Nichia And Osram Opto Semiconductors Enter Patent Cross License Settlement Resolves InGaN LED Litigation Worldwide
TOKYO, JAPAN - June 25, 2002 - Nichia Corporation announced today its entrance into a patent cross license agreement with Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH covering indium gallium nitride (InGaN) semiconductor and related packaging technology. The agreement resolves all pending patent disputes between Nichia and Osram Opto Semiconductors.
"Nichia and Osram Opto Semiconductors are both pioneers of the InGaN market, particularly for white LEDs," said Noboru Tazaki, Senior Managing Director and General Manager of Nichia's Optoelectronics Products Division. "This cross license with Osram Opto Semiconductors complements Nichia's fundamental technology base, enabling us to make better products for our customers."
High bandgap InGaN semiconductor diodes are the basic elements of blue, green, and white light LEDs, as well as violet laser diodes. Typical applications for InGaN LEDs include full color outdoor video displays, LCD backlighting for cell phones, green traffic signal lamps, color image scanners, and automobile instrument panels. InGaN laser diodes are currently used in medical devices and will soon replace red laser diodes in the next generation high data density DVDs.
White LEDs are created by covering a blue light emitting InGaN die with a thin coat of phosphor. As blue light produced by the die passes through the phosphor coating, a portion of the blue light is down-converted to yellow light. This yellow light mixes with the remaining blue light from the die to create bright white light. White InGaN LEDs are more energy efficient than conventional incandescent bulbs and last more than ten times longer.
About Nichia
Nichia was established in Japan in 1956 to manufacture calcium phosphate used in the production of fluorescent lamp phosphors. Since that time, Nichia has grown in the field of manufacturing and sales of fine chemicals, particularly inorganic luminescent materials (phosphors), high brightness InGaN LEDs, and InGaN laser diodes. Nichia has operations throughout the world, including Nichia America Corporation, a U.S. subsidiary based in Mountville, Pennsylvania. Please visit www.nichia.co.jp for more information.
About Osram Opto Semiconductors
Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Osram GmbH (one of the three largest lamp manufacturers in the world). Osram Opto Semiconductors offers its customers solutions based on semiconductor technology for lighting, sensor, and visualization applications. Osram Opto Semiconductors is headed by Dr. Rudiger Muller and has sites in Regensburg (Germany), San Jose (California), and Penang (Malaysia). Please visit www.osram-os.com for more information.