news digest ♦ LEDs
“CRIUS II-XL convinced us with its high throughput rates and low operating costs for GaN layer growth on 6 inch silicon substrates. Moreover, Aixtron is actively supporting us in further optimising our production processes,” adds Mike Snaith, Operations Director for Plessey.
“We are delighted by the renewed order from Plessey,” comments Frank Schulte, Vice President Aixtron Europe. “It offers further confirmation that GaN-on-silicon, a high- performance, efficient epitaxy process, is becoming increasingly established as an alternative to growth on sapphire. The associated potential production cost savings will further promote the establishment of LED as a light source. Aixtron is well prepared for this market development and will also be supporting Plessey in further optimising its GaN-on- silicon technology.”
Plessey Semiconductors is a developer and manufacturer of semiconductor products used in lighting, sensing, measurement and control applications. Plessey’s products are found in a wide range of markets, including communications, medical technology, aerospace and space travel, as well as in the defence and automotive industry.
Emcore settles Nichia LED patent lawsuit
Due to Emcore licensing Everlight some of it patents, the suit, is principally a dispute between Everlight and Nichia
Emcore has settled the patent infringement case brought by Nichia before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
In November 2011, Emcore exclusively licensed several of its non-core LED patents to Taiwanese company Everlight Electronics.
In April 2012, Everlight filed suit against Nichia Corporation alleging infringement of Emcore’s U.S. Pat No. 6,653,215 (‘215) it licensed.
Because Emcore still owned the ‘215 patent, the complaint named Emcore as a mandatory co-plaintiff. The suit, however, is principally a dispute between Everlight and Nichia. Following a petition initiated by Nichia, on February 11th, 2014, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a Final Written Decision in which it found all claims of the ‘215 Patent to be unpatentable. In March 2014, Nichia and Everlight agreed to dismiss the claims pertaining to the Emcore ‘215 patent from the lawsuit without prejudice.
In June 2013, Nichia filed a complaint against Emcore before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas alleging infringement of Nichia’s U.S. Pat No. 7,295,587 (‘587) entitled “Semiconductor Laser Having Optical Guide Layer Doped for Decreasing Resistance.”
The current settlement agreement resolves the Eastern District of Texas lawsuit regarding the ‘587 patent. Under the settlement, Emcore acknowledges the validity of the ‘587
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patent, and makes a payment of damages to Nichia and Nichia agrees to grant Emcore a non-exclusive, royalty-bearing license to the asserted patent. The details of the settlement agreement are confidential.
“We greatly respect Nichia’s intellectual property and feel this settlement and license agreement is proof of that,” said Alfredo Gomez, Emcore’s General Counsel.
GTAT to produce large
capacity sapphire furnaces The new ASF165 furnace offers a 40 percent increase in boule Size compared to its current ASF115
GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) will be making its next generation ASF165 sapphire growth furnace, for the production of high volume and high quality sapphire material, commercially available in Q3 2014.
Sapphire substrates are extensively used in the production of LED chips.
The new system will deliver a 40 percent increase in boule size when compared to the ASF115, extending GT’s capability of producing low cost high quality sapphire production tools.
The ASF165 is expected to be the only commercially available sapphire production furnace capable of producing high quality 165 kilogram boules in high volume.
The product is currently in the beta testing stage and is expected to be ready for volume shipments beginning in Q3 2014. Customers with installed ASF units, or those who opt to take delivery of new ASFs out of backlog prior to the general availability of the ASF165, will be able to upgrade to the larger capacity system when they become available. ASF165 units will also be available to new customers targeting the LED and industrial markets.
“The ASF165 gives customers a competitive advantage and lower cost of ownership by providing a sapphire furnace that significantly increases capacity and reduces cost,” says Tom Gutierrez, GT’s president and CEO. “Several industry analysts are forecasting an increase in demand for sapphire material and we believe that ASF customers who take advantage of the larger capacity ASF165 will be well positioned to serve this anticipated demand.”
The company indicated that it has developed more advanced ASF technology capable of producing boules significantly greater than 165 kg. The company intends to keep this more advanced ASF system captive for some extended period of time.
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