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ISSUE 19: BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY NEWS |
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A selection of news appears in this section. |
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B. New Products C. Novel or Interesting LED Applications/Uses E. Overviews G. Selected Events of Interest H. Government Funding News and Opportunities 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. |
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· Aixtron and National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan) start the next phase of partnership work on dilute nitride materials. · Bandgap Technologies has developed a technique that reduces micropipe defects in growth of bulk SiC. · Carmanah receives contracts for solar-powered LED lighting for an air base in Iraq and for bus shelters in London. · Color Kinetics is named by Deloitte & Touche as among New England's fastest growing technology companies. · Color Kinetics announced two new patents for methods of controlling LED sources, for entertainment and aesthetic purposes. · Color Kinetics licenses Chromacore® technology and expertise to The Holmes Group to develop a line of LED-based illumination products for residential use. · Color Kinetics licenses Chromacore® technology to Altman Lighting for the theater, entertainment, and architectural lighting markets. · Color Kinetics announces a number of TV events and programs using the company's LED-based system solutions. · Business Week details events and the background related to Cree litigation in an article, "A Brothers' Blood Feud." · U.S. District court denies Eric and Jocelyn Hunter's motion to enjoin Cree and Neal Hunter from engaging in alleged harassment but allows the plaintiffs to amend their complaint. Cree continues to believe the lawsuit is without merit. · Dow Corning has formed a new business, Compound Semiconductor Solutions to serve the wide bandgap semiconductor industry. · Hella (Germany) is presenting a prototype of an automotive LED headlamp at the IAA 2003. · JDS Uniphase has appointed Kevin Kennedy as the new CEO and is consolidating its corporate headquarters in San Jose, CA. · Kopin Corporation licenses a patent on domain epitaxy and two patents on cubic ZnMgO and ZnCdO from North Carolina State University. · Lumileds makes available a reference design for LED-based camera phone flash applications using Luxeon LEDs. · Lumileds has licensed key high brightness LED technology to Shin-Etsu Handotai. · Lumileds issues a press release on the use of LuxeonT LEDs for the machine vision market. · Lumileds sues Epistar for patent infringement related to AlGaInP LED technology. · Lumileds has announced the purchase of multiple MOCVD systems from Aixtron. · A new molecular beam epitaxy company, Mantis Deposition (England), has been formed. · New Wave Research has been awarded a patent for its method of scribing sapphire substrates. < span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>· Nolan Enterprises, a small Texas company, has been awarded two patents for lamps using white HB-LEDs. · Samsung America has announced that it will enter the U.S. digital signage market through an agreement with BillBoard Video. · Sandia National Laboratories solid-state lighting work was featured in a segment by ScienCentral. · German inventors Vitaly Shchukin and Nikolai Ledentsov have filed a patent application for a semiconductor laser that has the ability to act as both a surface-emitting and an edge-emitting device (a "tilted cavity semiconductor laser"). · Taiwan's LED manufacturers will reportedly be able to start producing white LEDs by the end of 2003. · TMI Holdings (Basking Ridge, NJ) has established a LED sign division. < A name=NewProducts> B. New Products · BivarOpto introduces the SMPT series, surface mount LEDs designed for the company's Flexible Light Pipe series. · Microsemi introduces two new ICs in a single package that boost drive for LED and provide adjustable bias voltages for LCD displays. · Osram Opto introduces new blue (460 nm) Thin-Film InGaN LEDs. · Osram Opto has released its 6lead MultiLED, now suitable for 17" displays; the company claims that it outperforms previous LED designs in homogeneity and brightness. · StockerYale introduces the COBRA™ ("chip-on-board reflective array") LED illumination system for machine vision and inspection applications. · Sumitomo Metal Mining has developed a new substrate for use in red LEDs, based on precision processing of a thin sheet of high-grade gallium phosphorus. · Vishay Intertechnology released the TLCW5100, a white InGaN LED with a typical 4,000 mcd luminous intensity. C. Novel or Interesting LED Applications/Uses: · Kopin announced that it is supplying the display for Ingineo SAS's Eyetoptm sunglasses, integrating Kopin's 0.24-inch diagonal color CyberDisplay in one of the sidepieces. · Lumileds Lightingand SunLine Solar Inc. have created LED headlights, tail lights, and marker lights designed for Amish horse-drawn buggies. · Intertech has produced a report on the LED marketplace, entitled "Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for Lighting and Displays, 2003-2015." · Wireless Week carried an August 14, 2003 article, entitled "LED market shines but prices continue to drop," that summarizes the rising demand for LEDs and quotes marked figures provided by Strategies Unlimited. · The article, "Bright Ideas," appears in the August 25th issue of the Boston Globe; the article reviews LEDs for general illumination and profiles three area companies: Kopin Corporation, Color Kinetics, and a new startup, Luminus Devices. · Emcore authors reviewed AlGaN development work for UV emitters and HEMTs (higher Al-content materials) in Compound Semiconductor magazine ("Bringing AlGaN from research to high-volume production," August 2003). · An extensive review of presentations from the 5th International Conference on Nitride Semiconductors appeared in the August 2003 issue of Compound Semiconductor magazine, in an article titled "Nitrides leap ahead at ICNS-5." · "Pyrometry and reflectance techniques provide in situ control for GaN growth," appeared in the August 2003 issue of Compound Semiconductormagazine. · EE Times carried an article reviewing developments in white LED drivers entitled, "White LED drivers surge as color climbs in portables," August 11, 2003. · EERE News featured the work of Sandia National Laboratories on quantum dot LEDs and GE Global Research's fault tolerant OLEDs in the article, "Research Advances Show Promise for Solid-State Lighting," July 30, 2003. · Laser Focus World featured the article, "Solid state lighting offers 'vices' as well as 'virtues'," in the September 2003 issue. · Opto & Laser Europe reviews personal image projectors in an article, "Tiny image projectors take a step towards the shops," which highlights presentations by MIT and Lumileds at the Society for Information Display annual meeting. · A review appeared in Opto & Laser Europe (June 2003, "Powerful LEDs challenge optical safety standards") on how safety standards are being amended to stop high-brightness LEDs from slipping through loopholes in legislation. · The Guardian carried a feature story on gallium nitride, "The future's blue: Four years ago, gallium nitride was a mere curiosity - now everyone wants a piece of it" (July 31, 2003). · Hokkaido University, Mitsubishi Cable and Nippon EMC researchers have demonstrated a UV LED with an active layer of GaN quantum dots grown onto an AlGaN surface using Si as anti-surfactant. · University of Toronto researchers have demonstrated how light conducting channels can be written into silicon photonic crystals, useful for creating spot defects, junctions, soft walls, and periodic superlattices. G. Selected Events of Interest: · DOE will host a two-day workshop on solid-state lighting, November 13-14, 2003, in Washington, D.C. · OIDA will hold a DARPA-sponsored Technology Roadmap Workshop on "Emerging OptoElectronic Applications," Oct 15-16, in Rochester, NY. H. Government Funding News and Opportunities: · DOE's State Energy Special Program will provide ~$17.3 million for 187 energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in the U.S. · DOE will award $12.3 million to 21 cost-shared research projects, including a Georgia Tech project for a new lattice-matched, solid-state emitter, a Lumileds project related to nanoscale photonic crystals, and a University of Georgia project to improve phosphor-coating efficiency in UV LEDs. · DOE had announced their FY04 SBIR/STTR solicitations will be released in early October with an estimated due date of January 6, 2004. Subject areas include new technologies for general illumination applications, and OLEDs for general lighting. · The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) plans to fund up to $1 million in projects to develop, demonstrate and evaluate high-efficiency lighting. · NSF has announced that it will fund two to four additional International Materials Institutes in FY04. Deadline for proposals is December 1, 2003 . |
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A. Developer News · Aixtron and National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan) announced the start of the next phase of their joint work on developing GaInAsN-based optical and electronic devices. The partners have launched a Technology Transfer Program for the development and tuning of device structures of diluted nitride materials. In this work, Aixtron's horizontal type MOCVD reactor, the AIX 200 MOCVD system, using in situ monitoring (Reflectance Anistropy Spectroscopy equipment EpiRAS®), was selected for providing a high degree of flexibility, precise control of interfaces and quantum wells, and reproducibility. EpiRAS® allows precise investigation and control of the epitaxial process, according to the company. [ Press release carried in CompoundSemi News ] · Bandgap Technologies announced that it will enter production using a bulk SiC growth technique, called micropipe blocking, which drastically reduces device-killing micropipe defects while reducing the production cost. The process has been applied to both semi-insulating and low resistivity 6H-SiC (with micropipe-densities of < 50 cm2) and the company is currently applying the technique to 4H-SiC. The technique has the ability to achieve micropipe densities as low as 5 cm2. Initial production is 4H-SiC for high power and high frequency applications is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2004. The company will also transition to the production of larger diameter wafers. [ Article at Compoundsemiconductor.net ] · Carmanah publicized two LED lighting contracts in August. The first for $235k was awarded for airfield lighting at a US Army Air Base in Iraq. Carmanah will light the Sustainer Army airfield by supplying taxiway edge lights, runway edge lights, runway end identifier lights and helipad perimeter lights. There is no permanent lighting infrastructure in place at this airfield and Carmanah's total solution will eliminate the demand for external grid power or generator use. (Since January of 2003, Carmanah has sold more than $500k in airfield lighting to the US military for air bases.) The second contract is from the Trueform Group for $1.6 million. This contract is for 300 self-contained, solar-powered bus shelter lighting systems for the London Bus Services in the greater London area. (In a separate project, Carmanah has been working with the London Bus Services since September 2001 and continues to participate in a large-scale field trial of solar-powered bus stops with LED illumination. Two companies are involved in this project and a final decision on the bus stop project is expected in 2004). [ Press release - Air Base; Press release - bus shelters ] · Color Kinetics has been designated as a "Technology Fast 50" company by Deloitte & Touche LLP; in recognition that it is one of New England's fastest growing technology companies. This recognition is for "outstanding percentage of growth in fiscal year revenues over five years (1998 - 2002)." To qualify for the Technology Fast 50, companies must have had operating revenues of at least $50,000 in 1998 and $1,000,000 in 2002, must be public or private companies headquartered in North America, and be a "technology" company defined as owning proprietary technology that contributes to a significant portion of the company's operating revenues (using other companies' technology in a unique way does not qualify); and/or devoting a significant proportion of revenues to research and development of technology. [ Press release ] · Color Kinetics announced two additions to its patent portfolio, which now includes 19 issued US and international patents, with more than 100 patent filings in process. The new patents cover methods of controlling LED sources for entertainment and aesthetic purposes. US patent 6,577,080 is a utility patent for a "Lighting entertainment system" and covers the use of lighting tracks encoded into any media, including video, radio, CD, broadcasting and networks, as well as decoding from that media to provide illumination control. The second patent, US patent 6,608,453, is a utility patent that covers a method for serially connecting light fixtures in a network that the data protocol used to communicate to the lights (patent title: "Methods and Apparatus for Controlling Devices in a Networked Lighting System). [ Press release ] · Color Kinetics has licensed its Chromacore® technologyand expertise to The Holmes Group, Inc. to develop a line of LED-based illumination products for residential use. The Holmes Group is a global manufacturer of consumer products. The agreement is designed to "meet growing demand for home environment products that exhibit both the aesthetic and practical benefits of LED-based illumination sources." By integrating Color Kinetics' technology, The Holmes Group will offer the features of colorful accent lighting and programmable lighting effects, with the benefits of ultra-long source life, low energy consumption, little heat and no moving parts, noise or UV emission. [ Press release ] · Color Kinetics announced that it has an agreement to license Chromacore® technology to Altman Lighting, Inc. for the theater, entertainment, and themed architectural lighting markets. Altman will integrate Color Kinetics' technology with a new line of lighting fixtures, including cyclorama and indoor-outdoor wall washing and par lights. [ Press release ] · Color Kinetics' intelligent LED-based systems have enabled a variety of vibrant, visual effects in a number of TV events and programs: The 57th Annual Tony Awards (CBS); IMX (FUSE TV), a live broadcast that blends video games and interactivity with pop music and television; MTV Video Music Awards (MTV); Nashville Star (USA Network); NBA All-Star 2003 (TNT Network); and Star Search (CBS). The company has also signed an agreement to bring lighting effects to the syndicated game show, Wheel of Fortune. [ Press release carried in CompoundSemi News ] · Business Week supplied an extensive article detailing developments related to the litigation involving Cree and Hunter family history in an article, "A Brothers' Blood Feud," carried in the July 31, 2003 issue. The article reviews the charges brought by Eric Hunter and his wife, Jocelyn, filed in June against Cree and CEO Neal Hunter, and the countercharges and response of Cree and the SEC since this litigation was filed. It also reviews the affect on the stock prices and financial position of Cree since this time. Also see item below for further news on this situation. [ Article in Business Week ] · Cree announced in mid-August that the U.S. District Court denied a motion filed by Eric and Jocelyn Hunter requesting the Court to enjoin Cree and Neal Hunter from engaging in alleged harassment and related conduct. The Court found that "not enough evidence has been brought forward by the plaintiffs for the Court to even infer that Cree or Neal Hunter were behind these threats that Eric Hunter thinks happened." The Court did allow the plaintiff's request to amend their complaint, although according to Cree, the ruling allowing the amended complaint was in no way expressing a view that the complaint has any merit. Cress continues to believe that the lawsuit is without merit. [ Press release ] · Dow Corning announced the formation of a new business, Compound Semiconductor Solutions, to serve the wide bandgapsemiconductor industry. The business will be located in Midland, Michigan and directed by Robert Johns. According to Dow Corning, the business is founded on their expertise developed from years of in-house and academic research investments, plus recent acquisitions in bulk SiC, SiC thin film technology, and GaN thin film technology. The new unit includes in-house R&D into 3C-SiC deposition on silicon, which is being extended through university partnerships to include GaN epitaxy on the 3C-SiC. It also includes the bulk SiC business acquired from Sterling Semiconductor in 2002, and the GaN epitaxy work of the startup company, GaN Semiconductor. [ Press release, Article at Compoundsemiconductor.net ] · Hella (Germany) is presenting a prototype automotive LED headlamp for the first time at the IAA 2003 in Frankfurt. The headlamp incorporates a dipped beam, main beam, indicator and daytime running light functions (it can be dimmed and used as a positional light). The dipped beam consists of two five-LED modules and is positioned in the upper and lower area of the headlamp. [ Press release ] · Jozef Straus, CEO and Co-chairman of JDS Uniphase (JDSU), has retired as of September 1, 2003, and will assume the role of Founder Emeritus and Advisor to the CEO. Kevin Kennedy has been appointed his successor. Syrus Madavi, President and COO of JDSU, will also leave the company after a transition period. In addition, the company is consolidating its headquarters operation in San Jose, where the current compound semi MOCVD-based semiconductor laser facility is located, and will close its offices in Ottowa, Canada. CompoundSemi News reports, "The consolidation to San Jose, which is a noted compound semi MOCVD-based semiconductor laser facility, bodes well for the reinstatement of compound semi-based systems as JDSU gets back on track." [ Article in CompoundSemi News, Press release archived at CompoundSemi Online ] · Kopin Corporation has exclusively licensed a patent on Domain Epitaxy and two patents on the epitaxial growth of cubic ZnMgO and ZnCdO on (100) silicon substrates from North Carolina State University (NCSU). All three were invented by Jagdish Narayan of NCSU and his team. The company notes that the patents are important because they can be used to produce LEDs and lasers of any color across the visible spectrum, including RGB needed for white LEDs. The company also states that Domain Epitaxy is a new paradigm for thin film heteroepitaxy, where integral multiples of lattice planes match across the film-substrate interface. In large misfit systems, lattice strains are relaxed quickly and dislocations/ defects can be confined to the interface so that the rest of the film can grow defect-free. This approach is key to the formation of thin film heterostructures, such as TiN films on silicon with 4/3 matching and III-nitrides and ZnO films on sapphire with 6/7 matching. Narayan is quoted as saying that the domain epitaxy technique is "key to the successful development of GaN-based LEDs". The other two patents on epitaxial growth are helpful in creating inexpensive LEDs and for integration with microelectronic devices. [ Press release, Article at Compoundsemi.net ] · Lumileds announced the availability of a reference design for LED-based camera phone flash applications using Luxeon LEDs. A single Luxeon emitter can be used to produce 72 lumens at distances up to 2 meters (6.5 feet), enabling flashes on mobile phone cameras to approach the light levels of those on digital still cameras for the first time, according to the company. It will also allow a Luxeon-powered flash to double as a mobile phone flashlight. Lumileds' suggested design will deliver a 72-lumen flash of up to 142 lux at half a meter, 36 lux at one meter and 9 lux at 2 meters. [ Press release ] · Lumileds has licensed a key high brightness LED technology, including U.S. Patent 5,008,718 and several others, to Shin-Etsu Handotai. This patent is related to absorbing substrate [AlGaInP] LED technology. Shin-Etsu has agreed to pay a license fee and royalties in undisclosed amounts, and other terms of the agreement remain confidential. [ PRNewswire - no URL available. ] · Lumileds issued a press release detailing the use of its Luxeon LEDs for machine vision systems. The company says that it high-brightness LuxeonT LEDs are delivering to this industry a wider field of vision, greater depth of field, brighter strobing, faster data collection and longer-distance options between camera and subject. The company also provides lumen maintenance, which they say is ensuring longer useful light life than conventional 5 mm LEDs in cameras using white lights. LEDs currently represent the illumination source in roughly half of the machine vision systems on the market. Standard 5 mm LEDs, they say, have such low flux levels that users have faced serious limitations in image resolution and other areas, as well as degrading quickly (white LEDs), forcing premature replacement that lessens the long-life advantage important for minimizing downtime on the assembly line. Keith Scott of Lumileds notes that the machine vision industry is on a constant quest to obtain maximum light from a minimum source area, and "Luxeon technology is a great leap forward on the front." [ Press release carried in CompoundSemi News ] · Lumileds is suing Epistar (Taiwan) for willfully infringing on its US patent 5,008,718, "Light-emitting diode with an electrically conductive window." Lumileds is seeking both enhanced monetary damages for past infringement and an injunction against future importation or sale of the infringing products in the United States. Although Epistar has asserted counterclaims against Lumileds, the Court has granted Lumileds' motion for judgment on the pleadings with respect to these counterclaims. [ Article in CompoundSemi News ] · In an effort to expand production capacity for their Luxeon LED products, Lumileds has announced the purchase of multiple MOCVD systems from Aixtron. The first order has reportedly already been placed. [ Article at Compoundsemiconductor.net ] · A new company, Mantis Deposition, has been formed for the manufacture of high quality UHV deposition components and systems. Products include nanocluster deposition, RF atom and RF ion sources, e-beam evaporators, k-cells and thermal gas crackers. Products are well suited to research-scale studies in molecular beam epitaxy, surface science or PVD, according to the company. For large-scale production applications, the Mantis 175 mm diameter RF atom source or RF ion source can suit substrates up to 8" and beyond. Website: www.mantisdeposition.com. [ Press release carried in Compoundsemi Online ] · New Wave Research announced that it has been awarded US Patent 6,580,054, "Scribing sapphire substrates with a solid state UV laser.". Claims cover all the hardware configurations, processes, and parameters used in the company's AccuScribe sapphire wafer scribing systems, including wavelength, repetition rate, energy density, spot size, pulse duration, movable X-Y stages and edge detection. The company says that their process reduces the overall cost of LED manufacturing by decreasing the number of consumables and improving yield. More than 30 of the AccuScribe systems are installedworldwide. [ Article at Compoundsemiconductor.net ] · Nolan Enterprises has been awarded two US patents related to using white LEDs in lighting fixtures: US 6,599,000, for "Interior lamp for producing white light using bright white LEDs" and US 6,609,804, for "LED interior light fixture." Both inventions use "a plurality of high lumen bright white LED lights incorporated within the lamps, a light color diffusion panel and a household current to low voltage DC converter providing power to the lamp to convert the AC current to low voltage DC current, reducing power required to provide illumination without requiring replacement of the LED lights." Nolan Enterprises is a small Texas company run by Cherie' and Steven Nolan and Donald Herbert. [ See article in CompoundSemi News ] · Samsung America, a Korean supplier of LED displays, has announced that it will enter the U.S. digital signage market. Samsung has entered into an exclusive marketing and distribution contract with Billboard Video, Inc. for the distribution of its LED screens. One of Samsung's displays was presented on Aug 11th and 12th at a media event in New York City. Samsung LED display screens utilize a new patent pending Multi-Scan technology, which the company says allowed it to improve resolution by 400% and dramatically decrease the LED display screen cost. [ Article in EE Design ] · Sandia National Laboratories' solid-state lighting work was featured August 14th by ScienCentral, which produces science and technology content for television, video and the web. The website carried both an article ("Light Switch") on Sandia's work and a 1.5 minute video featuring Jerry Simmons. Simmons talks about growing semiconductor LEDs and cantilever epitaxy. [ Article and video at ScienCentral News ] · German inventors Vitaly Shchukin and Nikolai Ledentsov have filed a patent application WO03069737A1 (also US application 20030152120) "Tilted Cavity Semiconductor Laser (TCSL) and method of making same" for a device that has the ability to act as both a surface-emitting and an edge-emitting laser. The inventors say that this tilted cavity laser requires far fewer layers to create the laser's bottom and top interference reflectors and that a wavelength stabilized version has been realized. [ Article at Optics.org ] · According to an article in DigiTimes, Taiwan's LED manufacturers will reportedly be able to start producing white LEDs by the end of 2003, hoping to capitalize on the increased demand created by mobile phone makers who are increasingly choosing white LEDs for their backlight panels and lighting sources. These manufacturers are seeking ways to avoid infringing on patents owned by Nichia and are trying to enhance cooperation with leading companies like Agilent and Motorola to pave the way for white LED production. Harvatek has apparently made a single-chip RGB white LED with a price of about NT$25, compared to Nichia's white LED, priced at NT$17, which combines a blue LED and phosphor coating technology. The joint venture between Taiwan's Procomp Informatics and Japan's Sumitomo Chemical has also produced a prototype white LED in a single-chip solution and is expected to begin volume production this month. [ Article from DigiTimes, carried by ioCombo.com ] · TMI Holdings (Basking Ridge, NJ) has established a LED sign division that will build, sell, install and integrate digital signs for the commercial and industrial markets. The new division will market the signs under the name, "Total Digital Displays." The manufacturing facilities of Total Identity Group, its pending acquisition by TMI slated to close on August 18th, to produce its custom Digital displays. Total Digital Displays is part of TMI's strategy for continued growth into the $13 billion sign market, according to the company. [ Press release ] B. New Products · BivarOpto introduced their new SMPT series of surface mount LEDs designed to accept the company's Flexible Light Pipe series. The design eliminates the need for through-hole PCBs that are typically required in light pipe installations. The products also do not require PCB through-holes and secondary post-reflow operations because the adapter and LED are integrated into a single surface mountable package. Each module can be used as an individual full color pixel in fixed or moving messages, potentially providing a LED display capable of being extended from 2.5" to 100m (328ft) via the FLP mono-fiber. The series incorporates the same leadframe and footprint as BivarOpto's Pix-Tek Series and is available in all standard colors, including red, green and blue. The SMPT are available now and will be provided on tape and reel in 500-piece quantities. [ Press release ] · Microsemi Corporation had introduced two new ICs that both boost drive for LED and provide adjustable bias voltages for LCD displays in a single package. With an efficiency rated at greater than 90%, the new regulators can save space and system cost in handheld applications. The models come with a boost controller and either one (LX1744tm PFM) or two (LX1745tm PFM) adjustable bias supplies. [ Press release ] · Osram Opto Semiconductors announced the introduction of new blue Thin-Film InGaN LEDs. Prototypes of 5 mm-radial blue (460 nm) LEDs achieve brightness of up to 16mW at an operating current of 20mA. The company says that the ThinGaN technology makes it possible to extract up to 75% of the internally generated light from the chip. It describes the reason for this extraction as follows: The standard substrate material for blue LEDs is based on InGaN is SiC (silicon carbide), with a typical substrate thickness of 250 um. Chemically and mechanically, it is very stable and cannot be completely removed with either a wet chemical process or dry chemical plasma processes without also destroying the 5 um thin InGaN epitaxial layer. Alternatively, sapphire (Al2O3) is suitable as a standard substrate for InGaN epitaxy. However,the material properties of sapphire cause major distortions and defects during InGaN growth, which reduce the internal luminous efficacy. Osram Opto Semiconductors has tailored the epitaxial procedure specifically to this material and at the same time developed a method for careful removal of the substrate material. In the world's first production-scale laser lift-off plant, the light from a pulsed UV laser splits up the semiconductor material into its components. It is then cleanly separated from the sapphire substrate. Other key factors for the exceptionally high efficiency of these ThinGaN LEDs are the optimized surface roughness, low optical losses in the LED itself and mirror metalization as a reflector tailored to this material combination. Series production is expected to start in 2004. [ Press release ]· Osram Opto Semiconductors has released its 6lead MultiLED, claiming that it outperforms previous LED designs in homogeneity and brightness. The package allows the LEDs to be arranged very closely together and flat on the board, which results in an even distribution of light. Other claims are that the LEDs are suitable for 17-inch displays, as well as smaller ones, can be used in harsh ambient environments, and can better dissipate heat. [ Article in EE Times Asia, Press release ] · StockerYale announced the availability of its new COBRAtm (chip-on- board reflective array) technology. This LED illumination system, according to the company, "is ideal for demanding machine vision and inspection applications that require continuous operation, superior wall plug efficiency, and increased light output. Applications include high-speed web or automotive lighting where the existing halogen, sodium or incandescent technologies would be replaced with this highly efficient, compact LED package." The COBRA LED line array consists of a line light that is 150 mm in length, has a 3 mm LED pitch with an integrated lens array, and is 80% brighter than normal chip-on-board technology. Thermal resistance is 1 degree C W from the LED junction to the base. LED pitches down to 1mm are available without the integrated lensing. By applying this technology to industry standard lighting configurations such as area lights, ring lights, spotlights, and backlights, increased lighting efficiencies will be realized since COBRA "enables excellent optical efficiency on highly thermally conductive substrate technologies." StockerYale has already begun shipping samples of COBRA to select OEM customers. [ Press release ] · Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. has developed a new substrate for use in red LEDs bright enough to be employed in traffic lights and automobile tail lights, according to the company. The substrate is made through precision processing of a thin sheet of high-grade gallium phosphorus. Red light generated by an LED's multilayer film passes through the substrate almost entirely, resulting in a brighter end product. Red LEDs using the substrate have a luminosity of up to 100 lumens per watt, making them five times as bright as conventional red LEDs. The company plans to produce the substrate at its Tokyo facility, with a monthly target of 20,000 - 25,000 square inches. [ Article carried in The Nikkei Weekly (Japan) and Yahoo News Asia. No URL available. ] · Vishay Intertechnology announced that it has released the TLCW5100 (completing their ultra-bright TLCx5100 LED series), which is a white InGaN LED with a typical 4,000 mcd luminous intensity. The 5 mm LED is designed to meet the demands of high-end lighting applications. The product is a clear non-diffused LED with 0.33 chromasticity. A > 9 degree angle of intensity and an untinted plastic lens are offered to provide high light output and visibility. In addition to a maximum DC forward current of 30mA and reverse voltage of 5V, the LED features thermal resistance of 300K/W, > ESD-withstand voltage of 1kV, and an operating temperature range of >-40°C to 100°C. [ Article in EE Times Asia (free registration required) ] C. Novel or Interesting LED Applications/Uses · Kopin announced that it is supplying the display for Eyetoptm (manufactured by Ingineo SAS), which are sunglasses integrating Kopin's 0.24-inch diagonal color CyberDisplay in one of the sidepieces. Wearers can view the screen with one eye while "effortlessly" maintaining visual contact with the world around them. The company claims that the CyberDisplay displays the same vivid color and image quality of a full-sized PC monitor, day or night. Eyetop can plug and play with any device that has a video output (e.g., portable video players, digital cameras and camcorders, portable TVs, laptops, desktops or PDAs). The company gives an example of its use, where a wearer could work on a confidential document in a public place by darkening the laptop screen and turning on the Eyetop. Eyetop retails for about $450. (See http://www.eyetop.net for more information.) [ Press release ] · Lumileds Lighting and SunLine Solar Inc., a part-Amish owned alternative energy firm, have created a light-emitting diodes for headlights, taillights and marker lights, the Model 8LED, specifically for Amish horse-drawn buggies. The system uses high-brightness Luxeon LEDs, eight in the front and a red light in the back. It uses a solar or motor-powered generator, needs recharging every 100 hours, and costs about $100 per headlight. Lumileds' says prices should drop when LEDs become widely used in other modes of transportation. The Luxeon is being tested for automobile headlights and should make its debut on cars by 2007. [ Article at Photonics.com, Article at Lumileds Lighting website ] < BR> D. Market Information · Intertech has made available their report covering current information and analysis of the LED marketplace,entitled Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for Lighting and Displays, 2003-2015. This report highlights the areas of market analysis, technical developments, emerging markets, the white light "challenge", and economic and regulatory factors. [ Press release ] · Wireless Week carried an article summarizing the rising demand for LEDs and quoting market figures provided by Strategies Unlimited ("LED market shines but prices continue to drop," August 14, 2003), written by Jim Carbone. In 2003, the LED market is estimated to be $2.5 billion, and by 2007, the market will reach $4.7 billion. Despite growing demand, prices for LEDs will continue to fall, with an expected 10-15% drop in AlInGaP LED prices, and a 15-20% drop in InGaN LEDs over the next year. Bob Steele of Strategies Unlimited notes that mobile phones are driving LED sales. Mobile phones account for about 40% of the HB-LED market. In addition to mobile phones, automakers are using more LEDs. Some suppliers are saying that LEDs will replace incandescent lights completely in 7-8 years. Estimates are that cars with LED headlights will be available in cars sold in three to four years. The article then covers LEDs in other illumination applications, and the challenge of reducing LED costs. [ Article in Wireless Week ] E. Overview Articles · The Boston Globe reviewed LEDs for general illumination in the article, "Bright Ideas" (August 25th issue). The article begins by discussing the benefits of LEDs for illumination, and then poses the question of whether one of Boston's LED companies will be among the leaders of the new industry. The article reviews three Boston-area LED companies: Kopin, Color Kinetics and Luminus Devices. The latter is a new startup company founded by Alexei Erchack, a former MIT researcher. · A review, "Bringing AlGaN from research to high-volume production," appeared in the August 2003 issue of Compound Semiconductor magazine, written by David Gotthold and Shiping Guo from Emcore. Noting that UV emitters over a range of wavelengths have attracted great interest for bio-applications and solid-state lighting, the authors state that high Al concentrations are critical for practical device applications in the UV spectrum. Surface cracking is a serious obstacle for AlGaN growth on traditional low temperature GaN nucleation layers. The authors conclude that their preliminary work with high Al-content materials has produced encouraging results, including consistent repeatability for HEMTs at high volume, crack-free materials on large-area substrates, and the growth of highly doped n-type AlGaN at 60% Al. [ Article in Compound Semiconductor, Page 1, Page 2 ] · An extensive review of work presented at the 5th International Conference on Nitride Semiconductors (Nara, Japan), "Nitrides leap ahead at ICNS-5," appeared in the August 2003 issue of Compound Semiconductor magazine. The review was written by Richard Balmer of QinetiQ (UK) and covers presentations on bulk nitride substrates, indium nitride, new processes for better LEDs, lasers, and breakdown voltages. At the conference, 406 papers were presented, and the author reports that there was more of a commercial feel to the meeting, stemming from the emergence of spin-off and start-up companies in this area. (LED developments by Nichia; Meijo University, Kyocera and the Advanced Materials Lab in Japan; and Mitsubishi Cable and Stanley Electric were among the many topics covered in this extensive article.) [ Article in Compound Semiconductor, Page 1, Page 2 ] · "Pyrometry and reflectance techniques provide in situ control for GaN Growth," appeared in the August 2003 issue of Compound Semiconductor magazine, written by Kolja Haberland of LayTec. The author notes that the growth of GaN remains challenging. In no other growth process does the quality of the final layers depend so much on the epitaxial steps, and the nucleation steps are extremely temperature sensitive. Through real-time and post-growth analysis, important information like growth rate, roughness, optical constants and composition can be extracted. In the near future the data measured in real time by the in situ sensors will be used for feedback control of growth parameters and will further increase the efficiency of MOCVD growth. [Article in Compound Semiconductor magazine, Page 1, Page 2 ] · EE Times carried an article by EBN's Spencer Chin, "White LED drivers surge as color climbs in portables," August 11, 2003, which reviews developers working with driver ICs for white LED arrays. Demand has increased dramatically in the past year because new mobile phones and PDAs are including color, rather than monochrome, displays. Tony Armstrong of Linear Technology Corporation estimates that more than 400 million handsets will ship, of which 60% to 70% are equipped with color LCDs, along with about 10 million PDAs. The automotive market is also demanding more white LED drivers, says Armstrong. The article then covers products in development for this market, including one by Catalyst Semiconductor Inc., which expects to leverage its E2PROM process technology for white LEDs; Linear Technology, which has introduced a white LED driver with an on-chip Schottky diode; and Texas Instruments, which is focusing on improving the driver's circuit design to increase efficiency and extend the LED d splay's battery life. [ Article at EEtimes.com ] · A brief article appeared in the EERE News (a service of DOE's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy online information portal) entitled "Research Advances Show Promise for Solid-State Lighting" (July 30, 2003), which highlighted two breakthrough advances taking different approaches: Sandia's quantum dot LEDs and GE Global Research's "fault tolerant" OLEDs. [ Article in EERE News ] · Laser Focus World featured the article, "Solid state lighting offers 'vices' as well as 'virtues'," in the September 2003 issue. Written by David Green and Miruska Milanovic of Carmanah Technologies, this article provides a general review covering LED families (red and yellow AlInGaP; green and blue InGaN; and white InGaN+phosphors), the advantages and disadvantages of LEDs, and applications. [ Article in Laser Focus World ] · Opto & Laser Europe reviewed compact personal image projectors using LEDs or VCSELs in the article, "Tiny image projectors take a step towards the shops." [ Article at Compoundsemiconductor.net; Article in Opto & Laser Europe ] This area of research, called personal projection, was one of the highlights of the Society for Information Display's (SID) annual meeting held in May. Personal image projectors, compact add-on modules for displaying pictures or documents from a mobile phone or digital camera, are being developed by MIT and Lumileds/Philips to meet the need for viewing larger images without significantly increasing the power consumption, cost and size of the device, and without the need for transferring the documents to a PC or laptop. · A review appeared in Opto & Laser Europe, "Powerful LEDs challenge optical safety standards," related to how optical safety standards are being amended to stop high-brightness LEDs from slipping through loopholes in legislation. Author John O'Hagan notes, "Although few LED sources are capable of causing direct eye damage … there are concerns that the brightness of some could be capable of dazzling those exposed to them." LED traffic lights can be uncomfortably bright, and some LED torches can cause unpleasant after-images, according to some reports. No safety guidelines dedicated to LEDs have been issued, and whether LEDs should be classified as lasers or incoherent sources is a controversial issue. How LED output should be measured is also an issue. O'Hagan then reviews current safety standards from the most relevant international standards organizations -- ICNERP, CIE, and IEC -- and how far those standards go in dealing with LEDs. He says that the Commission of European Communities may ultimately play an important role in bringing about legislation because of a 1993 proposal for a European Directive concerning protection against physical agents in the workplace, including optical radiation. He concludes: "If it is passed, this legislation could place a specific duty on the integrators of optical radiation sources to confirm that these sources do not present an unacceptable risk to health. To work well, it will require access to data from LED manufacturers to minimize the measurements required." [ Article at Optics.org ] · The Guardian carried a feature story on gallium nitride, "The future's blue: Four years ago, gallium nitride was a mere curiosity - now everyone wants a piece of it" (July 31, 2003), written by Tim Radford. Gallium nitride, according to this article, has gone from a curiosity to big business in just four years: 184 companies and 293 universities around the world have now invested in it, and experts predict a £2.7bn market for it by 2007. Collin Humphreys, a pioneer in the area, is quoted extensively in this article. The role of GaN in LED development and as a material for quantum dots is discussed. Humphrey's vision of the potential of GaN in quantum computers, GaN-powered microwaves as a miniature energy source, and medical sensing is discussed. [ Article in The Guardian ] F. Research Results · Hokkaido University, Mitsubishi Cable and Nippon EMC researchers have demonstrated a UV LED with an active layer of GaN quantum dots grown onto an AlGaN surface using Si as anti-surfactant. GaN AlGaN layers were deposited on 2" sapphire substrates, and then the AlGaN surface was exposed to a silane ammonia gas mixture to modify the surface states. The presence of silicon on the surface prevented the subsequent GaN deposition by 2D step-flow growth and leading to 3D growth, creating quantum dots. The layer of quantum dots was buried beneath an AlGaN capping layer and a final p-GaN layer improved the ohmic characteristics of the contact-metal interface. Room temperature CW electroluminescence spectra showed a well-defined emission peak at 360 nm (3.44 eV). As the injection current was increased from 5-100 mA, the emission shifted slightly towards the blue. Researchers attributed this to heating as the current increased because of the poor thermal conductivity of sapphire. [ Article at Compoundsemiconductor.net ] · University of Toronto researchers have used a laser to write patterns into silicon photonic crystals. Features roughly a micrometer wide were created, in which a difference in refractive index relative to the surrounding material should let light pulses propagate while being confined by the photonic bandgap on either side. Light cannot propagate into the cladding, meaning that light signals can be more tightly controlled. Because the material is fully compatible with silicon chips, it could be used to make integrated optoelectronic circuits that combine photonic and electronic devices. Other than creating waveguide channels, the researchers used laser illumination to create spot defects, which could act as cavities for microlasers, junctions, soft walls, and periodic superlattices, offering a variety of structures for controlling and manipulating light at the chip scale. The research was published as "Refractive index patterns in Si inverted colloidal photonic crystals" ( N., Míguez H. , Yang S. M. , Kitaev V. & Ozin G. A.), Advanced Materials (2003) [ Article in Nature Materials Update-News (free registration required) ] G. Selected Events of Interest · DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (Building Technologies Program) will host a two-day workshop, November 13-14, 2003, in Washington, D.C., on solid-state lighting. The workshop will introduce the Next Generation Lighting Initiative. It has been organized to communicate the structure, purpose and timeline of the first few years of this multi-year program. Attendance is open to all companies, universities, trade associations, research institutions and national laboratories that meet the domestic performance qualifications in EPAct 92, which determines eligibility for funding under DOE programs. A program is available online. [ NETL announcement ] · The Optoelectronic Industry Development Association (OIDA) will hold a DARPA-sponsored Technology Roadmap Workshop, "Emerging Optoelectronic Applications," October 15 - 16 in Rochester, NY. The workshop will bring together industry and government experts in a broad range of optoelectronics specialties to focus on applications emerging in 2 - 5 years. Presentations will cover a variety of applications enabled by optoelectronic devices (LEDs, lasers, OLEDs and MOEMs) -- mobile platforms, biomedical, miniaturization, and interconnects. The intent is to formulate recommendations for government and industry to eliminate the roadblocks for these emerging applications thus promoting future growth of the industry. [ Press release ] H. Government Funding News · Secretary of Energy, Spencer Abraham, announced that DOE will provide more than $17.3 million in funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in the U.S., via DOE's State Energy Special Program competitive grants. States, territories and the District of Columbia competed for these DOE awards, which provide specialized funding in addition to annual formula grants given to each State energy office. State energy offices will use these funds to improve the energy efficiency of schools, homes and other buildings; promote energy-efficient industrial technologies; and support renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and biomass. Some projects will create opportunities for distributed energy resources. DOE anticipates making these awards in September. [ Press release ] Award categories and funding amounts: · Clean Cities (71 projects totaling $5,733,266); · Industrial Technology Program (23 projects totaling $1,995,836); · Building Codes and Standards (15 projects totaling $1,774,225); · Rebuild America (29 projects totaling $2,762,784); · Building America (five projects totaling $399,334); · Federal Energy Management Program (six projects totaling $485,000); · Solar Technology Program (one project totaling $223,231); · State Wind Energy Support (six projects totaling $470,478); · Distributed Energy and Electric Reliability - High Temperature Superconductivity, State Outreach Centers (three projects totaling $359,000); · Distributed Energy and Electric Reliability Regional Combined Cooling Heating and Power Applications Centers (five projects totaling $1,499,756); · Distributed Energy and Electric Reliability - High Temperature Superconductivity, State Outreach Centers (three projects totaling $359,000); · Hydrogen Program Fuel Cell Demonstration and Coordinated Public Education Outreach (three projects totaling $300,000); · Geothermal Outreach (five projects totaling $294,085); · Biomass (nine projects totaling $556,868); ·
Residential Deployment (five projects totaling $481,579).
· DOE will award $12.3 million to 21 broad-based, cost-shared research projects that will simultaneously advance energy efficiency and fossil energy technologies. The projects, managed by universities and companies in 13 states, run from 1-3 years and target scientific developments in these areas materials, fuels and chemicals; sensors and controls, and energy conversion. [ Press release ] Included in these grants are: · Georgia Tech Research Corporation A grant to develop a new lattice-matched, solid-state emitter using non-native III-Nitride substrates such as AlGaN on lithium gallate and GalN on zinc oxide, and techniques that minimize residual defects. DOE share -- $500,000; applicant share -- $100,000. · Lumileds Lighting A grant to design, make and integrate nanoscale photonic crystal structures into light-emitting diodes to increase external quantum efficiency. DOE share -- $500,000; applicant share -- $100,000. · University of Georgia Research Foundation A grant to develop more efficient solid-state lighting sources using ultraviolet/light-emitting diodes and phosphor combinations by focusing on improving phosphor-coating efficiency in UV/LEDS. Information will help designers develop and demonstrate higher efficacy LED packages to minimize or even eliminate many phosphor-quenching pathways. DOE share -- $418,068; applicant share -- $95,143. · DOE has announced their FY04 SBIR/STTR solicitations will be released in early October with a due date of January 6, 2004. Subject areas include new technologies for general illumination applications, and OLEDs for general lighting. (The full list of specific SBIR/STTR topics is available here.) The budget for STTRs doubles in FY04 to $10 million. DOE plans to make about 28 Phase I STTR awards and approximately 230 SBIR awards. DOE has also announced that all grant applicants must provide a Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbers System (DUNS) number when applying for a federal grant. [ News item at the SBIR Gateway ] · The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) plans to fund up to $1 million (up to $200k per project) in projects to develop, demonstrate and evaluate high-efficiency lighting projects. The deadline for applications was September 17. Examples of such projects include: EnergyStar-qualifying lighting products; Fixtures for energy-efficient lamps; Innovative light sources, including LEDs; photovoltaic-powered lighting systems; daylighting systems, including window and other light conveyance systems and controls; street and pathway lighting that minimize light trespass and glare; energy-efficient signage; and lighting controls, including ballasts and electronics. Details are available from NYSERDA. [ Article at lighting.com ] · In FY 2004, the NSF will support the establishment of two to four International Materials Institutes (IMIs) to advance materials research by coordinating international projects involving condensed matter and materials physics; solid state and materials chemistry; and the design, synthesis, characterization, and processing of materials to meet global and regional needs. The long-term goal is the creation of a worldwide network in materials research and the development of a new generation of scientists and engineers with enhanced international leadership capabilities. NSF anticipates total funding of up to $2.2M in FY04, with expected support for each IMI to range from $500k to $1M per year. Only U.S.academic institutions are eligible. The deadline for submitting proposals is December 1, 2003 . [ NSF program announcement 03-593 ] |
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