Business briefs

11 Nov 2005

Including news from Jenoptik Laserdiode, Philips, Lumileds Lighting, Cedip Infrared Systems and more.

General company news:

•  Lumileds Lighting, US, has launched patent infringement litigation against Taiwanese firms Epistar and United Epitaxy Co (UEC). The US LED maker alleges that Epistar’s omnidirectional mirror adhesion AlGaInP LEDs and UEC’s metal bond and glue bond AlGaInP LEDs infringe on Lumileds’ patents. Lumileds is seeking an exclusion order preventing the accused LEDs, and products containing the sources, entering the US as well as damages.

•  Novalux, a US developer of extended cavity surface emitting lasers called NECSELs, says it has delivered high-power blue sources to its partners in the display market. Emitting over 500 mW at 460 nm, the blue NECSEL has been designed for microdisplay-based devices such as rear-projection televisions. Novalux says it is now working on other colors and plans to show the first laser-based rear-projection television at the CES show in Las Vegas in January 2006.

•  French infrared imaging camera specialist Cedip Infrared Systems has acquired PolyTech of Sweden, a maker of gyro-stabilised airborne platforms, for an undisclosed sum. Cedip says the deal will aid its development of imaging products for the military and civilian surveillance markets as well as giving it the opportunity to setup a subsidiary for its Scandinavian customers.

Hyundai LCD of Korea is teaming up with the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) and IMC Capital Corporation of Hong Kong to create a displays research center in Singapore. The center will focus on display technologies such as active and passive matrix LCDs and flexible OLEDs for use in the automotive and mobile phone sectors, reports On Target Media.

Joint ventures:

•  Jenoptik Laserdiode of Germany and Kantum Electronics of Japan have founded a joint venture called Jenoptik Laserdiode Japan Co Ltd which will have its headquarters in Tokyo. The German firm will hold a 33% stake in the venture with the rest being owned by Kantum. The joint venture will sell high-power diode lasers into the Japanese market.

•  Consumer electronic giant Philips is merging its mobile display system business unit with Taiwanese firm Toppoly to create a joint venture called TPO. Toppoly has production facilities in Taiwan and China for advanced mobile display technologies such as low-temperature polysilicon and active-matrix OLEDs. Philips will contribute a substantial intellectual portfolio to the venture.

Contracts:

•  Kopin, the US microdisplay maker, has received a $750,000 from the US Department of Defense. The contract covers the development of a display driver for Kopin’s full-color CyberDisplay SXGA active-matrix LCD, which is being adopted by the US military.

•  SensL of Ireland, a maker of low-light detection systems, has received a $200,000 contract to develop photon detectors for Canada’s University of Regina. The detectors will be used in the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF).

Distribution agreement:

•  nLight of the US has named Lastek Group as its exclusive distributor in Australia and New Zealand. Lastek will be responsible for the sale and service of all of nLight’s CW and quasi-CW high-power visible and near-infrared diode laser product lines.