Durham, North Carolina–Cree, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of semiconductor materials and devices made from silicon carbide (SiC), announced today that it has formed an alliance with Rohm Co. Ltd., a Japanese manufacturer of ICs and other electronic components.
“We are excited about the opportunity to work with Cree,” says Hidemi Takasu, Rohm director and member of the board. “They have made tremendous advances with their SiC and gallium nitride LED and laser diode devices. Combined with Rohm’s product capabilities and market knowledge, we believe we are well positioned to introduce cost-effective products.”
Under the agreement, Rohm has granted Cree a 5-year exclusive license to several U.S. patents and a non-exclusive license under a Japanese patent for optoelectronic devices. Cree and Rohm also signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding for the cooperative development of a packaged blue laser diode for consumer applications. The companies further entered into an annual supply agreement for the purchase by Rohm of LED chips manufactured by Cree.