[graphic] LED phosphor and quantum dots global patent analysis

Facing a turning point to reshape the LED phosphor industry

In the last two years, some important changes have taken place in the LED market, LED lighting applications have been a major development, China's LED industry has begun to rise. In terms of LED phosphors, nitride phosphors are still the main red phosphors for high CRI (color rendering index) illumination and wide gamut display applications. Despite the patent restrictions, but the fluorescent powder suppliers are still profitable.

But now, the market appeared a kind of new material, namely GE (GE) developed the tetravalent manganese doped potassium fluosilicate, and Denka (denkikagaku), Nichia (Japan Nichia), GE company has achieved the production of the material. This new material is due to its extremely narrow spectral band, or can challenge the dominant position of phosphor phosphor in display applications.

Quantum dot technology has benefited from its design flexibility (tunable emission wavelength) and very narrow emission band. It has become a very promising alternative in the market. YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) phosphor is still the best yellow phosphor for white LED applications. But its use has been limited by Nichia's patent protection. Silicate phosphor is the best substitute of YAG fluorescent powder, but the performance is just a little bit worse. Since the beginning of 2017, with the YAG fluorescent powder one key patents expire, but its price is significantly lower than the alternative products, is expected to YAG phosphor phosphor will dominate the market in 2020, while the silicate phosphor except in terms of performance and cost to obtain a breakthrough, otherwise the market share will be significantly reduced.

Phosphor patent is an important force affecting the LED industry, involving more than 50 companies from more than 70 cases of phosphor patent litigation, the entire LED industry has had a significant impact. The entire LED industry has long been prepared for the failure of those basic patents. This will help new companies such as China's LED packaging companies to expand their overseas markets.

At the same time, Everlight (100 million photoelectron) has been trying to invalid Nichia most basic patent, OSRAM (OSRAM) and Nichia continued to strengthen its influence through patent litigation of Patent Alliance (BOSE, Gosei and Toyoda around 2000, the Austria Tridonic Jennersdorf company, Germany Leuchtstoffwerk Breitungen company, LitecGbR co founded Barium Ortho-Silicate Europium through the Union) the silicate phosphor patent license for many China LED packaging companies, expanding its patent licensing program.

LED applications in the field of phosphor and quantum dots patent application trends

As of September 2015, the global public offering of LED applications on the phosphor and quantum dots authorized invention patents more than 7510 pieces. Among them, the first batch of patent applications by the Japanese company (MITSUBISHI, Toshiba, Matsushita, Nichia, Japan's National Institute for materials research, etc.). During the 2003~2007, Nichia developed the first high brightness GaN Blue LED, the number of patent applications in the field began to rise sharply. The second wave of climax of patent application began in 2010, the patent application is mainly from AOT (Taiwan rongchuang), Samsung and Stanley Electric (Japan Stanley electric), patent applications mainly focus on the phosphor composition, the technology of the same trend, but the development is slow. China LED fluorescent powder companies such as Sunfor Light (Sichuan Sony) is just recently entered the LED phosphor and quantum dot patent stage.

Overall, the peak of patent applications in 2013, from the beginning of 2013 patent application growth trend began to slow down. At the same time, with a large number of patent pending review after the global patent authorization number should be increased.

Such as the activation of tetravalent manganese phosphor or quantum dot fluorescent powder is far from the technical maturity of these new materials and commercial application of fluorescent powder, they have just begun, for example in the application of the display area.

OSRAM related patent litigation and licensing

Key suppliers

Key patents of quantum dot technology in LED applications

Quantum dot fluorescent powder and the application domain of LED related to the applicant for a patent involving more than 200, including: Nichia, CREE (CREE), Osram, Philips (PHILPS), Toyoda Gosei (Japan TOYOTA synthesis) and Samsung (Samsung), LG and Seoul Semiconductor (Seoul semiconductor) etc..

Many important suppliers face market challenges due to their basic patent. In order to avoid new participants in the competition, these leading LED manufacturers will be more dependent on the recent application for more patents, including those belonging to the same patent family continuation of the patent application.

Panasonic with its LED application wavelength converter patent list topped the list of patent applicants, patents related to the composition of the fluorescent powder patent citation number seventh. Although Panasonic is not a leader in the LED industry, but its LED R & D activities are very active, including the development of new fluorescent components. However, its LED patent portfolio is not limited to the invention of phosphor related. Panasonic's broad portfolio of patents enables it to operate relatively freely in the LED industry.

Similar to Panasonic, Toshiba also shows a strong patent layout in the field, although it is relatively mediocre revenue performance in the LED industry. For Toshiba's recent decision on how to exit the white LED market will affect its entire LED lighting market strategy, we will wait and see.

LED applications in the field of nitride / NOx phosphor patents