LEDs ♦ news digest Yole: LED phosphor IP is shaping the industry
The market for phosphors and some of the critical IP are currently dominated by Mitsubishi and Denka, which have acquired nitrides and oxynitrides licenses from NIMS. But other players include Intematix, Beijing Yuji and Dow Electronics
Phosphor related intellectual property has been and remains a major driving force with strong impact on the shape of the LED industry.
Luminus Devices and Lightera Corporation complete merger
The integrated company will accelerate III-nitride LED technology development and market expansion
Luminus Devices, Inc a manufacturer of Big Chip LEDs, and Lightera, a US - based developer of LED components, have completed all merger activities previously announced on June 11th, 2013.
Luminus is now a subsidiary of Lightera, and will continue to operate under the name Luminus Devices.
The merged entity will utilise combined resources to accelerate the commercialisation of new solutions and expand market opportunities in core markets including display, entertainment and medical lighting.
Expected synergies and corporate R&D expertise will increase emphasis on advanced LED technology development for both general lighting and specialty lighting markets.
“We are pleased to announce that the merger has been completed, and we are now one entity,” says Decai Sun, Chairman and CEO of the combined company. “With solid financial backing, increased R&D resources, and access to the technology innovation in Silicon Valley, we are in a position to more aggressively commercialise our existing portfolio while inventing new LED technologies in order to remain the leader in our core markets and enter new markets with a compelling value proposition.”
Luminus Devices will continue to operate out of its Billerica, Massachusetts headquarters and will gain access to Lightera’s advanced R&D operation in Sunnyvale, California.
The first commercial GaN-based blue LEDs were produced in Japan in the mid 90’s after researchers Shuji Nakamura at Nichia and Professor Akasaki at Nagoya University (IP assigned to Toyoda Gosei) succeeded in removing some of the major remaining roadblocks associated with this technology (p-doping, epitaxy quality…).
Quickly leveraging on this success, some fundamental patents describing the use of a blue LED combined with a phosphor to produce white LEDs were filed by Nichia, Osram, ATMI and others.
Those fundamental patents were rapidly followed by a fast growing number of applications through 2005 as an increasing number of companies started to compete in the LED market and new applications in cell phone, laptop and LCD TV display, and general lighting were being addressed.
Phosphor IP is a major force in the LED industry. With more than 40 litigation cases, it is also used as leverage by companies which have negotiated close to 70 licensing and supply agreements to date.
It can also be argued that in the first half of the 2000 decade, the strict enforcement and lack of license grants for some fundamental IP related to the design and manufacturing of white LEDs might also have slowed down the progress of the industry by preventing more efficient competition that would allow prices to decrease.
Key players Hundreds of companies are involved in LED phosphor October 2013
www.compoundsemiconductor.net 75
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