The U.S. Department of Energy has published the 2014 edition of the Solid-State Lighting Manufacturing R&D Roadmap. The Roadmap complements the SSL R&D Multi-Year Program Plan that guides the Core and Product Development R&D programs. One of the goals of the Roadmap is to guide the Manufacturing R&D program and help direct funding solicitations for it. The Roadmap also provides guidance for equipment and material suppliers, based on industry consensus on the expected evolution of SSL manufacturing—thereby reducing risk, improving quality, increasing yields, and lowering costs.

The Roadmap is updated annually with the help of industry feedback that comes from a series of roundtables with invited experts and from the attendees at DOE's SSL Manufacturing R&D Workshop, which this year was held in May in San Diego.

The 2014 Roadmap follows a similar pattern to the 2013 version. The discussion of LED cost drivers has been expanded, as has the discussion of the OLED manufacturing cost model, and a new priority task on OLED panel manufacturing has been added.

DOE will continue to update the Roadmap annually in collaboration with industry partners, to incorporate new analysis, progress, and research priorities as the technology and marketplace evolve. To download a PDF copy of the updated Roadmap, visit www.ssl.energy.gov/techroadmaps.html.