which is a sequential increase of 29% over the previous quarter.� LED sales increased 50% in the same period.� Increase in demand for LED products used in applications such as cell phones contributed to the increased revenues. [ Article at CompoundSemiconductor.net ]

�        Daktronics has been awarded the contract to provide an integrated, full-color, LED display system for the Orleans Arena, currently under construction in Las Vegas.� The system will incorporate a Daktronics ProStar® VideoPlus LED display measuring 18 feet high by 25 feet wide (320 pixels high by 448 pixels wide) at one end of the arena.� A ProAd® digital advertising system measuring 3 feet high by 695 feet wide (32 pixels high by 9,264 pixels wide) will be mounted on the fascia inside the arena.� The displays will be controlled by Daktronics� Venus® and V-Play^tmcontrollers. [ Press Release]

�        Epistar announced that its ITO ohmic contact technology has a transparency of more than 90%.� A tunneling contact layer was used to form a good Ohmic contact between ITO and p-type GaN.� The technology can be used for both p-type and n-type contacts, simplifying product manufacturing.� The product has a forward voltage of about 3.3 V, ideal for cell phone applications.� Output power for packaged lamps in blue and green is 8 and 5 mW, respectively.� Production of the new LED chips began in September 2002, with increased production anticipated until all LED chips are switched to the new technology in the first quarter of 2003. [No URL available]

�        GE Specialty Materials, a subsidiary of General Electric, has signed an agreement to acquire Advanced Ceramics Corporation and Advanced Ceramics International Corporation.� Advanced Ceramics manufactures Boralloy pyrolytic boron nitride components used in MBE cracker cells and in the bulk crystal growth of semiconductor materials.� Advanced Ceramics also produces boron nitride powers, shapes, coatings and other specialty high-temperature ceramics.� Details of the agreement were not disclosed. [ Article at CompoundSemiconductor.net]

�        GE is combining its GE Lighting and GE Appliances businesses to form GE Consumer Products.� Appliances and Lighting have a similar consumer base and the company believes the two businesses will be able to grow more successfully together than either would on its own.� The combination will be simpler and more cost-effective.� GE Lighting is vested in compound semiconductors and is a partner with Emcore Corporation in the HB-LED venture GELcore.� [ Press Release, Article in CompoundSemi News]

�        Japan's National Institute for Materials Science plans to research ZnO diodes. The R&D effort will focus on crystal-structure-ZnO-based blue LEDs. The new LEDs are expected to be 50% less costly than those made using current technologies. Tokyo Denpa (Japan) will be providing single-crystal ZnO substrates to the institute. A new firm will be established to commercialize any technology developed by this research endeavor. [Article in Nikkei Net Interactive-no URL available]

�        Kopin Corporation has reported a 78% increase in third-quarter revenue compared to the same quarter last year.� Total revenues for the quarter were $21.9 million, compared to $12.3 million in the third quarter of 2001.� Compared to second quarter 2002 revenues of $20.8 million, third quarter 2002 revenues were 5% higher.� A significant source of revenue growth came from Kopin�s III-V and CyberDisplay units.� III-V revenue increased 77% to $9.9 million in the third quarter of 2002 as compared to $5.6 million in the same quarter of 2001.� III-V revenue was up 5% sequentially from $9.4 million in the second quarter.� CyberDisplay revenues had climbed 79% to $12 million from $6.7 million Q3 2001, and had grown 5% sequentially from $11.4 million in Q2 2002.� The growth in revenues was in line with expectations. [ Press Release]

�        Kopin announced the development of a new epitaxial ohmic technology for GaN LEDs that both lowers contact resistance and results in more-durable LEDs suitable for use in portable and commercial lighting applications.� According to the Kopin press release, this is the first time an epitaxial (single crystalline) contact has been formed on GaN.� Researchers from North Carolina State University collaborated on this research.� The new technology is detailed in the article �Formation of epitaxial Au/Ni/Au ohmic contacts to p-GaN�, J. Narayan, H. Wang, T-H. Oh, H. K. Choi, and J. C. C. Fan, Applied Physics Letters, 81(21):3978-3980. [ Press Release, Abstract]

�        The Light Up the World Foundation (LUWF) of Calgary, Alberta, was one of five honorees of the Tech Museum Awards: Technology Benefiting Humanity, presented by Applied Materials, Inc.� LUWF received the $50,000 Knight Ridder Equality Award for developing white light emitting diodes for low cost home lighting in the developing world.� [ Press Release] David Irvine-Halliday, founder of LUWF, was also one of this year�s recipients of the Rolex Award for Enterprise [ Rolex Award website]. A detailed description of the company is also available at the Rolex website.� This organization was also featured in a segment on NPR�s Living on Earth program, broadcast on November 1, 2002 [transcript of the segment].

�        The National Academy of Sciences has published �Partnerships for Solid-State Lighting: Report of a Workshop.� The book contains the proceedings of the Partnerships for Solid State Lighting Workshop held in March 2001 by the Academy�s Board of Science, Technology, and Economic Policy.� The one-day symposium covered the benefits of solid-state lighting, identified current challenges and impediments, and explored the role that a consortium might have in advancing the technology.� The book is available online or can be bought from the National Academies Press.� [ Website]

�        Nichia has settled its patent disputes with three competitors:� Toyoda Gosei, Lumileds, and Cree.

� On September 17, 2002, an agreement with Toyoda Gosei was reached covering GaN-based Blue LED technology (developed by Toyoda Gosei) and Nichia�s use of YAG phosphors to create white LEDs.� Both parties agreed to drop current litigation and to pay royalties on future inventions based on each other�s patented technology. [ Press Release]

� On October 28, 2002, an agreement was reached with Lumileds to cross-license a broad range of LED technologies in a bid to avoid future patent disputes.� The technologies being cross-licensed include Lumileds� high-brightness Luxeon technology and Nichia�s InGaN and YAG phosphor technologies. [ Press Release ]

� On November 6, 2002, Nichia and Cree entered into a patent cross-licensing agreement and a settlement of litigation between the companies concerning GaN-based optoelectronic technology. [ Press Release]

� Osram OS (Germany) has improved the lifetime of its GaN on SiC blue lasers from 2 minutes to 143 hours of continuous-wave operation.� The improvements in service life are due to the improved quality of the InGaN quantum well active region of the devices, the use of SiC substrates, and improved packaging that optimizes heat removal from the chip mounting.� Osram anticipates a market-ready device in July 2005 if the current rate of progress is maintained.� Partners in this work include the Fraunhofer Institute for Solid-State Physics and the universities of Brunswick, Regensburg, Stuttgart and Ulm.� (Osram�s progress is behind Cree and Nichia, according to the author of the article.� Cree�s blue LED lasers achieved the 10,000-hour lifetime benchmark in February 2002, and Nichia�s blue LED lasers exceeded the 10,000-hour lifetime benchmark in October 1997.)� [ Article at Optics.org]

� Osram GmbH (Germany), a wholly owned subsidiary of Osram OS, has licensed its white LED technology to Rohm Co. Ltd. (Japan).� The move was prompted by excess demand at Osram, which cannot produce enough white LEDs to fulfill demand.� The technology being licensed involves white LEDs produced from blue InGaN chips with a fluorescent converter. [ Press Release on file at CompoundSemi Online]

�        Positive Light (PL) has filed suit against Quantronix.� The lawsuit alleges that Quantronix has infringed on PL�s US Patent No. 5,790,303, which covers technology relating to a system and method for amplifying an optical pulse using a diode pumped, Q-switched, intra-cavity doubled laser to pump an optical amplifier.� The Quantronix technologies under dispute are its TITAN DQE and ODIN amplifiers, and its DARWIN laser. [ Article in Laser Focus World]

�        Sanyo Electric and Sharp plan to enter the blue-violet laser market in 2003.� Sanyo intends to start mass production of devices in April 2003.� The devices are intended for the high-capacity optical storage market.� Sanyo's device uses GaN substrate and a vertical structure with bottom and top electrodes.� Stability of the laser's output is accomplished through ion implantation in the GaN cladding layer.� Sharp will begin blue laser production late in 2003, also targeting optical storage applications. Although device manufacturing would occur in Japan, Sharp plans to assemble and package the devices at an Indonesian subsidiary. [ Article at CompoundSemiconductor.net ]

�        Semiconductor Characterization Instruments, Inc. has been awarded a contract from the Office of Naval Research to develop a method for making thermal conductivity measurements of GaN using scanning thermal microscopy.� The contact, which was awarded October 24, 2002, is for $150,000. [ Notice at FedBizOps]

�        Solid-State Lighting Market:� An article in Laser Focus World quoted Robert Steele of Strategies Unlimited, speaking at the SPIE annual meeting in July.� The LED market was about $1.2 billion in 2001, comparable with its performance in 2000.� Sales of HB-LEDs increased in 2000, but the overall market value was unchanged due to falling prices.� Growth is expected to return to normal levels in 2003 -- up to 20% - 30%.� [ Article in Laser Focus World -- scroll to article �Solid State Lighting Continues Growth in Down Market.�]

�        Sony announced that it would begin blue-violet semiconductor laser production Summer 2003.� The prototype Sony GaN-on-sapphire laser emits at a wavelength of 405 nm and has a lifetime of more than 10,000 hours at a continuous output of 50 mW at 70 degrees C.� The laser will also be incorporated into high-capacity optical disc playback and recording devices. [ Article at Compound Semiconductor.net]

�        Southern California Edison has urged customers to reduce their energy usage this winter.� In addition to the usual cost-saving measures, such as insulating windows and doors, the utility has urged its customers to switch to LED holiday lighting.� The utility points out that five strings of LED lights use only 80 cents per month of electricity, compared to $20 per month for the same number of C-7 lights.� This amounts to a savings of up to 90%. [ Article in the World Reporter ]

�        Srico has been awarded a $100,000 NSF grant to develop photonic band-gap optical waveguide structures in opto-electronic substrates.� The technology will enable the development of next-generation photonic waveguide components for high-speed telecommunications networks and medical devices. [ Article at Photonics.com]

�        STMicroelectronics has developed a silicon LED that has the same brightness and efficiency as GaAs LEDs.� The device is fabricated from a silicon dioxide film containing silicon nanocrystals and erbium ions as the active layer.� The diode was developed on standard CMOS fabrication equipment.� Engineering samples will be available by the end of 2002.� The diode produces green light.� By replacing the erbium with cerium, the diode can be made to emit blue light.� Use of other rare earth ions can result in near-infrared light emission.� The device can potentially be used in optical communications, in fully integrated optoelectronic circuits and photodetectors. [ Article in EE Times]

�        StockerYale, a supplier of photonics-based products, has been awarded a contract from Elsag Spa (Italy) to develop custom LED illuminators as part of the 02CR Elsag system, a law enforcement security system.� The system, which is mounted on police cars and security vehicles, allows law enforcement officers to illuminate and scan license plates on both stationary and moving vehicles. [ Press Release]

�        Sumitomo Electric has officially opened its first US fab. �The 90,000 square foot center produces 6-inch GaAs substrates.� While the official opening took place on November 5, 2002, construction on the facility was completed in November 2001, and pilot production began in January 2002.� Volume production has been underway since June 2002. [ Article in Compound Semiconductor]

�        Sumitomo (Japan) and Procomp Informatics Co Ltd. (Taiwan) have formed a joint venture to produce ZnSe white LEDs.� The joint venture will be named Supra Opto, Inc.� Supra will begin mass production of the LEDs in March 2003. [No URL available]

�        The work of Tokyo University researcher Kazuhiro Ohkawa, who uses computer modeling to understand the chemistry of GaN and its alloys in an MOCVD reactor, was the focus of an article that appeared in the October 2002 issue of Compound Semiconductor.� Ohkawa simulates GaN growth under different reactor configurations and growth conditions.� The simulated products are then compared to actual GaN on sapphire products grown under identical reactor conditions.� A two-flow reactor setup produced GaN layers superior cross-wafer uniformity in terms of layer thickness and material quality when compared to GaN grown under single-flow and three-flow reactor setups.�� [ Article in Compound Semiconductor ]

�        The Tokyo District Court has ruled that University of California-Santa Barbara professor Shuji Nakamura is not the rightful owner of a patent filed when he worked for LED manufacturer Nichia (Japan) in 1991.� However, the court decided that Nakamura is entitled to a reward for the patent, and is deliberating on the amount.� The patent in dispute is Japanese Patent No. 2,628,404, which covers two-flow MOCVD technology that underpinned Nichia�s development of high-brightness, long-lifetime InGaN/GaN LEDs and lasers.� Nakamura is planning to appeal the decision. [ Article at Optics.org]

�        University of California-Santa Barbara�s Shuji Nakamura was honored with two major awards for his GaN research. The Economist honored him with an Innovation Award in the �No Boundaries� category for his development of the GaN laser. Nakamura was also the a co-recipient of the Takeda Award, along with Isamu Akasaki and Hiroshi Amano of Japan�s Meijo University. The Takeda Foundation, which administers the award, recognized Nakamura for the development of both the GaN LED and the GaN laser. In addition to the recognition, Nakamura will receive a 50 million yen ($416,500) prize. [ Press Release]

�        The University of North Carolina has received a $5 million appropriation from the DoD for UNC�s Center for Optoelectronics and Optical Communications.� The money will support both research and instrumentation at the center. [ Article in Laser Focus World ]

B. New Products

�        BivarOpto has announced the availability of an extended-life, high-powered UV LED� (UV-400-TO92) with a radiant flux of 12 mW per chip and a stable wavelength of 400 nm.� The Ultraviolet LED Series is housed in an all metal and glass TO-92 package.� The LED has a lifetime of 20,000 hours of continuous operation at 30 mA.� The unit can be arranged in a multi-chip configuration giving compound intensities of up to 36 mW per unit. [ Press Release, Specifications]

�        FORGE Europa has added high performance elliptical LEDs to its line of products for automotive signage and outdoor displays.� The yellow (590 nm) LED measures 4.0 x 2.7 mm, and offers a 100/50-degree viewing angle, with on-axis performance exceeding 400 mcd.� The LEDs also come in blue (430 m), deep red (660 nm), and white; all have performances exceeding 600 mcd while retaining the same viewing characteristics. [ Press Release]

�        Kyocera (Japan) has debuted the industry�s first surface-mount ceramic package for HBLEDs.� The package measures 2x3x1mm and offers high heat dissipation, high reliability and the ability to withstand hazardous environments.� Orders for the product have been accepted since September 4, 2002.� [ Press Release ]

�        Natus Medical has announced the development of a blue LED-based phototherapy light used to combat newborn jaundice.� The product, the newBLUE� Phototherapy light emits a high-intensity band of blue light that emits significantly less UV light and less heat than conventional phototherapy devices. [ Press Release]

�        New Millennium Media International, Inc. has announced plans to develop a larger, true-to-scale version of its �OnScreen� LED video display technology.� The new OnScreen technology will reduce the amount of heat generated in powering the displays, permitting LEDs to be packed more densely and resulting in higher-resolution displays.� A reduction in weight and an increase in flexibility over existing industry models is also planned. [ Press Release]

�        New Millennium Media International has established a Scientific Advisory Board for its �Onscreen� LED display program.� The technology enables the manufacture of large-scale LED video displays. [ Press Release] David Pelka has been appointed chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board. [ Press Release]

�        Nichia has begun sampling its first UV laser diode product, which has a typical peak wavelength of 375 nm with an output power of 2 mW.� The threshold current is 45 mA and the operating voltage is 4.5 V.� Nichia has also announced the future availability of its 365 nm laser diode in early 2003.� This UV-LED has an output power of 100 mW at a drive current of 500 mA at 4.6 V.� [ Press Release]

�        Sharp Microelectronics has introduced two new LED product lines.� The RGB Super-luminosity TAF LEDs is a three-die chip LED.� The 6-pin package is 2.4 mm thick, and permits the LEDs to be mounted in a series for backlighting applications.� Sharp has also expanded its Surface Mount Chip LEDs by introducing two new products:� high brightness AlGaInP LEDs, and dichromatic and full-color chip LEDs.� The high brightness AlGaInP LEDs are 0.35 mm thick and are available in yellow-green, blue, green amber, sunset orange, orange and red.� The dichromatic high luminosity chip LEDs have two different colors in the same package.� The colors can be turned on separately, or can be turned on simultaneously to produce a third color.� Sharp also offers a 4-pin, full color LED that integrates three colors on one chip. [ Press Release and Specifications]

�        Technologies and Devices International Inc. (TDI) has announced the availability of thick, 2� diameter, p-type GaN substrates.� The highly doped GaN layer is grown on a sapphire substrate using hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE).� The concentration of carriers in the GaN layer can be varied from 10 to the sixteenth per cubic cm through ten to the eighteenth per cubic cm.� The p-type GaN substrates will be brought to mass production in the first quarter of 2003. [ Press Release]

C. Research Results

�        Researchers from LBNL, in collaboration with scientists from Cornell University and Ritsumeikan University (Japan), have discovered that the bandgap of InN is 0.7 eV, not 2.0 eV as previously thought.� The discovery paves the way for the development of efficient solar cells based on a range of indium, gallium and nitride alloys that could potentially convert the entire visible spectrum into usable energy.� The research will be published in an upcoming issue of Physical Review B as �"Effects of the narrow band gap on the properties on InN", by J. Wu, W. Walukiewicz, W. Shan, K. M. Yu, J. W. Ager III, E. E. Haller, H. Lu, and W. J. Schaff. [ Press Release]

�        Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology at Lausanne have developed a nanoscale LED with an active area of 100 nanometers.� The device directs current to a layer of InAs quantum dots, which emit infrared light with a wavelength of 1.3 microns, and which can be used as a light source for single-mode fibers used in high-speed communications links.� The device may be able to be scaled down to emit single photons, an invention highly sought after by quantum cryptographers.� This research was funded by the European Union and the Swiss National Science Foundation.� It was published as �Scaling Quantum-Dot Light Emitting Diodes to Submicrometer Sizes�, A. Fiore, J X.Chen and M. Ilegems, Applied Physics Letters, 81(10): 1756-1758 (September 2, 2002). [ Article in TRN News]

�        A solid-state cathode ray tube has been invented by Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology�s Nobuyoshi Koshida.� In the device, electrons move in a straight line through a cascade of porous silicon nanocrystallites and generate truly planar emission of light.� The new tube consumes little power, is silicon-based, produces a sharp picture when installed in a display device, is scalable to large areas, responds quickly, and is inexpensive.� The development was published as �Generation of ballistic electrons in nanocrystalline porous silicon layers and its application to a solid-state planar luminescent device�, Y. Nakajima, A. Kojima, and N. Koshida, Applied Physics Letters 81(13): 2472-2474 (September 23, 2002).�� [ Abstract]

�        University of California-Berkeley researchers, led by Peidong Yang, have developed a GaN nanowire laser. The laser emits in the UV-wavelength.� Lasing is stimulated by optically pumping the GaN nanowire by the fourth harmonic of a pulsed optical parametric amplifier (290-400 nm).� The pumping produces a plasma of holes and electrons in the nanowire.� Recombination across the bandgap produces UV photons with wavelengths between 360 and 400 nm.� The research was published in �Single gallium nitride nanowire lasers�, JC Johnson, H-J Choi, KP Knutsen, RD Schaller, P Yang, and RJ Saykally, Nature Materials 1(2): 106-110 (October 2002).� Article at Optics.org]

�        University of Chicago researchers have successfully created a self-assembled polymer-based p-n junction diode that measures 2.5 nm across.� The team, led by Luping Yu, claims that it is thefirst to synthesize a functioning diode using organic chemistry.� The researchers can synthesize three-terminal transistors, but have not yet determined how to attach leads to the terminals.� When a scanning tunneling microscope was attached to the diode, the diodes turned on at the predicted 0.8-volt and their impedance was between 60 and 300 gigohms.� [ Article in EE Times]

�        University of Ulm researchers have developed a quantum-dot LED that emits at a wavelength of 1.3 microns.� The device is a single-mirror vertically emitting LED composed of an InAs layer deposited on top of a layer of GaAs, and covered by an InGaAs layer.� At room temperature, the LED emits about 0.4 mW in continuous-wave mode on a current of 50 mA.� The data send rate is 1 Gb/s.� The research appeared in Electronics Letters 38:906. [ Article in Opto and Laser Europe]

�        Yale University researchers have used terahertz spectroscopy to measure the mobility of electron-hole pairs within cadmium selenide nanoparticles having well-defined sizes ranging from 2.5 nm to 25 nm.� In 2.5 nm nanoparticles, excitons are strongly confined and in 25 nm particles, the excitons are weakly confined.� Photonconductivity scaled with nanoparticle size because, as nanoparticle diameter decreased, electrons and holes travel shorter times before being scattered.� The research was published in �Size dependent photoconductivity in CdSe nanoparticles as measured by time-resoled terahertz spectroscopy�, M. C. Beard, G. M. Turner, and C. A. Schmuttenmaer, Nanoletters, 2(9): 983-987 (August 2002). [ Article in Nature Materials Update (free registration required)]

D. Government Funding Activities and News

�        The bill (HR. 4, The Energy Policy Act of 2002) that contained the Next Generation Lighting Initiative has been put on hold with the adjournment of Congress in November 2002.� Senator Pete Domenici (NM), now chair of the Senate Energy Committee, will take up the bill when Congress reconvenes in 2003.

�        Taiwan�s Ministry of Economic Affairs has initiated the formation of an alliance of 11 Taiwanese manufacturers to research and develop white LED lighting.� The ministry will provide subsidies in support of research and development efforts by alliance members. [Article in The Taiwan Economic News -no URL available]

�        The US Department of Energy has released its FY03 SBIR/STTR solicitation.� The solicitation contained a section on OLEDs and a section on new technologies for general illumination applications, including inorganic solid-state lighting. The deadline for applications is January 14, 2003.�� [ Solicitation Table of Contents]� The material of interest within this solicitation:�

�      DOE-BES-SBIR: Solid State Organic Light Emitting Diodes For General Lighting� SBIR/STTR - Topic DOE 03-16�� Deadline:� January 14, 2003
Full Solicitation: http://sbir.er.doe.gov/sbir/Solicitations/FY%202003/contents.htm.
This Topic: http://sbir.er.doe.gov/sbir/Solicitations/FY%202003/BES.htm#T16 This topic provides small businesses with an opportunity to carry out substantially novel research and development on the fabrication, processing, and characterization of solid state organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) associated systems suitable for general lighting.� To realize very large increases in performance, grant applications should be directed toward breakthrough research that offers significant advances in materials, processing, and/or characterization, ultimately leading to high-quality OLEDs capable of producing white light.� Grant applications will be declined if they are limited to a minor or incremental improvement of an existing material or process.� Grant applications are sought in the following subtopics:� a.�� Device Synthesis and Architecture.�� b.�� Device Efficiency.�� c.�� Reliability and Lifetime.� CONTACT: Individual Not Specified;� SBIR/STTR Program Office; SC-32/ Germantown Building; U.S. Department of Energy; 1000 Independence Ave., S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20585-1290; Telephone (301) 903-1414; E-mail: sbir-sttr@science.doe.gov��

�      DOE-EERE-SBIR: New Technologies For General Illumination Applications
SBIR/STTR - Topic DOE 03-23� �� Deadline:� January 14, 2003
Full Solicitation: http://sbir.er.doe.gov/sbir/Solicitations/FY%202003/contents.htm.
This Topic: http://sbir.er.doe.gov/sbir/Solicitations/FY%202003/EE.htm#T23
Within the Office of Buildings Technologies, the Department of Energy maintains an active program to explore new methods by which high quality electric light can be produced with less energy and less environmental impact.� For this topic, grant applications must be directed at inorganic structures such as LEDs or hybrids � approaches that address alternate organic materials systems may be suitable for submission under Topic 16.� Grant applications are sought only in the following subtopics:� a.�� Improved Incandescent Lighting.�� b.�� Inorganic Solid State Lighting Materials and Manufacturing Technologies.� c.�� Designs and Structures for Solid State Devices.�� CONTACT: Individual Not Specified; SBIR/STTR Program Office SC-32/ Germantown Building; U.S. Department of Energy; 1000 Independence Ave., S.W. ; Washington, D.C. 20585-1290; Telephone (301) 903-1414; E-mail: sbir-sttr@science.doe.gov

�     DOE-EERE-SBIR/STTR:� Nanomaterials for Energy Efficiency
SBIR/STTR - Topic DOE 03-21� Solicitation closing date is January 14, 2003.
Full Solicitation: http://sbir.er.doe.gov/sbir/Solicitations/FY%202003/contents.htm.
This Topic: http://sbir.er.doe.gov/sbir/Solicitations/FY%202003/EE.htm#T21 Over the past three years the federal government has invested nearly $1.5 billion in nanoscience and nanotechnology � for advances in medicine and health, defense and aerospace, national security, and energy.� Most of these investments have been made in universities and national laboratories, and the supported research has primarily been basic and exploratory.� This topic provides opportunities for small business to apply recent scientific discoveries in nanomaterials for technological advances in energy efficiency.� The technical topics are focused on nanomaterials with potentially enhanced tribological, electrochemical, insulation, and transport properties, as well as nanomaterials that could be used for in situ process diagnostics and process quality control.� Grant applications are sought only in the following subtopics:� a. Nanomaterials for Energy Efficiency.� b. Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Storage. �c. Nanomaterials for In-Situ Process Diagnostics. d. Nanomaterials Applications in Buildings.��
CONTACT: Individual Not Specified; SBIR/STTR Program Office; SC-32/ Germantown Building; U.S. Department of Energy ; 1000 Independence Ave., S.W. ; Washington, D.C. 20585-1290
Telephone (301) 903-1414 ; E-mail: sbir-sttr@science.doe.gov

� NSF-SBIR/STTR, K:� Semiconductor and Other Materials

Solicitation Opens: October 1, 2002 ; Solicitation Closes January 22, 2003.
Materials research proposals are invited in the characteristics and electronic properties of advanced silicon compound semiconductors, photonic materials and crystals, thin film and metallized materials, high temperature, high power, high frequency materials, heat sink materials, superconductors, self-assembled and other polymers, dielectrics and nitride compounds, and magnetic materials, among other advanced materials.� Research under this subtopic extends to electronic and photonic behavior of configured materials arrayed in components and devices such as integrated circuits (ICs).
NSF is interested in all manner of advanced materials with potential for improved utility in micro-, nano-, and bio-electronic devices, and in micromagnetics.� These materials include those used in mainstream integrated circuits (ICs) such as high-k and low-k dielectrics, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) materials, resists, spin electronics, and interconnected metals, among others.
Other materials include those relevant to flat panel displays; mass storage, semiconductors for microwave and radio applications; and materials for opto-electronics applications, including optical computing, communications, and mass storage.�
CONTACT: Dr. Winslow Sargeant, SBIR/STTR Electronics Program Manager, wsargeant@nsf.gov, (703) 292-7313.

� NSF: Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NSE)
NSF 02-148 (Replaced: NSF 01-157)� Announcement Date: 07/11/02
Deadlines:� Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Teams (NIRT) -- Proposals are due October 24, 2002; Nanoscale Exploratory Research (NER) -- Proposals are due October 24, 2002; Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers (NSEC) -- Theme:� Manufacturing processes at the nanoscale -- Preproposals (required) are due on October 24, 2002, Full proposals (by invitation only) are due February 14, 2003;
Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education (NUE) -- Proposals are due October 24, 2002.�
Full Text:� http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02148/nsf02148.txt
The National Science Foundation (NSF) announces a program on collaborative research and education in the area of nanoscale science and engineering. The goal of this program is to support fundamental research and catalyze synergistic science and engineering research and education in emerging areas of nanoscale science and technology, including: biosystems at the nanoscale; nanoscale structures, novel phenomena, and quantum control; device and system architecture; design tools and nanosystems specific software; nanoscale processes in the environment; multi-scale, multi-phenomena modeling and simulation at the nanoscale; manufacturing processes at the nanoscale; and studies on the societal implications of nanoscale science and engineering. This solicitation will provide support for: Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Teams (NIRT), Nanoscale Exploratory Research (NER), Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers (NSEC) in the area of �Manufacturing processes at the nanoscale�, and Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education (NUE). The NUE component is a new feature of this year's competition. Other research and education projects in nanoscale science and engineering will continue to be supported in the relevant Programs and Divisions.� CONTACTS:� NIRT:� Geoff Prentice, gprentic@nsf.gov, NER: Leon Esterowitz, lesterow@nsf.gov, NSEC: Charalabos C. Doumanidis, cdoumani@nsf.gov, NUE: Michael Clarke, mclarke@nsf.gov.

� NSF-DMR:� Title:� Instrumentation for Materials Research (IMR)
NSF 02-009 (Replaces Document NSF 01-05)� Date: 10/09/02
Full Text: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02009/nsf02009.txt�
Full Proposal Deadline(s): Second Thursday in January [January 9, 2003] (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time).� The IMR Program supports the acquisition or development of research instruments that will provide new capability and/or advance current capability to: (1) discover fundamental phenomena in materials; (2) synthesize, process, and/or characterize the composition, structure, properties, and performance of materials; and (3) improve the quality, expand the scope, and foster and enable the integration of research and education in research-intensive environments.� CONTACT:�Joseph A. Akkara, Program Director (IMR); Directorate for Math & Physical Sciences; Division of Materials Research; 1065 N [address incomplete]; Telephone: (703) 292-4946,
Fax: (703) 292-9035; E-mail: jakkara@nsf.gov

� ONR-SBIR/STTR:� Zinc Oxide Based Photonics Devices
Topic N03-113� TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace
ACQUISITION PROGRAM: ACTIII AAR-47 Missile Warning Systems
Full Text: http://www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/sbir/solicitations/sbir031/navy031.htm.
Deadlines:� DoD will begin accepting proposals on December 2, 2002.�� This solicitation closes on January 15, 2003 at 5:00pm EST.
OBJECTIVE: To develop zinc oxide technology for commercial UV - visible light emitting diode (LED) and laser diode (LD) applications. Other major application areas include sensors and high frequency communication devices. This technology will include diode laser design and fabrication.
DESCRIPTION: High brightness, long lifetime light emitting diodes and lasers for the blue/visible and blue/UV regions of the spectrum are desirable for use as light sources and as sensors. Semiconductor light sources and lasers are desirable because they are lightweight and can use battery sources, increasing portability. The choice of semiconductor sources in the blue wavelength range is limited to gallium nitride heterostructural devices as a light emitting diode. No commercially available laser diode sources have been developed. Zinc oxide is a wide bandgap material (3.3 eV) with structural and electrical characteristics similar to those of gallium nitride. Interest in use of zinc oxide for devices is increasing rapidly due to breakthroughs in p-type doping. Zinc oxide has been grown with p-type carrier concentrations in the range of 1015 to 1018 per cm3. Compared with gallium nitride, results for zinc oxide show higher doping levels, markedly higher activation of dopant atoms, better electron and hole mobilities, and decreased defect densities. Possibilities exist for fabrication of zinc oxide homoepitaxial devices that may show greater thermal stability, higher powers and longer lifetimes than would heterostructural designs. This program is devoted to developing zinc oxide technology for system integration and analyzing the overall performance for practical applications. . A laser with average power of 10 mW or greater would be desirable.� CONTACTS:� Yoon-Soo Park, Ph.D., Phone: 703-696-5755, Fax: 703-696-2611, Email: parky@onr.navy.mil; Dr. Jerry Meyer (Code 561), Phone: 202-757-3276 Fax: 202-404-8613, Email: meyer@sisphus.nrl.navy.mil

E. Overview Articles

�        The adoption of green LED traffic signals by municipalities was covered in a feature article on the website for the Consortium for Energy Efficiency.� The article covered some of the technological challenges that had to be overcome before efficient, long-lasting LEDs could be developed and packaged so that existing signals could be retrofitted with LED lamps.� A significant hurdle to adoption of the new technology is the in initial cost, with green LED lamps running 80 to 100 times more than traditional, incandescent bulbs.� However, savings due to LEDs� lower operating wattage and much longer lifetime more than make up for the high initial costs.� In addition, because of the extremely low wattage requirements of LED traffic signals, they can be powered by photovoltaic systems.� Such systems are becoming commonplace as backups during power failures. [ Article in Epri Journal Online]

�        A recent article in Laser Focus World has provided an overview of the current state of solid-state illumination technology.� The article provides an overview of LED technology generally, and also the technologies used to generate white light using LEDs.� Challenges in the use of phosphors in creating white light are also discussed. [ Article in Laser Focus World]

�        The Office of Naval Research has published a history of GaN blue LEDs on its Roadmap website.� The article �A Brief History of GaN Blue Light-Emitting Diodes�, authored by Herbert Paul Maruska, can be reached by clicking on materials, then on GaN.� The ONR website requires free registration.� [ Article in CompoundSemi News ]

�        The Economist ran an article focused on LED technology in its October 3, 2002 edition.� The article called LED technology a �solid future for lighting�.� The article reviewed the three basic methods for producing white light with LEDs, and mentioned Nichia, Lumileds, GELcore, Osram and Color Kinetics by name.� It also touched on Japan�s Light for the 21^st Century Initiative and the Next Generation Lighting Initiative in the yet-to-be-passed energy bill in the US Congress.

�        LEDs were the topic of a Living On Earth radio broadcast on NPR stations on November 1, 2002.� The broadcast was in two segments.� The first segment provided an overview of the history of lighting and of LED technology.� This segment contained quotes from Sandia�s Jerry Simmons, Color Kinetics� Kevin Dowling, and IEEE Spectrum�s Glenn Zorpette.� The second segment profiled Light Up the World Foundation�s Director, David Irvine-Halliday, and his foundation�s efforts to bring white LED lighting to the developing world.� [ Transcript]

The information presented in this section has been developed by Perspectives, a firm that specializes in technical and market intelligence, with assistance from Sandia National Labs.
NOTE :� The provision of summaries and mention of specific manufacturers or products does not constitute an endorsement by Sandia National Laboratories or Perspectives; nor is the information presented warranted or guaranteed by either Sandia National Laboratories or Perspectives.

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