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Editorial: IPSLA Geared to Help Spur SSL Industry Innovation
... Solid State Lighting (SSL) industry component providers, Intematix (phosphors for white LEDs) and BridgeLux (fabless LED die innovator), are teaming to move the SSL industry in a more positive direction, via a route somewhat opposite the direction layed by the original "Big 5" LED die manufacturers (Osram Opto, Cree,...
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SatCon Receives SBIR Award
CompoundSemi News StaffMay 25, 2006...Power electronics company, SatCon Technology Corporation of Boston, Massachusetts
USA, reported receiving a new Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) award
from the United States Air Force Research Laboratory for an advanced controller
for silicon carbide (SiC) applications. SatCon points out, that electrical components
and power systems using silicon carbide (SiC) devices can be build smaller and
lighter, and they can operate more efficiently than conventional silicon systems.
Additionally the company explains that SiC devices can operate with high performance
reliability in harsh environments. Such performance benefits are particularly
advantageous in applications such as: photovoltaics, fuel cell technologies,
Other possible applications for the technology include: hybrid electric vehicles,
a range of power conversion systems, and spacecraft and aircraft power distribution
systems.. Company
News Release II-VI Listed Among Businessweek’s Hot 100 Growth Companies for 2006
CompoudSemi News StaffMay 25, 2006...II-VI, a maker of infrared optics and radiation equipment has made the list
of Businessweek’s
Hot 100 Growth companies of 2006. Company profits have reportedly risen
an average of 50 percent per year for the last three years. Revenues for the
same period have risen an average of 19 percent per year. As of the Q3 of fiscal
2006, the company reported booking orders totaling $183.5 million during the
nine month period. The company’s products are used in industrial, medical,
military, security, and aerospace applications. The company was co-founded by
Carl J. Johnson in 1971 and has its headquarters in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania.
The company ranks number 97 on the Businessweek list. SiC Developer SemiSouth Celebrates Five Years of Operation
CompoundSemi News StaffMay 25, 2006...SemiSouth, an immerging silicon carbide (SiC) supplier located in Starkville,
Mississippi USA, is celebrating its fifth year of operation. The company began
as a spin-off from research and development at Mississippi State University.
Dr. Jeff Cassidy and Dr. Mike Mazzola, the company founders, have secured financial
baking, and expanded the company from its original size of three full-time employees
to 45 full time employees. The company has says it plans to finish constructing
its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in July. "During the past five years, SemiSouth has grown from a small operation
with three fulltime employees working out of a research lab at MSU, to an up-and-coming
silicon carbide supplier recently named one of the Top Five most promising emerging
semiconductor companies at the Semiconductor Venture Fair in San Francisco,"
said Jeff Casady, president, CEO and co-founder of SemiSouth. "Today,
the company has 45 employees and we are recruiting professional engineering
talent for numerous technical and marketing positions. Within the next five
years, we hope to employ as many as 250 people worldwide." The company
reportedly plans to focus on power electronics and conversion technology. Company
News Release NASA Unveils Wide-Range Infrared Photo Detector Array and Images
CompoundSemi News StaffMay 25, 2006...NASA has unveiled images from their three-year project producing an imressive
1 million pixel gallium arsenide-based quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP)
array. At the time of the project's initial announcement in March 2003, NASA
says that the QWIP was the largest ever made. The technology has progressed
since then. Where once there was only a narrow range of the normally invisible
infrared spectrum made visible (equivalent to black and white), now there is
a much broader range.
Infrared light is invisible to the human eye, and contrary to popular belief,
only some types are generated and perceived as heat. Infrared light is invisible to the human eye, and contrary to popular belief, only some types are generated and perceived as heat. In conventional infrared photodetectors are similar in principle to the detectors that convert visible light in a digital camera. They have a number of cells (pixels) which interact with an incoming particle of infrared light (an infrared photon) and convert it to an electric current that can be measured and recorded NASA says their QWIP detector features over 100 layers of detector material arsenide material ranging from 10 to 700 atoms thick. The layers of detector material are designed to act like quantum wells. The quantum wells release electric current when light within the infrared range reaches them.However, NASA's design advance uses quantum wells to release the current only when light with a specific energy level reaches them. Then a chip above the array known as the silicon readout records the location and energy level for each individual pixel. The effect produces some spooky and ghostlike images.The
project researchers are optimistic about potential applications of the technology.
"The ability to see a range of infrared wavelengths is an important advance
that will greatly increase the potential uses of the QWIP technology,"
said Dr. Murzy Jhabvala of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.,
Principal Investigator for the project. NASA
News Release Agilent Sells Headquarters Building
CompoundSemi News StaffMay 23, 2006...As part of the company’s previously announced consolidation and cost
saving measures, Agilent Technologies has sold its Palo Alto, California headquarters
building on 395 Pagemill Road to Jay Paul Co. for a reported $95 million. The
company says it will continue to occupy 222,548 square foot building until it
consolidates to its Santa Clara facility this summer. In other company news,
Agilent reported orders of $1.59 billion for the second fiscal quarter ended
April 30, 2006, 21 percent above one year ago. (Ref: Company
Financial Report). JDSU’s Digital, All Fiber Measurement System Passes Chinese Government Tests
CompoundSemi News StaffMay 23, 2006...JDSU announced that its 16-bit Optically Powered Data Link (OPDL-16) subsystem
has passed government testing in China. As a demonstration of the benefits of
an all-fiber, digitally-based electrical current measurement system, JDSU worked
with Zhuhai Cheng-Rui Electric Power Company Ltd. to incorporate the power and
data delivery system. According to JDSU, many power companies in China are selecting
digital rather than analog measurement to monitor delivered electrical current
levels. The companies are finding that optically-based digital measurement systems
are less expensive to install and more environmentally friendly because they
eliminate the need for costly and possibly dangerous transformers filled with
toxic gasses and harmful chemicals.
The OPDL-16 system reportedly enables measurement protection in transmission
and distribution grids operating at 100 kV to 500 kV. JDSU says that the current
transducer used for current measurement is fully isolated from ground potential
because the fiber-based power and data delivery system uses optics instead of
conducting wires. "Our OPDL-16 system is simple to install, impervious
to high voltage effects, and requires little maintenance. Thousands of our photovoltaic
power converters have been providing reliable, continuous power delivery on
a 24 x 7 basis in electric power grids worldwide for several years," said
Dr. Jan- Gustav Werthen, director of engineering of JDSU's Photonic Power Business
Unit. Recently, JDSU's Photonic Power Business Unit achieved a world record
in the conversion efficiency of laser light into electrical power with the company’s
gallium arsenide (GaAs) Photovoltaic Power Converter (PPC) which the JDSU says
can provide optical-to-electrical conversion efficiency greater than 50 percent. (Ref: Coverage).
Company
News Release Many More Companies Under SEC Investigation
CompoundSemi News StaffMay 22, 2006...Vitesse is just one in a long line of companies being investigated after the SEC discovered what allegedly is too-good-to-be-true timing of stock option awards for top executives. (Ref: Coverage). KLA Tencor a company that makes software used to control IC manufacturing has joined the growing list of companies being investigated by the SEC for alleged stock option backdating. The company made the announcement Monday. Jeff Hall, the company’s chief financial officer reported the federal investigation. The company has also formed an independent board panel to probe stock option grants over the previous 10 years. Openwave Systems, CNet Networks, and Converse Technology, SafeNet, and Juniper Networks, are also being investigated for the practice, Marketwatch.com reported.
Sumika to Increase GaAs pHEMT ProductionMay 22, 2006...Sumika Electronic Materials, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Chemical
Co. Ltd., has reportedly purchased an E450 MOCVD machine from Veeco Instruments.
Sumika, which is a global supplier of III-V epitaxial (epi) wafers, intends
to expand its production of pHEMTs (Pseudomorphic High Electron-Mobility Transistors).
The new device will be housed at the company’s Phoenix, Arizona facility.
Gallium arsenide pHEMTs can be used in power amplifiers and switches for cellular
phone and other mobile communications devices. Veeco
News Release Our news features are reported
by the CompoundSemi News staff writers.
For submissions or content suggestions, you can contact us using
editor -at - compoundsemi.com
For more information and to reserve promotion space contact
Info7 -at - compoundsemi.com
or call +1 (512) 257-9888
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Commentary & Perspective...
IPSLA Geared to Help Spur SSL Industry Innovation
May 25, 2006...Solid State Lighting (SSL) industry component providers, Intematix (phosphors
for white LEDs) and BridgeLux (fabless LED die innovator), are teaming to move
the SSL industry in a more positive direction, via a route somewhat opposite
the direction layed by the original "Big 5" LED die manufacturers
(Osram Opto, Cree, Nichia, Toyoda Gosei and Lumileds). Intematix and
BridgeLux (formerly eLite) have created the Intellectual Property Secure
Lighting Alliance, or "IPSLA" for short (finally... an acronym
that's easily pronounced: "ips-law" or "ipp"-slaw").
Given the
news that Osram Opto of Germany is suing Kingbright of Taiwan over alleged
LED patent infringement, and given the stranglehold the Big 5 continue to have
on the industry and the IP-related threats that are often made by them on packagers,
and systems and subsystems integrators, an alliance like IPSLA makes sense.
Once you've learned
what IPSLA stands for and what the alliance is designed to do in helping secure
a customer's IP position as the product moves further on out in the supply chain,
you'll likely agree that IPSLA is a darn good idea. From the look and feel of
it, especially if this alliance becomes totally inclusive and the Big 5 even
join in the campaign, IPSLA has the potential of truly spurring a new era of
white LED innovation for SSL applications. With or without the power brokers'
participation, IPSLA promises "an acceleration of the adoption of solid
state lighting as a means to reducing worldwide energy consumption and conservation of our planet’s valuable natural resources."
That's what it says under the initial
posting of "What Is IPSLA?" It goes on to explain that
the alliance was founded by BridgeLux, Inc. of Sunnyvale, California USA, and
Intematix, Inc. of Fremont, California USA, and that both companies "have
a desire to dispel common misconceptions about the solid state lighting IP landscape
and to enable emerging, innovative LED packaging companies and other reputable
companies in the power LED supply chain to penetrate high volume lighting market
segments worldwide." Good people are behind this initiative.
Long ago, the Big 5 settled their precedent-setting LED IP battles with one
another via a slew of cross-licensing arrangements and somewhat confusing deals.
Since then, unilateral action by each (and sometimes by teaming), The Biggies
have sued, or threatened to sue, all sorts of companies further up the supply
chain. Even Wal-Mart and Sharper Image found themselves threatened for selling
possibly infringing Big 5 die.. and how would they know what ran amuck that
far down the product chain?
Behind the scenes with this latest allegation by Osram Opto, I find it interesting
that Kingbright licenses its white LED technology from another of the Big 5,
Cree, using Cree's famed "175" patent (ref: Dec.
8, 2005 Cree news). Also interesting, Osram Opto singled out Intematix
in their May
24, 2006 news release about their IP infringement claim against Kingbright.
Rudy Müller, Osram Opto's CEO was quoted as saying: "Our objective
in taking legal action against Kingbright is to prevent unauthorised use of
our technology. Kingbright has already taken licences from other players in
the LED market like the US based company Intematix. This shows that taking a
license from those companies does not automatically avoid infringement of Osram
patents."
As our news editor, Scott McMahan submitted when pondering over this latest
hoopla, "In the confusing world of high-tech patent licensing and cross-licensing, every piece of every component within each product must be thoroughly
researched to assure patent compliance. Even companies who buy, distribute,
and use the components in their products must be careful to purchase and use
only completely patent compliant technology. It looks to me like the two companies,
Intematix and BridgeLux, have formed an organization to ensure just that by creating
the Intellectual Property Secure Lighting Alliance (IPSLA). They've invited
others to join. Under that alliance, each member certifies that qualified patent
attorneys have reviewed their products and processes and found them to
be non-infringing on all levels."
Scott wrote an initial news piece about IPSLA May 8th of this year (ref: coverage),
which if you didn't catch it then, is a required read. As he pointed out in
that article,
"IPSLA is a network of solid state lighting component suppliers who believe
that respecting IP is essential to accelerating the adoption of solid state
lighting (SSL). A company using components produced by another company can either
take the component maker's word for it that the components do not infringe on any
patents, or the company can hire an expert patent lawyer to ensure that each
and every component within the its products does not infringe any patents on
any level. Taking a company's word for it can be a risky proposition from a
legal standpoint. The solution, from Intematix and BridgeLux is to have an alliance
in which each member certifies that qualified patent attorneys have reviewed
their products and processes and found them to be non-infringing on all levels.
That way, when one company in the alliance purchases components from another
company in the alliance, it can be sure that the component’s technology
is non-infringing without having to pay a lawyer to do the research and wait
for the results."
Anything that saves time and money while preventing litigation helps accelerate
the industry. Intematix and BridgeLux held an organizational meeting in conjunction
with SSLS 2006 in Taiwan May 9th. It was well-attended. The IPSLA website, www.ipsla.org,
is under construction and the initial
verbiage can be found on BridgeLux's site on the "about us" page. Granted,
the Big 5 strong-arm tactics (sometimes are necessary, but one hopes
an industry can grow out of that stage quickly) are at the root of why IPSLA
was created. That stated rationale says: "The solid state lighting industry
presents suppliers and buyers with a complex and confusing patent landscape,
which includes phosphors, packaging, and chip technology (among other items).
In addition, the litigious nature of the industry’s major suppliers elevates
the importance of careful planning and a comprehensive understanding of literally
hundreds, or even thousands, of patents around the world. Many companies, especially
those closer to the consumer side of the supply chain, tend to take a “safe”
route by purchasing only those products which are produced by the LED industry’s
“Big 5,” who have largely cross-licensed one another’s IP as
a result of “stalemate” litigation in years past."
If you want to assure your customers that you're selling them non infringing
LED die, coatings, and packages, join IPSLA and prove that your end product is
IPSLA approved. Here's how you do that, as stated in the IPSLA charter statement:
1) Carefully study patents belonging to competitors and other companies which
may be of concern or related to your products. 2) Hire an independent patent attorney
(not your own litigator or patent prosecutor) to review your products and technology
in comparison with a thorough and comprehensive list of US patents (Asian and
European patents should also be considered as appropriate). 3) Assuming your
product does not infringe on any patents, obtain a “freedom to operate”
opinion letter from the attorney who performed the review. 4) Once the above
steps are complete, submit a request to join to IPSLA by email to membership@ipsla.org.
We'll assume more details are forthcoming, but for now, I applaud the initial
efforts of Intematix and BridgeLux to help get this sort of "seal of approval"
process rolling. I envision a simple "IPSLA Approved" logo stamped
on modules headed for sale to SSL lighting designers and to companies manufacturing
LED-based products for the world markets via distribution outlets like Sharper
Image and Wal-Mart. It'll make everyone's life a little brighter and everyone's grief load
much lighter. If you have news or
views to share about the compound semiconductor, LED or solid
state lighting industries
contact our Publisher, Tom Griffiths
His direct tel in Austin is +1-512-257-9888
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