AIXTRON AG is pleased to announce an order from the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik (FBH) for an AIX 2600G3HT Planetary Reactor system with 8x4 inch capacity.FBH, located in Berlin, Germany, will use the system to strengthen its research and development activities in GaN based UV- LEDs, laser diodes and GaN HFETs.

London's Arcola Theatre demonstrates that there is no artistic compromise required to deliver low energy naturalistic lighting for classic works. Mehmet Ergen's recent critically acclaimed production of Ibsen's An Enemy of the People which finished on April 26th was lit on under 5kW.

NOVA 3D LED light display runs at 25fps by Nilay Patel, posted May 2nd 2008 at 5:33PM. You know we love the crazy light fixtures, and it doesn't get much crazier than the NOVA, a 3D LED display developed by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology for its 150th birthday.

The market for light-emitting diodes is set to grow significantly throughout the year despite an economic downturn, according to Chinese suppliers. A survey of LED light fixture suppliers carried out by Global Sources revealed that 81 per cent believed that exports would grow at ten per cent or more over the coming year. Some 67 per cent even predicted expert sales to be even higher, with expectations reaching 20 per cent or more. The main driver for the export growth was cited as a growing range of LED-based lighting applications.

LED and CCFL NB have a price gap of 50%, but such gap is expected to narrow soon. LEDinside recently has gathered further information about NB with LED backlight on the market. Until February 2008, prices of LED NB range from US$2,100 to US$3,100, while CCFL NB equipped with similar hardware cost $1,280 to $2,000. CCFL NB and LED NB have a price gap of at least 50% (indicated in Figure 1), says LEDinside. Although with advantages in weights, sizes and energy consumption, it is still quite costly to have an environmental, energy-saving and light LED NB.

Rabyte and OSRAM Opto Semiconductors (Malaysia) Sdn.  Bhd. announced a partnership agreement for India effective 1st, Jan 2008.  This agreement involves the promotion of the complete product range of OSRAM Opto Semiconductors.As the world's second largest manufacturer of optoelectronic semiconductors for the illumination, sensing and visualization sectors, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors combines extensive know-how in semiconductors, converter materials and packages under one roof.

Osram will be giving its LED for use in headlights of a new class of automobiles, the sport utility vehicle or SUV.Osram announced that the Cadillac Escalade Platinum will be the first SUV to feature LED headlights as standard. Osram says its LEDs drive the headlights supplied by Hella. The full function headlights offer low beam, high-beam, daytime running light, position lights and side marker lights. The luxurious automobile will be launched in 2008.

Forge Europa of Ulverston, UK, has introduced a line of LED light strips. The company's strips are either rigid or flexible and can come in a choice of RGB combination or single colors such as cool white, warm white, red, amber, green, and blue. The RGB strips measure 400mm, and the single color strips measure 500mm. The strips have a single connection at one end, and up to four strips can be connected end-to-end for illumination lengths of 1600mm or 2000mm.

With industry restructuring and energy-saving awareness, LED applications have extended to handset backlights, auto lighting, notebooks, LCD TV and even indoor lighting. However, several challenges remain. LED for notebooks are still waiting for technical breakthroughs, and only first-rate manufacturers have the capability to produce LCD TV with LED backlights. Affected by budget cell phone program inventory, LED market in 2006 was mediocre, and the legacy has lasted to 2007.