AXT Reports New AlInGaN-based LEDs & Customer Trial Success With Blue LEDs

American Xtal Technology, Inc. (AXT), the California based manufacturer of compound semiconductor substrates and opto devices, has made several key announcements with regard to its opto device business. Firstly, it has announced two new LEDs - high brightness cyan and green, which complement the company's current offering of red, amber, yellow and blue LEDs.

The new 505 nm AlInGaN-based high brightness cyan LED has a minimum power output of 1.2 mW at 20 mA. The expected packaged lamp power output for the device is 2.4 mW. High brightness cyan LEDs, which are blue/green in colour, are primarily used in traffic signals. 
Industry analysts estimate that the LED traffic signal market will reach approximately $100 million for the year 2000, and will grow at a rate of approximately 50% per year over the next few years. 
The new 525 nm AlInGaN-based high brightness green LED has a minimum power output of 0.75 mW at 20 mA. The expected packaged lamp power output for the device is 1.5 mW. Green is a primary colour but by mixing red, green and blue lights, many colours can be produced, including white light. 
With the high efficiency of this new product, many outdoor applications also become available. High brightness green LEDs are currently used in very large outdoor full color displays, indoor displays, special purpose illumination, cell phone back lighting, traffic signals, as well as many consumer applications. These new products are currently available in quantities of 500,000 pieces per order.

"We are very pleased to introduce such high quality products to the market place," said Morris Young, president and CEO. "Currently, very few companies can offer high brightness cyan and green LEDs because of the significantly greater technical challenges involved in producing these devices over other types of LEDs. This introduction comes at a time when the demand for high brightness blue, green and cyan LEDs exceeds the supply. Because of this demand, we are rapidly expanding our capacity in order to provide a shorter delivery window for the product. 
"Our goal is to become a vertically integrated, full-colour spectrum, high volume, high quality, high brightness LED supplier. In doing so, our customers will benefit from increased convenience and a lower cost manufacturing structure," he said.

At the same time AXT reported successful customer trial of its previously-introduced high brightness blue LEDs, it is shipping its blue LED product in production quantity. "We have received excellent feedback from customers who have used our high brightness blue LED chips in various applications and are now receiving larger quantity orders. We are very encouraged by the product's initial positive reception from the marketplace," Dr. Young added. 
Finally, AXT board of directors' member Don Tatzin will be acting CFO, replacing Guy Atwood, who is leaving the company to pursue other interests. 
"I am very grateful for all that Guy has done for AXT over the past three years," said Morris Young, president and CEO. "He has built a strong financial architecture, and was invaluable in our transition to becoming a public company. We are very pleased that he will continue to work with AXT on a consulting basis until we are able to appoint his permanent successor. We wish Guy every success in his future endeavors."