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News

24 July 2007

 

Crystal IS buys MOCVD reactors to develop UV LEDs

Crystal IS of Green Island, NY, USA has installed two MOCVD reactors (now fully operational) as it aims to supplement its aluminium nitride substrate manufacturing business with full-scale manufacturing of UV LEDs, according to the web publication timesunion.com. UV LEDs have applications from water purification devices in homes to bio-agent detectors in airports, says the firm.

Until now, to develop its UV LEDs, Crystal IS has had to use MOCVD reactors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY (from which the firm was spun off in 1997) and at the University at Albany (part of the State University of New York).

“Before this, we were just focused on being a materials manufacturer. This moves us up the value chain,” says Tim Bettles, VP of business development, sales and marketing. Crystal IS reckons that UV LEDs could help it increase its annual revenues from a few millions dollars to many tens of millions of dollars within the next five years.

Bettles adds that UV LEDs developed by others typically use sapphire substrates, rather than 2” low-defect bulk AlN wafers, as made and used by Crystal IS. A UV LED made of AlN has a higher power output and a longer life-span than those made with sapphire, he claims.

The firm aims to provide samples later this year, and to move into production in 2008.

See related items:

Market for GaN and AlN substrates forecast to exceed $440m by 2010

SSL Program awards $1.8m to boost green LEDs

Visit Crystal IS: http://www.crystal-is.com

Visit TimesUnion