Category Archives: LEDs

May 1, 2012 — Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) will transfer 70% of its gallium-nitride (GaN)-based blue light emitting diode (LED) chip business into a new company, tentatively named TS Opto Co. Ltd, with Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd.

The joint venture (JV) will be established by December 2012, in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The JV partners already collaborate. The new company will expand overall supply capacity, and achieve synergies in R&D for improved brightness and production efficiency with GaN LEDs. Toyoda Gosei will own 70%; SDK 30% of TS Opto.

SDK produces and sells LEDs based on aluminum-gallium-indium-phosphide (AlGaInP), gallium-arsenide (GaAs), gallium-phosphide (GaP), and GaN. Learn more at http://www.sdk.co.jp/english/.

Toyoda Gosei develops and markets GaN-based LEDs.

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April 27, 2012 — Lumichip Limited, a light-emitting diode (LED) manufacturer, expanded its commercial operations in Finland and opened a new development center in Espoo, Finland. The new development and customer service center are at the Micronova Building, Otaniemi campus, part of the Finnish high technology development cluster in Espoo, where global technology companies and research institutions such as VTT and Aalto University operate.

“Lumichip has an increasing client base in Europe and Scandinavia,” noted Dr. Juha Rantala, chairman of the Lumichip group. Lumichip’s new global commercial service center will support all technical aspects and product sales for LED customers.

The company’s investments in Finland also include research, from basic LED component to advanced light engine technology design, and production of custom-designed LED light systems. “Our chip and package design and manufacturing will continue in Asia, but we wish to leverage the leading edge electronics and systems development expertise available in Finland into our new products and services,” Dr Rantala said.

Lumichip’s new European Micronova site is within the Finland National Research Infrastructure for micro- and nanotechnology and its modern facilities include 2600m2 of cleanrooms and processing lines for silicon CMOS, MEMS, III-V optoelectronics and various thin film devices. The available technologies and expertise of the center will be part of Lumichip’s technology roadmap for better LED devices and systems with intelligence, reliability and cost efficiency.

Learn more at www.lumichip.com.

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April 27, 2012 — Active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays manufacturing is virtually 100% concentrated in Korea, according to Displaybank, with Samsung Mobile Display (SMD) and LG Display (LGD) scaling up capacity.

SMD began large-scale AMOLED production in 2008, and the market has expanded under SMD’s leadership, gaining adopters for smartphone displays and other 3”-4” displays.

AMOLED shipments are increasing dramatically, shows Displaybank’s report, “Korea AMOLED Light-Emitting Material Industry Analysis.” In 2011, SMD ramped a Gen-5.5 line. LGD nearly quadrupled its AMOLED production capacity since 2010, with a Gen-4.5 line coming fully on-line. In H1 2012, both companies plan to commercialize 55” AMOLED TVs. They are accelerating development with deposition equipment of 4~10K.

Also read: AMOLED displays draw attention on smartphone adoption

Figure. Korea’s AMOLED light-emitting materials market size. Includes HIL, HTL, R’, G’, EML(RGB) dopant/host, ETL, EIL, and CPL materials. SOURCE: Korea AMOLED Light-Emitting Material Industry Analysis, Displaybank, Nov 2011.

With the growth in AMOLEDs, related material markets — especially light-emitting materials — are seeing significant increases.

Displaybank’s “Korea AMOLED Light-Emitting Material Industry Analysis” report analyzes equipment trends, development trends, and the supply chains of Korean AMOLED panel makers. It analyzes the current state of Korea’s AMOLED light-emitting material industry through the analysis of domestic AMOLED common layer materials and market size of light-emitting materials, and competition analysis of each material. Learn more at http://www.displaybank.com/_eng/research/report_view.html?id=865&cate=10.

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April 27, 2012 — MEI makes batch immersion equipment for cleaning, etching, and developing microelectronics wafers, including silicon and gallium arsenide, as well as process control equipment and automation software. The PVC materials used to make process tools influence tool performance, safety in the fab, and chip quality. Semiconductor and solar are two of the most materials-/contamination-sensitive manufacturing sectors. MEI uses Vycom Flametec PVC-C for chemical rinse tanks and other wafer-contacting elements of its process tools, reducing tool-based contamination and protecting fab workers.

Figure 1. The dual robots of the MEI Advancer Gemini, dual robot semi-auto wet bench.

Many MEI wet bench tools take dry wafers and move them — using robotic arms (see Figure 1) — through chemical and rinse tanks, then to an IPA-style dryer. MEI uses Vycom Flametec PVC-C, a fire-retardant, chemical and moisture-resistant material, to build the housing (shell) of its wet process systems, the robotic arm ends, chemical rinse tanks, and conveyances for automated dry-to-dry wet bench acid process immersion tools. “We use some non-4910 material, called Protec, for tanks and valve boxes, but for the bulk of our batch immersion wet benches for acid type process we rely on PVC-C,” said Bill McGinty, MEI operations manager.

Figure 2. MEI’s Advancer Micro semi-automated wet bench. Detail: the back of the Advancer Micro.

Wet process chemicals can be punishing to the equipment and its internal components. Older bench-construction materials were brittle, difficult to weld, and had color matching issues, said McGinty. An inherently clean material, PVC-C is resistant to bacteria, reducing contamination opportunities. It is abrasion resistant and easy to clean, reducing particulate contamination created from internal tool components rubbing together. Tool-created contamination can compromise the wafer bath and enable corrosion or contamination of tool components from wafer-processing chemicals.

Flametec PVC-C is also ANSI FM-4910 compliant, passing the Factory Mutual test for fire propagation and smoke density. Contamination from smoke particulates and toxicity can damage chips and endanger workers in the fab.

To build its automated wet processing systems housings and tanks, MEI starts with 5 x 8 and 5 x 10 PVC-C sheets, using multiple CNC router tables up to 10 feet long to cut and shape them according to designs made in SolidWorks. MEI obtains its PVC-C raw material — tens of thousands of pounds per year — through a stocking program with Vycom’s distributors.

Figure 3. MEI’s flagship MEI Evolution fully automated wet processing system.

Thermoplastic welds must be strong and precise to prevent leaks and contamination in the fab tool. PVC welders complete an apprentice program at MEI to learn timing, technique, pressure, and angle skills. After a year of training, welders are qualified to build the wet plenum — the tank area below the tool where chemicals and water drain — the most sensitive wet bench tool component.

Figure 4. MEI Revolution rotary, semi-auto wet processing system. Photos courtesy of Garry Myers, MEI LLC.

MEI is a semiconductor process tool supplier. The company also develops process control equipment and automation software, and provides field service, repair, and retrofits on used equipment. Learn more at http://meillc.com/semiconductor-wet-benches.

More on preventing tool contamination: Entegris builds advanced filtration and contamination control R&D center for 2X, 1X semiconductor fab

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April 26, 2012 — Semiconductor capital equipment maker OEM Group began shipping a multi-tool order to a major light-emitting diode (LED) manufacturer, including Spray Ozone Tool (SOT) and Spray Acid Tool (SAT) semi-automated batch surface preparation systems from OEM Group’s Cintillio product line.

The wet-chemical processing toolset uses Cintillio’s Enhanced Spray Technology, with up to 6 rows of nozzles. Numerous wafer lots may be processed simultaneously. The tools offer high throughput and reliable wafer-surface wetting with chemical mixtures in 25/50-wafer batch processes. They use a common platform for solvent, acid, and ozone applications. The cabinet footprint is 1.78m², with side access for maintenance.

SOT’s HydroOzone post-ash clean eliminates thousands of gallons of sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide, reduces deionized (DI) water consumption by 84%, reduces cycle time and defects, and increases yields, the company reports.

The Cintillio SAT and SOT tools handle both resist strip and organic cleaning post-etch, noted the LED maker, which serves display, backlighting, automotive, and general lighting markets. The systems will support the LED manufacturer’s 150mm production efforts.

The Cintillo line also includes the single- and dual-chamber Spray Solvent Tool (SST) with one, two or three chemical system configurations that accommodate most solvent-based process applications.

OEM Group is a global manufacturer of new and remanufactured semiconductor capital equipment for established markets and emerging technologies. Its LEGENDS technology portfolio is based on exclusive intellectual property acquired from leading semiconductor brands, including: Tegal thin-film etch, Sputtered Films Endeavor, AMS, MRC Eclipse, AGHeatpulse, Varian Sunset, Lam AutoEtch, and Applied Materials/Semitool surface preparation equipment and processes. Its Classics equipment line features recognized brands optimized for new applications and increased productivity. OEM Group also offers foundry services for piezoelectric AlN films, yield optimization, and process and product development and demonstration. Learn more at www.oemgroupinc.com.

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April 23, 2012 – Marketwire — Luminus Devices Inc. unveiled its round light emitting diode (LED) architecture, meeting the circular aperture designs of many optical devices.

The round LED increases system-level efficiency up to 30%. A single LED can replace a 250W conventional lamp. The LEDs can be used for entertainment, medical, retail, machine vision, and other lighting designs.

In fiber-coupled designs, the fiber and optic are round, but “the LED has always been square,” said Chuck DeMilo, global director of product marketing, Lighting Business Group, Luminus. This optical mismatch is resolved with round LEDs, which Luminus says required significant investments in R&D and operational infrastructure.

Also read: LED manufacturers need dedicated toolset and cost savings

The company’s first round LED product will be commercially available in Q3 2012.

Luminus Devices develops and manufactures LED technologies and solutions for the global illumination market. Headquarters and wafer fab manufacturing facilities are located near Boston, MA. For more information, visit www.luminus.com

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April 23, 2012 — Investments in fabless companies, semiconductor suppliers, and other semiconductor companies fell more than 80% month-to-month (M/M) and year-to-year (Y/Y) in March, reports the Global Semiconductor Association (GSA) in its Global Semiconductor Funding, IPO and M&A Update.

Semiconductor companies (fabless companies, integrated device manufacturers [IDMs], and semiconductor suppliers) saw $28.9 million in venture capital investments; a 81.9% decrease from February 2011 and a 84.9% drop from March 2011.

8 semiconductor companies received funding in March; a 42.9% decrease M/M and a 14.3% increase Y/Y. Of these, 6 were fabless and 2 were chip suppliers.

A single semiconductor company, Merus Audio of Denmark, received first-round investment dollars in March. M/A-COM Technology Solutions Holdings held its initial public offering (IPO) on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (ticker: MTSI). LED company Novaled AG filed with the SEC to raise up to $200 million in its IPO.

In March, semiconductor mergers and acquisitions (M&As) increased (6 more over February) and held steady Y/Y. These include entire fabless, IDM and semiconductor supplier companies, not sectors/product lines or foundry facilities. The largest was Advanced Micro Devices’ (AMD’s) acquisition of SeaMicro for $334.0 million.

Access the report at http://www.gsaglobal.org/publications/fundings/index.asp. The Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) aims to accelerate growth and increase the return on invested capital of the global semiconductor industry by fostering a more effective ecosystem through collaboration, integration and innovation. It addresses the challenges within the supply chain including IP, EDA/design, wafer manufacturing, test and packaging to enable industry-wide solutions.

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April 23, 2012 — Everlight Electronics Co. Ltd. filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Nichia Corp. in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Everlight is seeking enforcement of a patent covering light-emitting diode (LED) manufacturing metallization technology, U.S. Patent No. 6,653,215, “Contact to n-GaN with Au termination,” issued in 2003. Everlight is the exclusive US licensee of the patent, owned by Emcore Corporation.

The patent abstract reads, “A contact for n-type III-V semiconductor such as GaN and related nitride-based semiconductors is formed by depositing Al,Ti,Pt and Au in that order on the n-type semiconductor and annealing the resulting stack, desirably at about 400-600.degree. C. for about 1-10 minutes. The resulting contact provides a low-resistance, ohmic contact to the semiconductor and excellent bonding to gold leads.” Learn more in the US Patent Office (USPTO) file here.

The lawsuit seeks to enjoin Nichia from manufacturing, using, importing, offering for sale, or selling its infringing products in the United States. It also seeks monetary damages. Uses for Nichia’s LEDs being sold in the U.S. that are alleged to infringe on the ‘215 patent include residential lighting products, street lights and spotlights.

Everlight is also asking the US Court to declare two Nichia patents invalid, US Patent Nos. 5,998,925 and 7,531,960, and unenforceable and improperly issued by the USPTO. This would clear Everlight of infringement allegations from Nichia. Those patents cover the use of certain types of phosphors in making white-light LEDs.

Everlight notes that the action is part of an effort to “protect its products and customers from litigation attacks by Nichia.” Nichia has not yet released a statement on the filing.

EVERLIGHT Electronics Co. Ltd. makes High Power LEDs, Lamps, SMD LEDs, LED Lighting Modules, Digital Displays, Opto-couplers and Infrared Components for various applications. Visit www.everlight.com.

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April 20, 2012 — Metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) represent essentially 100% of the epitaxial tools used in the commercial production of compound or III-V semiconductor devices. “The corresponding combined revenue opportunity for MBE and MOCVD is estimated to be around US $6.1 billion for the 2012-2020 periods,” says Dr Philippe Roussel, business unit manager, Compound Semiconductors at Yole Développement.

Light-emitting diode (LED) manufacturing is by far the single largest application for MOCVD. In 2010 and 2011, the MOCVD market experienced the largest investment cycle in its history driven by a combination of demand for LED-backlit LCD TVs and subsidies by the Chinese central and local governments.

This has put the market into a significant overcapacity situation that could take 12-18 months to absorb. The next investment cycle driven by lighting applications and expected to start in 2013 will be more limited than the previous cycle due to improvements in equipment throughput and yields. Following this cycle, further cost of ownership (COO) improvements offered by the next generation of MOCVD reactors should justify the replacement of 2-generation-old reactors installed during the 2010-2011 boom and drive a last small equipment cycle in the second half of the decade. By then, power gallium nitride (GaN) devices will also represent a substantial upside for reactor makers.

Figure. 2010-2020 annual new epi-reactor sales in units (Including Power GaN – MOCVF, RF GaAs – MBE, RF GaAs – MOCVD, HCPV MBE, HCPV – MOCVD, LED GaAs – MOCVD, LED GaN – MOCVD). SOURCE: III-V Epitaxy Equipment & Applications Market report, April 2012, Yole Développement.

Overall MBE use is heavily driven by R&D systems (>50% of the total market) and laser applications (telecom, industrial, medical, research) that are not covered in this Yole Développement’s report. “For the applications covered in this report, the MBE market will be essentially driven by the continuous growth in the cell phone and wireless applications that are making heavy use of [gallium arsenide] GaAs-based RF components,” explains Dr Roussel. Emerging applications like smart grid and the trend toward increasing connectivity and “intelligence” incorporated in many consumer products will provide further opportunities. However, alternative technologies (Si CMOS, LDMOS, SoS, HR SOI etc.) represent a potential threat and could capture shares of the GaAs RF market and reduce the opportunity for MBE. In addition, MOCVD is making progress in HEMT manufacturing. Highly concentrated photovoltaics (HCPV) however could provide a small potential upside for MBE makers.

Aixtron and Veeco are leading in MOCVD, together representing 96% of the market in 2011. Production MOCVD tools are complex systems. Design and optimization require expertise in multiple fields including flow dynamics, thermodynamics, chemistry, mechanical and electrical engineering. Technological barriers to entry are fairly high. More than 15 emerging players have been identified but so far have been struggling to capture any sizeable share of the market. But the pressure is mounting and established MOCVD makers will need to maintain that technology gap to keep emerging competitors at bay. The main battlefield is that of total cost of ownership. Established MOCVD makers all have technology roadmaps to enable COO reduction of 3X – 4X within the next 5 years through a combination of improved yields, throughputs and precursor utilization efficiency.

For MBE, Riber and Veeco are the only 2 players offering large capacity / large throughput MBE production tools for volume manufacturing. Yole Développement’s analysts expect they will maintain this dominant position. However, there are about 10 other MBE manufacturers offering R&D , pilot or smaller scale production systems that also have a strong presence on the general MBE market (DCA, SVT, Eiko).

The metal organic precursor market will also be essentially driven by LED applications. But MOCVD reactor technology improvements (yield, consumption, wafer size) will lower the amount of TMGa and TMIn needed per cm² of epiwafer.

The 2010 metal organic shortage ended mid 2011 thanks to aggressive capacity expansion by leading suppliers. Further capacity expansion plans from established and emerging suppliers could come online within the next 3 years. “If executed as announced, we expect significant oversupply starting from 2012 that could continue through 2016 and beyond. This situation could put pressure on prices,” explains Eric Virey, senior analyst, LED, Yole Développement. Further MO synthesis technology improvements could provide opportunity for cost reductions. However, the usually volatile prices of raw Indium and Gallium also have a significant impact on cost.

Companies cited in the report:

Acco, Addon, Aixtron, Akzo Nobel, Albermarle, Altatech, Amalfi, AMEC, Anadigic, Applied Materials, Arima, ATMI, ATTO Wonik IPS , Avago, AW SC, AXT, Azur Space, Azzurro, BAE Systems, Bay Zu Precision (BZPC), Black Sand, Bluglass, BluSolar, Boyu, Cambridge Chemicals, CamGan, Century Epitech, CESI, Chemtura, Chi Mei Lighting, China Crystal Technology, Compsolar, Createc, Cree, CV Technology, CVD Equipment Corporation, Cyprium, Daystar Materials, DCA Instruments, Dow Chemical, Dowa Electronics Materials, Eiko, Elmos, Emcore, EMF Semiconductor systems, EpiBlu, EpiGaN, Epilight, Epistar, Epiworks First Nano, Formosa Epitaxy, Freiberger, Fujiepi, Furukawa, GCS, Genesis Photonics, Guangdon Real Faith Semiconductor Equipments, Hitachi Cable, Hittite, Huga, II-V Lab, Infineon, IntelliEPI, International Rectifier, IQE, Javelin, JDSU Quantasol, Jusung engineering, Kopin, Koyo Thermo systems, Lake LED, Laytech, Lextar, LG Electronic ARI, LG Innotek, LG Siltron, LIG-ADP, Luminus Device, M/A-Com, Mantis, MBE Components, Meaglow, Microlink Devices, Mimix Broadband, Mitsubishi chemical, Mitsubishi Electric, Nanomaster, Nata, Neosemitech, NGK Insulator, Nichia, Nitronex, NTT, Omicron, Ommic, Osaka University, Osram, Oxford Instrument, Panasonic, PB Technik AG, Philips Lumileds, Picogiga/Soitec, Plessey, Powdec, Power Integration, Qingdao Jason Electronic, Rfaxis, RFMD, RFMD, Ribber, Rubicon, SA FC, Samsung LED, Sanan, Sandia, Sanken, SEDI, SEMES, Semprius, Seoul Optodevice / Semiconductor, Sharp, Sheng Optical Equipment, Shinetsu, Skyworks, Solapoint, Solar Junction, SPECS, Spectrolab, Spire Semiconductor, Structured Materials Industries, Sumika, Sumitomo SEI, SVT Associate, Sylarus Technologies, Sysnex, Taiyo Nippon Senso, Tanlong Photoeelctric, Tectra, Tekcore, Top engineering, Toshiba, Tosoh FineChem, Toyoda Gosei, Toyota, Transphorm, Triquint, UBE, ULVAC, Umicore, UMS, UP Chemical, Valence Process Equipment, Veeco, VG Semicon, VPE C, Win Semi, Xiamen Powerway, Yangzhou Longvao, Yongsheng Semiconductor Equipment.

Authors: Philippe Roussel, Ph.D leads the Compound Semiconductors, LED,Power Electronics and Photovoltaic departments at Yole. Eric Virey, Ph.D is senior analyst, LEDs, at Yole.

Yole Développement’s report “III-V Epitaxy Equipment & Applications Market,” covers established and emerging epitaxy technology for III-V semiconductors used in several applications. It provides quantifications for tools and wafer starts per application, an in depth analysis of recent technology trends and their impact on cost of ownership and a comprehensive company profile of the main players in MOCVD and MBE business.

Yole Développement is a group of companies providing market research, technology analysis, strategy consulting, media in addition to finance services. Internet: www.yole.fr.

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April 20, 2012 — Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) will be a nearly $11 billion market in 2017, and will take some display market share from the $100-billion liquid-crystal display (LCD) sector, according to a Lux Research report.

OLEDs made up a $1.9 billion market in 2011. In small-screen displays, like smartphones, OLEDs are gaining adoption and working toward cost parity with LCDs. For large-screen displays, like televisions, OLEDs require further technological advancements, bringing down cost barriers, said Jonathan Melnick, Lux research analyst and lead author of the report, “Cutting Up the LCD Pie: Calculating the Billion-Dollar Slices from Display Innovation.”

OLEDs give smartphones thinner designs with better-performance displays, longer battery life, and lighter weight for an acceptable higher cost than conventional displays. Lux Research’s component materials and manufacturing cost analysis shows that “OLEDs will decrease from their current $3,000/m2 for small-area displays to be cost competitive with LCDs by 2016,” Melnick reports. By 2017, more than one third of all smartphones will use OLED displays, or $9.5 billion of the $11 billion OLED market. If Apple switches its iPhone and iPad designs to OLED displays, this could drive 3x growth or more, to $35 billion.

Also read: AMOLED display gives Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 the edge

In 2017, the reflective display market will reach $1.6 billion. Lux Research expects the e-reader market to be subsumed under tablet PCs and hit market saturation starting in 2013. E-readers dominate the non-segmented reflective display market. With e-reader numbers dropping, digital signage will take over as the primary application for reflective displays in 2017.

In the flexible display space, manufacturing technologies are immature, such as barrier films, restricting potential use in new and existing display form factors. Flexible displays will reach a $140 million market in 2017. OLEDs are considered candidates for the flexible display market, though materials and manufacturing challenges exist, keeping OLEDs to a 15% share of the total flexible display market.

The report, “Cutting Up the LCD Pie: Calculating the Billion-Dollar Slices from Display Innovation,” is part of the Lux Research Printed Electronics Intelligence service. Lux Research provides strategic advice and on-going intelligence for emerging technologies. Visit www.luxresearchinc.com for more information.

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