Recently, AIXTRON AG announced an order received in the second quarter 2008 for an MOCVD system from a new customer, Yangzhou Zhongke Semiconductor Lighting Center Co. Ltd. The Close Coupled Showerhead CRIUS system with 31x2" wafer configuration was delivered to Yangzhou Zhongke’s state of the art facility in the Yangzhou High-Tech Venture Services Center, PR China in the fourth quarter 2008. Its application will be for the development and volume production of UHB blue/green LEDs.

Veeco Instruments has to restructure its MOCVD systems business, as the downturn continues to take its toll on the wider semiconductor industry. At Veeco Q4 earnings call, John Peeler, CEO of the company, has announced its MOCVD systems operation in New Jersey would be hit by the latest move. He said their MOCVD systems business would go to a fully outsourced model by the end of the year. He also outlined a number of wider measures to cut costs, including a 26% reduction in workforce. Veeco will employ less than 1000 employees by the end of 2009.

Elma Electronic, a leading designer and manufacturer of rotary components and electronic packaging products, offers LEDs in customizable configurations with custom brightness options.

Taiwan Opto Tech has unveiled its new Smart Street Lights using Nichia LEDs. The company says the new LED street lights have four main functions which include a modulized design, a unique cooling technology, a new optical design, and an excellent power module. The fixture is streamlined and ultra-thin, with a depth of only 80mm and will be expected to meet the global market demand. The company currently plans to mass-produce 55W and 105W street lights that can be used with either solar or AC power.

Advanced Analogic Technologies Inc., announced a two-channel LED driver for LED indicators and LCD or keyboard backlighting in entry level mobile products - AHK3292. The company says the new LED driver features low resistance current sinks capable of supporting a low dropout voltage, it can reduce power dissipation and extends battery life. The device's dropout voltage of 36 mV typical is at least 20% lower than competitive products.

Premier Farnell's Newark now stocks Bridgelux's in Premier Farnell's Newark now stocks Bridgelux's innovative LED Array products, developed specially to provide lamp and luminaire manufacturers with a solution for simplified system level integration.

Taiwan Unity Opto Technology Co., Ltd. holds a 25% stake in South Korean LED packager Lumens, making it the primary institutional shareholder of the South Korean packager. Now, Unity has been contracted by Lumens to supply it LED emitters. Which Lumens will build into backlight modules for Samsung’s LCD TVs. Unity will use chips made by Formosa Epitaxy Inc. of Taiwan, which has its chips verified at Samsung.

Lynk Labs Inc., the leading supplier of AC LED device, light engine and power supply technology, has been awarded its first U.S. patent for an AC LED drive method and aparatus. The newly awarded patent, U.S. Patent, No. 7,489,086 is entitled “AC light emitting diode and AC LED drive methods and apparatus."

Aimtec Inc. has introduced the first two series of its new line of step-down DC-DC LED drivers - the AMLD-IZ and AMLDL-Z. The company says the new LED drivers meet the rigorous demands for environment friendly LED lighting solutions.     the AMLD-IZ

Citizen Electronics of Japan appoints Supreme Components International (SCI) of Singapore as their official distributor for High Brightness LED for ASIAN market. Citizen electronics has been producing LEDs since 1983 and is a major player for mobile phone LED in the world with significant market share. Citizen LEDs have high reliability and high CRI.

The Orvis Outlet Store, a globally-known retailer of outdoor lifestyle products, has become a showcase for one of Efficiency Vermont's latest energy-conservation experiments: LED lamps for retail stores. Orvis personnel replaced about 300 lamps in the outlet store last summer. According to the company, the store has used 8,400 fewer kilowatt hours a month, which has saved almost $900 a month in electricity. The LED lights are cooler than incandescent lights so the store also saved on air-conditioning costs.

Murata Power Solutions has introduced its low-power, high brightness, three-and-a-half digit, DMS-20PC digital panel voltmeters. The company announces that they are now available with 'brilliant blue' or 'pure green' LED colors in addition to the current 'low-power red'. The DMS-20PC series provides a sub-miniature, low-cost solution in applications such as battery chargers, power amplifiers, rack-mounted power and high-end consumer electronics.

Recently, Veeco Instruments Inc. (Nasdaq: VECO) announced that LG Innotek Co., Inc. of Korea, has ordered an additional four TurboDisc® K465™ gallium nitride (GaN) Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) Systems for HB-LED production. The orders were received in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Luminus Devices announced that BenQ’s new GP1 versatile and lightweight pocket projector is powered by the high-brightness PhlatLight® LED PT-39 chipset. The company says its PhlatLight LEDs offer high levels of brightness and performance not available today in pocket projectors using traditional lamp technologies, making the GP1 an ideal mobile entertainment companion for instant projection anywhere.

ATG Electronics announces that its Smart™ Series XPower LED Wall Washers are successfully approved by C-UL US. They are the perfect solution for dynamic illumination of facade structures and landscapes.

Dialight has introduced a new ETL-recognized version of its ultra high brightness Powerwhite® LV Linear Modules. The company says it is the first complete LED solution product of its type on the market and it will enable the rapid development of many LED lighting applications including existing fixture formats and entirely new product designs.

It’s reported that Philips has plans to manufacture LEDs lighting products in India in future. Philips, the largest player in the Indian lighting market, also intends to enhance the production capacity of its compact fluorescent light (CFL) plant based in Mohali (Punjab) by 50-60% by 2010.

Renaissance Lighting has introduced the world’s most efficient, most powerful architectural grade RGB LED downlights with its Rhapsody Color Management System. The company says its Rhapsody Color Management system is a unique technology for the creation of intelligent, state-of-the-art lighting effects for these new downlight fixtures.

Philips Lumileds has launched a free online tool that makes it easier for manufacturers of LED-based luminaires to show compliance with ENERGY STAR® standards. The new tool addresses the requirements of the “Chromaticity and Spatial Uniformity” test in the ENERGY STAR® specification for LED lighting that requires the beam of light to appear the same color to the human eye, regardless of which area of the beam the viewer looks at or where they are at in relation to the light source.

It’s reported that Jameco Electronics has purchased a significant quantity of excess inventory of Lite-On brand LEDs. The inventory includes packaged LEDs of many varieties and LED-based numeric displays. It is reportedly being sold at a significant discount.

Dialight has introduced its innovative SafeSite range of LED fixtures - 100W high brightness SafeSite® 250 Series. The company says the LED fixture is designed to replace 250W High Pressure Sodium (HPS) light sources in hazardous location applications.

Taiwan LED maker Epistar Corp. announced that it has won contract orders from Korea’s Samsung for LEDs used in LED-backlit LCD TVs.

Bivar, a leading provider of optoelectronics and assembly hardware, has launched the ORCA series of Super Flux LEDs. The company says its new ORCA product family is an expansion of its high power LEDs designed for use on standard printed circuit boards (PCBs) for LED indication. The new ORCA series replaces the Bivar MAKO product family and enhances its capabilities with greater luminous intensity, higher power efficiency and additional lens configurations while maintaining its industry standard 7.6 mm square package form factor.

Cooper Lighting, a division of Cooper Industries, Ltd., announces that its Halo® LED recessed downlight meets stringent ENERGY STAR® requirements for solid state lighting (SSL) luminaries. Eligibility Criteria – Version 1.0 for Category A – Recessed Downlights. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping consumers and organizations save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices.

PerkinElmer, Inc. (PKI), a global leader focused on improving the health and safety of people and the environment, announced it has bought Opto Technology Inc., a supplier of LED based lighting components and subsystems, as PerkinElmer looks to broaden its presence in the LED lighting market. PerkinElmer did not disclose a purchase price for the Illinois-based company.

Luminus Devices Inc. announced that it will make components for LEDs lamps that give off white light with Nichia. That makes LEDs attractive for a wide range of uses. Until now, Luminus has made chips for colored LED lights that go into projectors and TVs.

After landing big orders for LED lightings and winning bids for supplying solar cell panels, Delta Electronics Inc. projected its annual revenue to grow 5% from 2008 to hit NT$150 billion in 2009, despite the lingering global economic downturn.  

Two rival LED makers, Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd. and Nichia Corporation announced that they have settled all litigations on patent and other issues as well as other legal disputes currently pending between them in the United States, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, and Korea. The settlement includes a cross license agreement covering LED and laser diode technologies, which will permit the companies to access all of each other's patented technologies.

Introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the new Ford Mustang boasts the latest lighting technology by OSRAM. The American sports car, which hits the market in 2010, features variable LED interior lighting with OSRAM TOPLED. The JOULE LED system is the basis for the American muscle car’s rear signal lighting and gives the car a modern look as well as added efficiency and security.

Gallium Nitride (GaN), a man-made semiconductor used to make LEDs, emits brilliant light but uses very little electricity. New GaN LED lighting has the potential to make LEDs a household fixture, but high production costs have made GaN lighting too expensive for wide spread use in homes and offices. However the Cambridge University based Centre for Gallium Nitride has developed a new way of making GaN which could produce LEDs for a tenth of current prices.