Affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide businesses continue to update their measures and business outlook in the past weeks. Veeco, who announced withdrawal of its 1Q20 business guidance, provided business update; while LED maker Lumileds reported price increase due to COVID-19. (Image: Pixabay) MOCVD equipment provider Veeco provided a business update related to COVID-19 and a preliminary estimate of first quarter 2020 revenue. The company withdrew its original guidance for the first quarter of 2020 ending March 31, 2020 due to the possible...

Nichia is aiming to extend its dominance to the UV market following its impressive showcase at the recent RadTech 2020 conference and exhibition in Orlando, Florida, USA. The company’s latest solutions remain ideal for curing applications, but an extended portfolio is of particular benefit, as UV is known to be incredibly effective in killing viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa. Already at the forefront of the UV LED field through its established UV-A and UV-B series products, Nichia is extending its offerings to a new wide range of both SMD and COB...

The Global LED Summit, focusing on the LED video wall market, will be held in London on May 13, 2020, during London Digital Signage Week from May 11-15. The Global LED Summit invites experts of the industry to share their insights of LED video walls, covering technology progresses, application techniques and the current trends of the market. The event will gather industry professionals and researchers focusing of the technology and industry to address on the opportunities of LED video wall applications in the West Europe market. As the display technology ...

Applied Optoelectronics, an optical products manufacturer, announced the release of a high power and narrow linewidth laser specifically designed for LiDAR applications, particularly for automotive use. Current automotive LIDAR systems are based on near infrared lasers, however these lasers are not eye safe and therefore are limited in terms of emitted power. This power limitation, in turn, restricts the effective sensing range of the LIDAR system. AOI’s laser operates at longer wavelengths near 1550-nm where eye-safe emission limits are much higher and therefore...

Plessey, the UK-based Micro LED display developer focusing on AR/MR display application, announced that it is collaborating with Facebook, providing its technology to support Facebook building prototype and develop new technologies for potential use in the AR/VR space. (Image: Plessey) Plessey has been focusing on Micro LED-based AR display technology and it was rumored that Apple had plan to acquire Plessey with its interest in AR smart glasses. However, now Plessey teams up with Facebook and will license its technology to the social media giant for cr...

To address the wafer size mismatch and to tackle the yield challenge in Micro LED production, ALLOS has applied its unique strain-engineering to show outstanding uniformity and reproducibility for 200 mm GaN-on-Si epiwafers. Additionally the company reports about its success on the roadmap to 300 mm. Yield plays a crucial role to make Micro LED displays successful. It has a direct impact on the manufacturing complexity and cost. To enable the needed cost reductions, large wafer diameters are essential. This is particularly true for Micro LED applications in which...

With continuous developments of LED display technology, the market share of full-color LED displays has been increasing in recent years. The characteristics of its high-brightness and high-resolution are widely favored by most advertisers and real estate developers. For a better watching experience, people require higher demands on clarity and resolution. As a result, the small-pitch LED display has become a trend. As full-color small-pitch LED display can achieve better graphics images and videos displaying effects on smaller screens, the range of the applications are gr...

MEAN WELL introduced the LSP series, a new miniature enclosure-type power supply developed to provide equipment with high stability and redundant functions. Slim width (55mm) and low profile(20 mm) case with fanless design is a perfect fit for indoor noise-free equipment or narrow-sized display applications. In addition to the miniature mechanism design, the new product is featured with fanless design that solves noise and lifespan issue at the same time. In addition, the output provides DC available and current sharing (redundancy) function to monitor and parall...

Canadian automotive component supplier Magna updated its current actions responding COVID-19. The company reported withdrawal of its business outlook for 2020 and mentioned that it is helping to source and produce health care supplies and equipment to combat the coronavirus epidemic. Magna noted that a number of its OEM customers, particularly in North America and Europe, have initiated production downtime or have reduced production rates. It is uncertain whether OEMs will extend production downtime or further lower production rates as circumstances evolve. While spe...

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to accelerate and cause damage to the global economy and consumers’ purchasing power, TrendForce has compiled its latest report on the statuses of key electronics component and downstream industries, with data last updated on March 26, 2020. The report provides a deep dive into the pandemic’s influences on several high-tech industries. (Image: Pixabay) LED LED chip manufacturers did not stop operations across the board during the Lunar New Year; some personnel still remained at the factories, which manufactured smal...

A team with researchers at Seoul Viosys and University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) published a study focuses on features of Micro LEDs as their size goes smaller at 1 to 10 μm. External quantum efficiency (EQE) of Micro LEDs usually reduces when Micro LEDs get smaller, which becomes an issue for Micro LED technology builders. To further understand the relation between EQE and chip size, a research team of Seoul Viosys and UCSB focus on Micro LEDs down to 1 μm to compare the EQE trend for blue and green InGaN Micro LE...

Kyocera Corporation announced that it entered into a share transfer agreement with NEC Corporation on March 25, 2020 to acquire all of NEC's shares in Showa Optronics Co (SOC), an optical components manufacture. With the transfer agreement, Kyocera will own 93.53% of SOC's shares and operate the company as its subsidiary on June 1, 2020, under the name Kyocera Showa Optronic. Kyocera's optical components business has engaged in producing diversified lenses in small to large diameters from a wide variety of materials. The products have been used in var...

The novel coronavirus outbreak starting in China has led to cities lockdown in the country and the delay in production resume as local governments in China are trying hard to manage the epidemic.

The spreading coronavirus epidemic did not stop industry players from progressing advanced technology development. Chinese companies recently reported new orders and subsidies for equipment to push Micro LED technology development. (Image: LEDinside) The biggest LED wafer and chip producer Sanan Optoelectronic reported that its subsidiary Sanan Semiconductor has received subsidies from the Quanzhou government in March for purchasing equipment. The amount of the subsidies was RMB 143 million (US$ 20.16 million). Sanan Semiconductor has formed partnership with...

More companies published their response to the impacts resulted by coronavirus pandemic. Signify announced several measures of the company including suspending its fiscal 2020 outlook postponing Capital Market Day. Infineon Technologies reported withdrawal of its business outlook of fiscal 2020. (Image: Pixabay) Signify said that it has taken considerable action focused on the health and safety of its employees, on customer engagement and supply chain continuity and on free cash flow generation and operating expenses. The company also decided to suspend its financial outlook...

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is threatening all over the globe with continuously surging cases in nearly every countries. In order to reduce the risks of infection, disinfecting applications utilizing UVC radiant have attracted attentions in both the medical and consumer market. UV light solution providers across the world are offering their expertise to help medical institutions eliminating bacteria and viruses to prevent healthcare-associated infections. Bolb, the U.S.-based UV LED company, provided their UVC LED products to decontaminate infectious disease...

AR applications and devices are one of the major focuses of Apple at the moment. The company has shown its interests in AR technology development and considered that AR wearable glasses may replace smartphones in the near future. Rumors about Apple to reveal its AR smart glasses soon have been going on as well. Apple launched the new iPad Pro adopting LiDAR Scanner and releases the latest ARKit 3.5 which enables app developers to take advantage of the new LiDAR Scanner to capture 3D features of the surrounding environment. ARKit 3.5 also includes instant A...

  Finnish wireless lighting control expert Casambi provided its technology to support a Sedus, an office equipment supplier based in Germany, to create office lighting which helps to enhance well-being of users. Sedus opened its new office building in Dogern, Germany in April 2019 which the company aimed to build an open office to demonstrate a smart working place of the future. Based on the concept, the office equips flexible and smart solutions to provide ideal setting for concentration and collaboration. Lighting thus plays a critical role in the smart office. (Im...

Wearable devices with AR/VR applications are regarded as the next generation consumer electronics that might replace smartphones. Currently, the technology is more applied in industrial or professional areas as the devices are still relatively bulky and expensive as they require complex integration of cameras, image processing solutions, power and more. To tackle the issue, Nvidia developed a new technique for gaze tracking solution, the fundamental technology for VR wearable devices as agreed by many leading industry players, reported VentureBeat. Researchers at Nvidia used...

Signify launched the upgraded portfolio of compact Philips Xitanium Sensor Ready Xtreme LED drivers with the recently granted D4i certification for wider adoption of IoT connectivity in lighting and aid smart city or building projects. (Image: Signify) By Q2 2020, Signify will also upgrade the complete non-isolated Philips Xitanium Dimmable Sensor Ready drivers portfolio for indoor applications to the new D4i standard, to facilitate the rapid market adoption of energy-saving technologies and drive standardization. Launched by the Digital Illumination Inter...

LEDVANCE will close its Eastern Distribution Center in Pennsylvania, USA, according to a letter sent to its customers by Matt McCarron, Vice President of US and Canada Sales at LEDVANCE, reported lightED. (Image: LEDVANCE) The letter noted that LEDVANCE will move Eastern Distribution Center located in Bethlehem Pennsylvania into its facility in Kentuchy given the close proximity of these two sites. The company will cease operations of the Eastern Distribution Center by July 1, 2020. Impact of the world sweeping coronavi...

Sensor solution supplier AMS updated the progress of its acquisition of Osram and reported its financial expectations for the first quarter of 2020 after assessing the COVID-19 situation. (Image: AMS) After AMS started its takeover process for Osram since December 2019 and reported further update that the deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2020. The Austrian sensor maker is processing its EUR 1.65 billion (US$1.78 billion) rights issues for the takeover and noted that they only require “the receipt of the required regulatory approvals&rd...

Could there be a new kind of light in the universe? Since the late 19th century, scientists have understood that, when heated, all materials emit light in a predictable spectrum of wavelengths. But a new research published in Nature Scientific Reports by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute presented a material that emits light when heated that appears to exceed the limits set by that natural law. The new material discovered by Shawn Yu Lin, lead author and a professor of physics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, defies the theory proposed by Max Planck in ...

Calibre announced that it is continuing its efforts to expand distribution channels in both North and South America. The company introduced its AiO (All-in-One) product series to provide a range of remote participation applications including cloud meetings, distance learning and medical display. (Image: Calibre) Calibre addressed that its AiO displays deliver high resolution with large size to show sophisticated details in meetings and consultations. They can also incorporate conferencing camera and Cloud Meeting software to enhance face to face experience. The ser...

NEC and Sharp announced that they will combine NEC Display Solutions (NDS) with Sharp to create a joint venture to leverage their strengths to advance display technology development. Sharp will obtain over 66% share of NDS with JPY 9.24 billion (US$ 82.96 million). The transfer is scheduled to be concluded on July 1st, 2020 and the joint venture will continue to provide NEC branded products. Hisatsugu Nakatani, President, NEC Display Solutions, said, "This joint venture between Sharp and NEC Display Solutions will bring even greater valu...

The National Lighting Bureau (NLB), through its members, is offering free LED lights for the remote sites being set up across the U.S. to test for the coronavirus. (Image: Pixabay) The Bureau provides its services to the public free of charge with the funding of the organization's sponsors, which include individuals, professional societies, trade associations, labor unions, manufacturers, and agencies of the U.S. government. The participated associates include: BIOS Lighting Finelite GE Current, a Daintree Company Healthe by Lighting...

Austria-based lighting company Zumtobel announced on March 23 2020 that due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Executive Board of the company is expecting a negative impact on the revenue and earnings development. Following extensive state measures based on the global spread of the coronavirus, the Zumtobel Group also implemented set of measures covering temporary production capacity adjustment and short-term remotely working. The company noted that it will temporarily shut down production sites depending on the situation. These measures have resulted in noticeab...

U.S.-based LED technology company Ecosense announced that it has acquired assets from Soraa, co-founded by Nobel Laureate Shuji Nakamura focusing on full-spectrum LED lamps. Under the terms of the deal, Ecosense acquires the Soraa name, intellectual property and lamps, including the company's signature VIVID, BRILLIANT™ HL and HEALTHY™ product lines. This move is the first foray into the professional lamp category for Ecosense. (Image: Soraa) "This acquisition accelerates our strategy into the next wave of lighting,&q...

On March 17, 2020, Nichia filed a patent infringement lawsuit in Tokyo District Court against IPF Corporation, a Japan-based distributor of automotive aftermarket parts. Nichia accused IPF of selling LED headlamp that infringes Nichia’s patent and sought an injunction and compensation for damages. The accused product in this lawsuit is a LED headlamp bulb (product number: 301HLB2) incorporating LED jointly developed with the Taiwanese LED manufacturer Lextar (see photo). Nichia alleged the LED infringes Nichia’s patent JP5526782 related...

Crystal IS, a subsidiary of Asahi Kasei, announced the completion of technology and production improvements to its Klaran product line to provider UVC LED products with higher performance at higher yields and corresponding lower costs. The advanced technology will enable manufacturers to apply germicidal UVC to combat water, surface and airborne pathogens. In addition to its existing Klaran 60 mW UVC LED, Crystal IS is adding a 70 mW UVC LED for immediate production use and an 80 mW engineering sample to its WD Series. According to Crystal IS, th...