OSRAM has granted a license, in return for an appropriate fee, to PerkinElmer Inc., the American supplier of precision and photonic components, that allows it to manufacture and market white LEDs with conversion technology. The patent for this technology is held by the OSRAM subsidiary OSRAM Opto Semiconductors.

Conversion technology was developed by OSRAM Opto Semiconductors and is one of more than 3000 patents for optoelectronic lighting technologies and solutions filed by the OSRAM subsidiary.

The technology enables white LEDs to be produced using blue emitting chips based on InGaN and suitable phosphor converters. The license agreement recently signed by the two companies gives PerkinElmer Inc. the right to use OSRAM's property rights relating to the production of white LEDs using conversion technology. PerkinElmer Inc. is one of the world's leading suppliers of sensors and components for digital image display and of precision instruments for the health sector.

There is enormous demand within the lighting industry for the technologies developed by OSRAM. This is evidenced by numerous license agreements with a variety of companies including Rohm, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Citizen and Seoul Semiconductor who have already been granted licenses by OSRAM for special products and applications.

Dr. Rüdiger Müller, CEO at OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, commented: "Over the years OSRAM Opto Semiconductors has built up an extremely strong patent position. This provides the basis for our strong position on the market. We are pleased that another prominent company will be using our technology under this latest license agreement - that speaks for the quality of our work."

As a leading innovator, OSRAM was one of the first companies to develop single-chip LEDs at the end of the 1990s and launch them on the market. White LEDs are becoming the most widespread type of LED. Typical applications include backlighting of displays and interior and exterior vehicle lighting, and they are now being used increasingly for general illumination.