BluGlass and Luminus collaborating to evaluate RPCVD tunnel-junction-enabled cascade LED technology

BluGlass Ltd of Silverwater, Australia (which was spun off from the III-nitride department of Macquarie University in 2005) and Luminus Devices Inc of Sunnyvale, CA, USA – which designs and makes LEDs and solid-state technology (SST) light sources for global illumination markets – have entered into a non-exclusive collaboration agreement to co-develop cascade LEDs for the rapidly growing entertainment, display and projector application markets.

Luminus aims to exploit the performance potential of BluGlass’ tunnel-junction technology, developed using the firm’s unique remote-plasma chemical vapor deposition (RPCVD) capabilities, to further improve its projector lighting technologies.

Projectors require ultra-high-performance LEDs and could benefit from the smaller form factor, higher-performance (intensity) and lower-cost benefits that RPCVD-enabled cascade LEDs potentially offer, says BluGlass. Projectors are also heat-sensitive devices, ideally operated at lower current densities to achieve peak efficiencies - a key benefit enabled by cascade LEDs. Traditional LEDs suffer from efficiency droop as current density is raised to drive higher light output intensities, resulting in significant performance losses in the form of heat.

Luminus develops LED technology for high-performance, high-value LEDs in industrial, medical, horticulture and entertainment applications. It works hand-in-hand with firms in the automotive, display and projection industries to illuminate everything from heads-up displays to projection systems for the next generation of vehicles and consumer technologies.

BluGlass is developing and commercializing RPCVD as a low-temperature, ammonia-free alternative to traditional manufacturing technologies. RPCVD is said to offer electronics manufacturers performance advantages including higher-performing, lower-cost devices. The firm recently demonstrated a technical breakthrough with its patented ‘active as grown’ RPCVD tunnel junctions for LED wafers, which provide a solution for the challenge of efficiency droop by combining multiple LEDs in a single vertical LED stack (with the potential to generate greater light output for less power).

The two firms will work together to combine their unique technologies to demonstrate high-performance LEDs for the entertainment, display and projection markets. Each party will bear their own costs for the initial trials. The purpose is to evaluate RPCVD tunnel junctions and demonstrate cascade LED performance in these markets.

Working with BluGlass to enhance its technology for ultra-high-performance LED specialty lighting markets will “give our customers more design flexibility to create even more unique and differentiated products,” reckons Luminus’ CEO Decai Sun.

“BluGlass is continuing to work with the world’s leading innovators that are developing the next generation of lighting technologies in high-growth, high-value markets,” says BluGlass’ CEO & managing director Giles Bourne. The projection market represents “a strong fit” for the firm’s RPCVD tunnel-junction technology, he concludes.

See related items:

BluGlass-Bridgelux JDA to evaluate RPCVD and tunnel junction technologies for cascade LEDs in general lighting market

BluGlass highlights R&D on RPCVD of tunnel junctions at lower temperatures than MOCVD

BluGlass presents latest data on development of RPCVD-grown tunnel junctions for LEDs

BluGlass demonstrates functioning tunnel junctions, enabling cascaded LEDs

Tags: BluGlass RPCVD Luminus Devices LEDs

Visit: www.bluglass.com.au

Visit: www.luminus.com