SMD LEDs

	The EdiPower series from Edison (Taiwan) is a 20W white emitter with an ultra-high power 40lm/W LED

SMD side-view type LEDs and HB white LEDs are among the most popular export products in Taiwan. These products are mainly used in backlight applications, but are increasingly being used as pilot lights for scanners, LCDs for laptops and TVs, street lights, and day running lights.

Makers say that one of the hottest emerging applications are day running lights, which are small lights on a motor vehicle that remain illuminated while the vehicle is running. These are used especially during bad weather conditions or long periods of darkness.

Production is still focused on small backlighting and low-end applications, but makers plan to extend their lines to large-sized applications in the near term. Makers in mainland China have yet to make major breakthroughs in the general illumination market, which is forecast to become the fastest growth driver for LEDs.

In mainland China, LED production is expected to increase 30 percent in the next three years. Growing applications in communication, automotive products, lighting, office equipment and household appliances are key drivers for LED production.

Mainland China has about 2,000 LED makers, of which 20 or so focus surface-mount LEDs. These makers are mostly located in the provinces of Fujian, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Zhejiang and Shanghai. Surface-mount LEDs are estimated to account for 15 to 20 percent of mainland China’s total LED industry.

Mainland China’s formal entry into the SMD LED industry took place in 2000 when Foshan NationStar Optoelectronics Co. Ltd began to manufacture LED products. Other companies soon followed.

Initially focused on LED package production, Taiwan’s LED industry has now become a complete LED supply chain, with suppliers specializing in technology integration that boosts LED development and production. The island is home to some of the top 15 global LED manufacturers in 2006, such as Lite-On Technology Corp. (8th) and Everlight Electronics (12th).

Taiwan has about four LED chip suppliers, 10 epitaxial wafer manufacturers, 11 light source makers (SMD and lamps) and about 14 LED suppliers, according to the Industry & Technology Intelligence Services.

Taiwan’s LED production growth rates average 17 to 20 percent year-on-year. According to the Industrial Economics & Knowledge Center, the island’s total LED production continues to increase, reaching $1.47 billion in 2006; and is forecast to hit $1.69 billion in 2007 and about $2 billion in 2008. To date, Taiwan’s LED industry ranked second in terms of production value, which accounts for 23 percent of global share.

	The GPT06033 is an InGan chip LED from Xiamen Guangpu rated at 3.6V (max.)

Favored for their thinner, lighter structure and power-saving features, LED backlight modules use mid-power surface-mount white LEDs. With more developments in luminance efficiency and production yield rate for white surface-mount LEDs, the number of surface-mount white LEDs used in LED backlighting modules can be reduced. Prices of LED backlighting modules are expected to dip slightly, and may further replace CCFL backlighting modules in the near term.

White SMD LED technologies are currently being adopted in the market, including blue LED with YAG phosphor, and blue LED with RG phosphor and RGB multichip. Compared to other technologies, the latter costs more and has better color saturation, providing greater vision for TFT LCD TVs.

High Power Lighting Corp. (HP Lighting) has its own patented thermal design RGB SMD LED that adopts single LED device with C0B packaging process. The high power RGB SMD LED adopts electrically isolated thermal pad with Al/Cu all-metal PCB structure, providing good thermal conductivity and reflow solderability. The device’s silicon lens comes in different angles, 25deg, 45deg and 120deg.

HP Lighting also offers a series of all-metal HP surface-mount LEDs, including models supporting 0.3W to 5W with RGB- and RGGB-in-one models. For the company’s 1W model, luminance is up to 90lm at 350mA. In 2008, the company plans to increase luminance up 100lm in H1 2008 and 110lm in H2 2008.

Edison Opto Corp. focuses on surface-mount LEDs suited to lighting applications. Its products are used in its light bars, LCD modules and solid-state lighting. Its LED light bars and LED LCMs are designed with tiny PLCC LEDs. In terms of technology, the company uses a thermal management electrical scheme, mechanical refinement and optical optimization.

Edison can produce 1W, 3W, 20W and 50W surface-mount LEDs. The company also offers solutions for thermal, electrical, mechanical and optical applications. Its recent development includes a HP SMD LED, the EdiStar that features 6,000lm.

To improve luminance efficiency, Edison targets to achieve 85lm/W for its LED products. Its EdiPower series supports 5W to 20W and can be used as an optical engine emitter, as well as an RGB tricolor. Its Edixeon series, meanwhile, consists of HP LEDs ideal for lighting devices. The K model SMD LED supports 1W, 3W and 5W; the KLC8 model adopts Cree’s EZ Bright 1000 chips, and has output of 250lm (max.) with rated current of 350mA To 1000mA.

Intellectual property rights remain a sensitive issue for the LED industries in mainland China and Taiwan. Patents provide solutions but these licenses come with significant restrictions. While patent issues have constrained most LED makers from expanding, some makers are dodging patent issues by cross-licensing with fellow makers and acquiring permits to use proprietary technologies.

According to the Photonics Industry & Technology Development Association, most Taiwan LED makers have acquired permission from fluorescent-powder developers to use their patented technologies. This development has enabled local LED suppliers to lower production costs and prevent patent lawsuits common to the industry.

In mainland China, growing demand and full technical support from the central government have encouraged makers to strengthen their manufacturing capabilities in the areas of surface-mount LEDs, and HB LEDs. Most mainland makers deem it necessary to forge technological partnerships with leading industry institutions.

LED makers in mainland China have focusing product development on increasing luminance efficiency with the use of quality IC chips. To gain a stronger foothold on the world market, these makers are focused on producing LEDs that can generate more power and produce higher brightness.

Ningbo Sunpu-opto Electronics Co. Ltd offers surface-mount LEDs in 0603 (0201), 2012 (0805), 3216 (1206), and 3528 (1411) case size. These come in blue, green, orange, red, yellow and white. Its smallest 0603 series measures 0.4mm in height.

Supported by an 80-member R&D team, Ningbo Sunpu-opto wants to improve light efficiency and reduce luminous decay. Its 1W white light SMD LED offers 60lm/W brightness and 5,000hr lifespan.

The ST-3528WW white LED has luminous intensity of 1300mcd/20mA; 2,500K to 7,000K color temperature; 120deg viewing angle; and is suited to backlight applications for mobile phones and dashboards. All of Ningbo Sunpu-opto’s surface-mount LEDs are RoHS-compliant since 2005.

Increasing luminance efficiency and display character are main priorities for Shenzhen Guoyexing Optoelectronics Co. Ltd’s 15-member R&D team.

The company’s latest model of surface-mount LEDs supports up to 80lm/W and 120deg viewing angle. According to David Chen, overseas department director, the luminous decay of their SMD LED is only at
2 percent after 1,000hrs of operation and the cooling method used is copper and Al substrate.

For its HP surface-mount LEDs, Shenzhen Guoyexing uses chips from the United States and Taiwan. Its products are mainly for display, automotive and backlight applications. ISO-certified, the company expects to achieve TS16949 compliance in 2008.

Mason Technologies Ltd focuses on improving brightness, size, luminous efficiency and heat dispersion of its LED products.

The company has recently developed a 60mA model for large-size applications. Its popular SMD LED MS-A3528 series has a thickness of 1.9mm; viewing angle, 120deg; power dissipation, 100mW; luminous intensity, 845mcd/20mA; and colors, red, green, yellow, amber, blue and white.

Fierce competition is pushing makers to reduce quotes. Some makers absorb the production cost through increased mass production or streamlining production processes.

Ningbo Sunpu-opto’s white SMD LED lights cost around $0.07. The company plans more price cuts in the next few years. The spun gold used in making surface-mount LEDs is sourced from Taiwan, while the chip is either procured from the United States or Taiwan.

Shenzhen Guoyexing plans to decrease quotes by 10 percent. Its blue LED backlights cost $0.02, while its white LEDs range from $0.03 to $0.04, each.

Mason plans to decrease prices by 5 percent without compromising product quality. For its surface-mount LEDs, the company uses chips and fluorescent powder from Taiwan and the United States.

The United States, Southeast Asia and the Middle East are main export destinations for most SMD LED makers in mainland China and Taiwan.

SMD LED shipments are likely to increase by 15 to 30 percent, as more makers in mainland China expand their overseas coverage. Export-oriented companies mostly accept OEM and ODM projects, which account for about 30 percent of total sales.

Ningbo Sunpu-opto ships 15 percent of its output and hopes to increase shipments up 50 percent in 2008. Currently, OEM and ODM business account for 30 percent of its export business.

Shenzhen Guoyexing ships 30 percent of its surface-mount LEDs to Korea, Brazil, Argentina and Malaysia. In 2008, the company hopes to increase exports by at least 30 percent, as they explore other export destinations such as Europe, the United States and Australia.

Export sales ($10 million) account for one-third of Mason’s total sales in 2007. This year, the company expects export values to increase by 5 percent. The company ships 10 percent of its surface-mount LEDs to the United States and Europe.