South Korean manufacturers turn white LED

The blue LED price of mobile phone keypad backlight has slipped, causing South Korean manufacturers to shift targets to white LED, as well as applications outside the mobile phone market. Samsung Electric and LG Innotek announced last year after the cooperation, South Korea's high brightness (HB) LED industry seems to have a bright future. HB-LED chip and application markets are thriving, while the market capacity and the number of manufacturers are gradually increasing. However, South Korean companies still lag behind the global leader in basic technologies (such as wafers and materials) (led by Nichia). This is a major obstacle to the global competitiveness of South Korean manufacturers. Although the packaging technology has been improved, comparable to Japan, but the outer processing technology is still far behind Taiwan manufacturers. About half of South Korea's wafers are imported from Japan, Europe and Taiwan. The main investment is investment facilities, rather than technology, which will affect future investment recovery. Dependence on imports of major manufacturing equipment is another obstacle. South Korea more than 80% of the HB-LED manufacturing equipment from Japan, and most of the production of external equipment from Japan and europe.

To strengthen the competitiveness of manufacturers in South Korea but stable mass production support is also in progress, so the surface mounted (SMT) package technology is improving in quality, price and delivery and other aspects of the competitiveness. Samsung and LG in the global mobile phone industry leading group, so the supply of domestic customers is South Korea LED industry into the left Yicang indium C improves the quality of the product to attract a large number of domestic manufacturers purchase orders. For example, Lasemtech and Samsung Electronics in terms of multi-color LED products have close relations of cooperation. Lasemtech's products include blue, green and red LED chips in a single package. Since heat transfer has doubled over conventional equipment, the current supply of Samsung 330000 LED per month. In addition, by helping to cooperate with foreign companies, is also promoting the development of technology. LED packaging company Seoul Semiconductor and German lighting company TridonicAtco is working on the development of industrial and automotive lighting applications HB-LED. The two companies recently introduced in Frankfurt, Germany Light and International Trade Fair Alpha Power LED detailed information. Alpha Power LED is packaged in SMT to provide a wide range of colors, including white. Seoul Semiconductor will be responsible for manufacturing Alpha Power LED, exclusive sales rights in Asia and the United States, while TridonicAtco has exclusive sales rights in Europe and australia. Applications include backlighting indoor / outdoor lighting, advertising lighting, traffic lights and large size LCD screen. Monthly production capacity of 1 million, the two companies predict that after 2004, the market will grow more than two times. The mobile phone keyboard group has always been a major driver of the blue HB-LED manufacturers in South Korea, is expected in the next 4 to 5 years, the market will continue to maintain the rapid development of South Korean manufacturers. According to industry intelligence, the blue HB-LED market in South Korea's domestic mobile phone market is estimated at about $178 million per year. Seoul Semiconductor has threatened to lead the industry, such as the United States Lumileds. Seoul President Jeong Lee claims that HB-LED has a brightness of 150 LM, which is brighter than Lumileds's device (Lumileds's Luxeon V product can use only the light source to provide a Hoon of 120 LM). At the same time, Photron production of HB-LED lamp can send 10 CD above. These LED lights can be more than 40o, which is suitable for a variety of applications to the United States market. Due to the adoption of SMT packaging, the process of punching and cutting is reduced, so the productivity is improved. Lighting is one of the future application market for South Korean manufacturers. For example, EST will replace incandescent and fluorescent lamps with LED to expand market share. The company is stepping up its exports to the United states. The company said it is planning to set up overseas factories in China by the end of this year or early next year. The blue LED falling prices continued to narrow the mobile phone keyboard backlight group profits, companies will have more introjects white HB-LED on the phone LCD backlight monomer and camera flash, and the application of outdoor billboards and lighting etc.. Samsung Electro-Mechanics has been transferred to this technology, gradually stop the blue and seven color LED. At the same time, LG Innotek will double its white HB-LED capacity, up to 100 million pieces per month, and Samsung Electro-Mechanics capacity equal. LG Innotek program manager Y S said: Although we are developing high reliability and high brightness LED, but still in the country's two R & D units to develop high brightness UV LED. "

From blue to white South Korea's mobile phone market continues to grow inside and outside, at the same time some HB-LED manufacturers turn to camera module development, play a larger market. Hairpin h has begun to develop multi flash flash and side looking HB-LED, the use of flexible manufacturing to supply customer demand. The fierce competition in mobile phone HB-LED has also forced South Korean manufacturers to distribute their products to niche markets. Lasemtech to produce multi-color HB-LED components rather into the central A other hairpin h manufacturers have begun to receive a variety of small orders. Lasemtech is planning to invest heavily in LED after receiving orders from Pantech & Curitel and Appeal Telecom, both South Korean companies. Lasemtech President B W Yoon said: "we will be in a few months, the multi-color LED components of the monthly production capacity expanded from 9 million to 15 million. "

Diversified production of other companies (such as SSI Semiconductor) is not just focused on betting on HB-LED, these companies are becoming a dedicated supplier of all mobile phone parts and components. SSI to expand its product range, into the will V amplifier, LCD driver IC and CMOS camera module. South Korean companies, both in technology and price, are at the forefront