10 February 2012

Verticle announces mass production of first hexagonal LED chip

Verticle Inc of Dublin, CA, USA has announced mass production of its Honeycomb hexagonal-shaped LED chip, which has been developed with the firm’s patented copper (Cu) substrate and chemical chip separation technology for optimized light extraction efficiency.

The vertically structured InGaN-based LED chip features benefits including higher light extraction and more uniform beam profile than conventional square or rectangular LED chips based on sapphire or silicon substrate, says reckons CEO Dr Mike (M.C.) Yoo.

The firm says that, although there have been many attempts to fabricate various shapes of LED chip with conventional laser scribing or dicing, only a few (like diamond- or triangle-shaped LED chips) have been fabricated at the R&D level, and not at the production level. Chemical chip separation technology invented by Verticle makes the chip separation step much easier and quicker than conventional chip separation techniques, the firm claims, making it easier to fabricate any shape of chip (even circular).

Honeycomb also delivers an improvement in diode performance, compared with square or rectangular-type LEDs, it is claimed. Since the optical efficiency of an LED chip depends on the effective current density in the active region and the hexagonal architecture allows better control of current spreading, Honeycomb can operate at high currents, achieving higher brightness, the firm adds.

A conventional square or rectangular LED chip has a distorted beam profile when it is packaged typically with a circular lens. However, a hexagonal-shaped LED chip (that is closer in shape to a circular chip) generates a much less distorted beam profile and hence a very small dark spot. This allows higher lumen output than a conventional square or rectangular chip with similar electro-optical properties after packaging with a circular lens. A Honeycomb chip can also use the same flat form package as square or rectangular chips, so no additional cost or system improvement is required, it is claimed.

Furthermore, due to its Cu substrate, Honeycomb has an excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, says the firm, which is crucial for both long life and good thermal behavior of the diode. The LED’s main optical power range is 370-420mW at a drive current of 350mA with a forward voltage range of 3.1-3.4V.

The mass-production-level Honeycomb chip will be introduced and available for sale at the LED China 2012 event in Guangzhou (20-23 February).

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Verticle launches first hexagonal LED chip

Tags: Verticle InGaN LEDs Cu substrate

Visit: www.verticleinc.com