News

15 July 2010

 

Tiger Optics claims first ammonia analyzer exclusively for HB-LED applications

To keep pace with what it describes as explosive growth in the market for high-brightness light-emitting diode (HB-LEDs), at this week’s Semicon West trade show in San Francisco (13–15 July) Tiger Optics LLC of Warrington, PA, USA has launched ALOHA, which it claims is the first ammonia analyzer designed and manufactured exclusively for HB-LED-related applications.

Tiger, which makes laser-based trace gas analyzers, already sells devices to HB-LED makers, tool manufacturers and the gas companies that supply ammonia as a source of nitrogen for the production of gallium nitride (GaN)-based HB-LEDs.

“Since 2004, we’ve sold almost 100 units in ammonia service around the world,” says founder & chief executive Lisa Bergson. “With the surge in demand for HB-LEDs, we realized that we could help our customers by designing an instrument tailored to their specific needs,” she adds. “We know that the purer the gas, the brighter the LEDs, and the bigger the margins for LED makers.”

Widely used in mobile appliances such as cell phones, cameras, and the Apple iPad, HB-LEDs are quickly gaining favor in larger devices, says Tiger Optics. Demand is surging for the use of HB-LEDs as sources to backlight the liquid crystal display (LCD) units of TV screens and computer monitors. Indeed, backlight applications are projected to account for 56% of the HB-LED market this year, according to Robert Steele, director of the Optoelectronics Program with market research firm Strategies Unlimited. Steele projects worldwide HB-LED sales to rise 52% from 2009 to $8.2bn this year.

With its first-quarter 2010 sales, Tiger Optics surpassed its own goals for HB-LEDs by 250%. Spurred by such demand, the firm has developed the ALOHA analyzer to deliver the compact footprint, sensitivity, robustness, low cost of maintenance, speed of response, and uninterrupted throughput that the HB-LED market demands, it adds.

Search: HB-LEDs

Visit: www.tigeroptics.com