Crystal IS, Inc., a manufacturer of proprietary, high-performance ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UVC LEDs) for monitoring, purification, and disinfection applications, has announced today that they achieved more than 65mW in optical output at 260nm from a single UVC LED operated in a continuous mode. The details of this breakthrough were recently published in Applied Physics Express.

"This achievement is a technological milestone in the continued development of brighter, more efficient and reliable UVC LEDs. By employing die thinning and encapsulation techniques, we were able to increase the photon extraction efficiency to over 15%, “said Leo Schowalter, founder and CTO.  "By fabricating our LEDs on our home grown aluminum nitride substrates, we continue to set the pace of what is possible for the combination of highest efficiencies and longest lifetimes in the 250-280nm wavelength range, far surpassing diodes fabricated on sapphire."

“This R&D accomplishment represents a more than six-fold increase in performance from just one year ago,” said Larry Felton, CEO. “Our progress in business operations continues on a like pace, readying us and our LEDs for commercial success.”

UVC refers to ultraviolet light with wavelengths between 200 – 280 nanometers (nm). Light in the UVC wavelength can be used for disinfecting water, sterilizing surfaces, destroying harmful micro-organisms in food products and in air, and for spectroscopy applications. Yole Développement estimates the UVC lamp market to be nearly $200 Million in 2012, with lamps being replaced increasingly by UV LEDs.

"Our products will address some of the most pressing health concerns of our time,” said Therese Jordan, Senior Vice President of Business Development. “We are seeing demand in both water and air for the disinfection and quality monitoring aspects of UVC. Similarly, spectroscopic instruments are also taking advantage of the high light output available in a UVC LED. Unlike UV lamps, UVC LEDs are mercury-free, compact, rugged and robust, lending themselves to an array of designs and hold the promise of long life and environmentally friendly end-of-life disposal.”

Engineering samples of UVC LEDs are available from Crystal IS.