Global LEDs/OLEDs issue #0

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SSL Supply chain Plus: Edison base replacement LED color control OLED transparent conductive oxides

Mark Larson Interview Inside

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Contents

Volume 1, No. 0 / Magazine Preview

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OLED device based on tripletemitting polymers. Source: cynora optoelectronic materials

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Contents EDITORIAL 2

Addressing technical and design issues of LEDs, OLEDs Marc Chason

8

Technology Focus 8 CO2 balance sheet: aluminum versus alumina ceramics

Dr. Meinhard Kuntz, Manager Oxide Development

at CeramTec GmbH

Special Features 12 Interview—Digi-Key’s Mark Larson

regular columns 4

The electronic interconnection hierarchy Joe Fjelstad

12

Other Regular Features 6 Industry News 14 New Products

14

Visit www.globalsolartechnology.com for the latest news and more, every day.

Global LEDs/OLEDs – Spring 2011 – 1

Editorial Title

Editorial Offices Europe Global LEDs/OLEDs Trafalgar Publications Ltd Unit 18, 2 Lansdowne Crescent Bournemouth Dorset BH1 1SA United Kingdom Tel: +44 7766 951665 E-mail: news@globalledoled.com Website: www.globalledoled.com United States Global LEDs/OLEDs PO Box 7579 Naples, FL 34102, USA Tel: +1 (239) 245-9264 Fax: (239) 236-4682 E-mail: news@globalledoled.com China Global LEDs/OLEDs Electronics Second Research Institute No.159, Hepin South Road Taiyuan City, PO Box 115, Shanxi, Province 030024, China Tel: +86 (351) 652 3813 Fax: +86 (351) 652 0409 Publisher Trevor Galbraith Tel: +44 (0)20 8123 6704 (Europe) Tel: +1 (239) 245-9264 x101 (US) tgalbraith@globalledoled.com

Editor-in-Chief Marc Chason Tel: +224-659-2446 E-mail: editor@globalledoled.com Managing Editor Heather Lackey Tel: +1 (239) 245-9264 x105 E-mail: hglackey@globalledoled.com Assistant Editor Heidi Kaufmann E-mail: hkaufmann@globalledoled.com

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Marc Chason Editor In Chief

L

Addressing technical and design issues of LEDs, OLEDs

EDs and OLEDs form the foundation for solid state lighting (SSL) technologies, the next step in the continuing evolution of lighting technology.

Addressing the technical and design issues affecting the multi-faceted market for LED luminaires and the emerging market for OLED luminaires and displays is the mission of Global LEDs/OLEDs magazine.

Significant research efforts by established corporations, start-ups, academia and government agencies are underway worldwide to improve SSL devices for commercialization. The technologies necessary to realize commercial processes and equipment sets can lead to a low manufacturing cost structure. Commercialization research and development efforts, as well as manufacturing optimization processes address a multitude of issues ranging from semiconducting materials development and thermal, mechanical and electrical design to manufacturing cost reductions and sustainability.

Since most incandescent and fluorescent lamps are commodity products, LED and OLED SSL products will ultimately participate in a commodity market. SSL products can command premium pricing in their initial roll-out, but in the established lighting value chain, cost will be a critical factor as SSL competes against the incumbent technologies. Global LEDs/ OLEDs magazine will present to its readers technologies that drive toward solutions critical for ultimate market success.

In this rapidly evolving SSL industry, new supply chains and distribution channels are developing. Along the supply chain companies are learning how to design and manufacture SSL products and test their performance. Global LEDs/OLEDs magazine will bring to its readers the necessary

knowledge to help them participate in these new value chains and increase their market share.

The inaugural Global LEDs/OLEDs magazine issue—Spring 2011—will focus on technologies that support the evolving SSL supply chain and value chain. The special features section will examine the European Union’s government funded programs in the LED and OLED space.

The second issue will look at the materials used in fabricating LED and OLED devices. Articles from companies participating in substrates, packages and encapsulants will be featured. The special features section will look at light emitting materials, such as quantum dots or phosphors, as well as OLED fabrication.

The final issue of 2011 will take an in depth look at the SSL test & measurement technologies and the issue of SSL sustainability. The special features section will address the US DOE Gateway Projects.

—Marc Chason

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Small Matters

The electronic interconnection hierarchy Technological developments are blurring the lines between interconnection levels

T

he electronics interconnection industry is the foundation of the electronics industry, and it has steadily grown and evolved from its earliest days. However, the path to where it is today was anything but linear and never completely predictable. That is not to say that everything in the electronics industry has been that way. Moore’s Law, for example, has served as a compass for semiconductor technology for more than four decades with the prediction of doubling of transistors on chips every 18 to 24 months. Even so, Moore’s revered prediction appears to have been mute on many issues that required significant technological changes to be made to address the challenges that accompanied the maintenance of it. The change from MOS to CMOS is one example that comes quickly to mind.

The foundational premise of Moore’s

technology to continue to deliver on the prediction by offering something “More than Moore” as someone aptly termed it.

This bit of reality brings us to the subject of this month’s column and that, in short, is the growing recognition that the once bright lines that separated the hierarchical levels of electronic interconnection are beginning to blur as a wide array of new and evolving solutions are being introduced to deliver on the long standing promise of “better, faster and cheaper” electronic products with each new generation.

To better understand the challenge of the growing ambiguity, it is best to understand and appreciate the established view of electronic interconnection hierarchy. To assist in this effort, the reader’s attention is directed to the accompanying graphic where on the area in white (lower left) is shown the traditional view of the

While this general description still holds true for a wide range of today’s products, it is unfortunately woefully inadequate in its ability to describe all of the developments that are presently underway. prediction was predicated on the observation that advances in lithography would pace the advance of the technology, and that prediction has held true, though there is recognition that there will be a “sunset” for the prediction at some point.

In fact, it is because of this recognition (at least in part) that there has been a great deal of emphasis put on interconnection

4 – Global LEDs/OLEDs – Spring 2011

hierarchy of electronic interconnections which was first developed in the 1960s.

As can be seen, the divisions of labor for the various tasks involved in the creation of an electronic system were at one time fairly well defined. The semiconductor manufacturer created the integrated circuits on silicon wafers. The chips from these wafers were then delivered to an

A column by Joe Fjelstad IC packaging foundry where they were attached to a lead-frame or other substrate which both protected the chips and space transformed the I/O terminals to a more useful pitch which could be standardized.

A printed circuit manufacturer built a substrate according to a design that would serve to interconnect all of the ICs and other components required for the product or specific function board. Next an assembler would take the printed circuit and mount the various components on to the board using a soldering process. The assembled boards, commonly called “daughter cards,” would then be connected to a next level motherboard or backplane. This completed assembly would then be packaged in a format suitable for the purpose, whether it is a computer, a telephone switch, an Internet router or any other product. While this general description still holds true for a wide range of today’s products, it is unfortunately woefully inadequate in its ability to describe all of the developments that are presently underway as shown in the blue area that extends up and to the right in the graphic. As can be seen, there are a lot of technologies that appear to sit on the seams, and there is increasing awareness of the need to find a way to embrace the emerging technologies that are already being deployed to create next generation products.

One group that has been focusing on this challenge is the Jisso International Council (JIC), which is comprised of Asian/ Japan, European and North American Jisso Councils. (For the edification of the reader, jisso is a Japanese word that is commonly translated as mounting. However in Japan

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The electronic interconnection hierarchy

the electronics industry is to continue to march ahead.

That said, they will not happen without cooperation and effort.

Industry-changing solutions require understanding and active participation in making the change happen.

If the reader’s interest has been piqued by the information offered here, it is suggested that they visit the Jisso website at http://jisso.ipc. org/. Presently it is hosted by the IPC, but as awareness and participation in Jisso activities grow, it will likely find and new home.

Verdant Electronics founder and president Joseph (Joe) Fjelstad has more than 35 years of international experience in electronic interconnection and packaging technology in a variety of capacities from chemist to process engineer and from international consultant to CEO. Mr. Fjelstad is also a well known author writing on the subject of electronic interconnection technologies.

Prior to founding Verdant, Mr. Fjelstad co-founded SiliconPipe a leader in the

development of high speed The traditional view of the hierarchy of electronic interconnections first developed in the 1960s is no loninterconnection technologies. ger capable of embracing the advances that have been in development over the course of the last several He was also formerly with years. As can be seen, there are many new technologies being introduced that fit in the seams of the once well defined technological divisions that separated the various elements of electronic interconnection Tessera Technologies, a global technology. leader in chip-scale packaging, where he was appointed to the first corporate fellowship for his the term has been adapted to describe from the norm and now include a range innovations. the interconnection hierarchy.) The Jisso of solutions which are moving into the International Council, which met for 3rd dimension, both up and down the the 11th time in late May of this year, is hierarchical ladder, beginning with wafers attempting to harmonize international having through silicon vias (TSV) stacked standards to improve communications, one atop another, to chips stacked on top and the matter of all of the evolving of other chips, to multiple chips packaged technologies has proven particularly in a common substrate and packages being vexing. stacked on top of other packages, then To understand the nature of the to packages embedded in substrates and challenge, the reader is asked to look finally substrates stacked on substrates. once again at blue background area of the Many if not most of these solutions have graphic, where are shown representative deep roots in time, where some were early examples of some of the emerging interconnection solutions outliers used in technologies that, as was pointed out special applications only, there was little earlier, do not fit neatly into the traditional effort put into getting the technologies view of electronic interconnections. Still, into the mainstream. However, with the in many cases, these technologies are looming challenges facing the industry, logical extensions of the traditional one. as alluded to in the opening paragraph However, as can be seen in the graphic of this column, these new solutions are provided, these new technologies depart rapidly becoming imperative choices, if

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Global LEDs/OLEDs – Spring 2011 – 5

Industry News

In the news....

University of Rochester’s Ching Tang wins Wolf Prize

PChing Tang, the Doris Johns Cherry Professor of chemical engineering in the University of Rochester’s Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, has been awarded the Wolf Prize in the field of chemistry. The prize, which is given annually by the Wolf Foundation, is widely considered second in prestige to the Nobel Prize. In the 33 years that the Wolf Prize has been awarded, one out of every three scientists to win it in physics, chemistry, and medicine has gone on to win the Nobel Prize. Tang shares the 2011 prize with Professor Stuart Alan Rice of the University of Chicago, and Professor Krzystof Matyjaszewski of Carnegie Mellon University.

Tang is the inventor of the organic light-emitting diode (OLED).

Market for LED luminaires over $3.8 billion in 2010

Rapid improvements in performance and price of commercially available high brightness LED packages, heightened awareness about energy efficiency, phasing out of incandescent bulbs and fiscal stimulus undertaken by countries around the world created conditions for adoption of white light application of LED technology, which otherwise would have faced the low-volume-high-cost conundrum. Quality issues that affected the market penetration of previous energy efficient lighting technologies continue to affect this market but the resolve to reduce energy consumption is likely to propel this technology to be widely commercialized and adopted by the market.

Color and color-changing application in architectural and entertainment applications together had revenues more than $1 billion in 2010. Residential lighting — the fastest growing segment of the market — starting from a small base, is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 44% through 2014. Global revenues for LED luminaires in commercial/industrial applications are expected to be more than $1 billion in 2011.

The outdoor area lighting applications, which benefitted from fiscal stimulus and the need for energy conservation, are expected to grow at a CAGR of 38% through 2014. Solar powered lanterns will be a low margin-high volume application

6 – Global LEDs/OLEDs – Spring 2011

assisted by NGOs and governments trying to save fuel subsidies. The revenues for this sub-segment are forecast to grow at a CAGR of 58% for the same period. LED exit signs have become a mature market in the U.S. and are in the initial stage of market penetration in white light application in egress signage lighting outside the U.S. China is the largest market as well as the largest supplier of LED luminaires. www.strategies-u.com

Newark and element14 launch new LED microsite for design engineers

North American electronics distributor Newark and its element14 engineering community have launched an innovative microsite dedicated to LED lighting technology. The new site at Newark provides engineers with a comprehensive

LED lighting destination, offering solution-based guidance for applications such as street lighting, solar power signals and RGB color mixing, as well as access to a wide range of design and collaboration tools.

In addition to application notes, white papers, training resources, design tools, and videos, the new LED site enables engineers to view and purchase from a best-in-class product portfolio available for same day shipping. www.newark.com/lighting

David Rund joins Christopher Associates as director of business development—materials

David Rund, former president of Taiyo America, has joined Christopher Associates as director of business development— materials. In his new role, David will be

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Industry News Global flat panel displays market to reach US$102.8 billion by 2015

responsible for Christopher Associates’ full line of consumable materials for the printed circuit board (PCB), printed circuit assembly, solar and LED markets. David brings more than 25 years experience in specialty chemicals, solder masks, inks and pastes related to the printed circuit board industry. www.christopherweb.com

Rutronik sets up Lighting Solutions Division

Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente GmbH has set up a Lighting Solutions Division at its headquarters in Ispringen, Germany, in order to offer not only components and application support but also complete LED concepts including design, dimensioning and light ranges through to support including regulations and building inspection. This gives customers helpful access to lighting planners and designers, architects and engineers offering technical support in switching to LED technology and on new LED installations. The team is composed of experts in lighting design in all areas of interior and exterior lighting as well as engineers with special knowledge of regulations, light ranges, software, construction work acceptance and building inspection. www.rutronik.com

Thermal Technology receives multiple orders for Model K1 sapphire crystal grower

Thermal Technology, a manufacturer of crystal growth equipment and high temperature furnace systems, recently received 59 orders for their Model K1 90 kg sapphire crystal grower from customers in Taiwan, Korea and China. In total, these growers will produce 5.2 million TIE (two-in-equivalents) per year. Thermal Technology’s newly designed Model K1 Crystal Grower is intended for LED substrate production. www.thermaltechnologyinc.com

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Although tempered by the recent economic recession, global market for flat panel displays (FPDs) is expected to recover poise in the medium-to-long term period to reach US$102.8 billion by 2015.

Factors that are fingered to drive growth in the market over the next few years include post recession resurgence in demand for electronic equipment guided by rebound in GDP growth, employment rates, discretionary incomes, spending power, expanding application possibilities of FPDs, and growing popularity of OLEDs. Rising demand from Asia-Pacific also bodes well for the future of this market, according to a new report from GIA—Global Industry Analysts, Inc. www.strategyr.com

GTSO sees opportunities in LED industry created by China’s rare earth export quotas

Green Technology Solutions, Inc., is working to develop new sources of rare earth elements outside of China that could help keep LED suppliers safe from shortages caused by new Chinese export quotas. Last week, GTSO announced a joint venture agreement with Rare Earth Exporters of Mongolia to pursue mining claims and operations inside China’s neighbor to the north. The JV plans to convey Mongolian mining products overland by railway for transport to the seaport of Vladivostok, Russia, in order to avoid shipping through China. Destination ports for these mining products are set to include the U.S., Japan and South Korea, checkmating China’s strategic export policies. www.RareEarthExporters.com, www.GreenTech-Solutions.com

William McDonough named first chief technologist at Permlight Products

Permlight CEO Philip Frey has named William McDonough c h i e f technologist for the company and its associated b r a n d s , Brillia® LED Light Engines and Permlight for Signs™. McDonough will direct smart driver concepts and technology development leading to new

approaches in LED advancements.

McDonough brings over 30 years of experience to the table, having launched a microcontroller, RF wireless, and LED products consulting firm that expanded to include original design manufacturing and contract electronics manufacturing services. McDonough is nationally recognized as a highly prolific design engineer with more than 100 products as a part of his personal portfolio, 12 US and four foreign patents for designs and products, with four additional patents pending. www.Permlight.com

European OLED market: collaborative efforts to push wider adoption of OLEDs

Although organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) have high initial costs, their ability to offer energy savings offers numerous opportunities for large-scale adoption. In addition, sizeable investments in research and development are being made by the European Union (EU) and local governments to develop a large-scale, geographically extensive OLED lighting industry. Increased collaboration between industry, universities and regulatory bodies in Europe will boost product development, notes the analyst of Frost & Sullivan’s “European OLEDs Market” research.

Several ongoing research projects in the EU are aimed at developing the value chain and accelerating the commercialisation of OLED technology, driving the market.

Considering the high costs involved in developing viable lighting solutions with OLEDs, several companies, universities and regulatory bodies are working together to promote mainstream adoption of this exciting technology in the EU. Such collaborations have led to increased optimism and investments in OLEDs. researchandmarkets.com

Lighting Science Group hires Greg Horn to expand customer base overseas

Lighting Science Group Corporation, an American maker of LED-based lighting, has hired Greg Horn to serve as its chief global trade officer. Horn will be identifying, negotiating and executing strategic initiatives, deals and leading the creation of new businesses to grow the company’s international sales. He will also become the lead manager of Lighting Science Group’s interests in international joint ventures, strategic relationships and strategic investments. www.lsgc.com

Global LEDs/OLEDs – Spring 2011 – 7

CO2 balance sheet: aluminum versus alumina ceramics

A number of advantages result from the production of LED lamps using alumina ceramics as a material for heat sinks, reflectors or mountings. These range from excellent thermal management of the CeramCool system to electrical insulation, aesthetics and haptics. Ceramic can replace established technical solutions made from aluminum.

The LCA or “ecobalance” with regard to the production of the product contributes to an objective evaluation of a possible large-scale substitution. This article offers an estimate of the CO2 equivalents between aluminum and alumina ceramics of energy-relevant processing methods. Substituting aluminum with alumina ceramics reduces CO2 emissions into our atmosphere by roughly a factor of two using a volume comparison. When you consider the weight of the end product, aluminum contributes about three times the amount of CO2.

8 – Global LEDs/OLEDs – Spring 2011

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CO2 balance sheet: aluminum versus alumina ceramics

CO2 balance sheet: aluminum versus alumina ceramics An excursion into manufacturing processes with a focus on CO2 generation Dr. Meinhard Kuntz, Manager Oxide Development at CeramTec GmbH

B

auxite is a rock mainly comprising minerals that are various hydrous aluminum oxides (e.g. boehmite, gibbsite, diaspore) and typical impurities mainly of iron, silicon and titanium. In particular, the typical dark reddish brown color is a consequence of a significant iron content. This raw material is strip-mined and serves as the basis for the production of aluminum metals and alumina ceramics.

Using the Bayer process, a common method invented by Karl Josef Bayer in 1888, bauxite is mixed with a sodium hydroxide solution, finely ground and heated with steam.

The aluminum hydroxide dissolves, the impurities precipitate and are separated from the solution with filters (red mud). As the solution cools down, the purified aluminum hydroxide finally precipitates.

The purification of the hydroxide requires around 0.5 kWh of electricity per kg of ceramic alumina powder, which develops through calcination. This is achieved by heating aluminum hydroxide to 1200˚C, which removes the water, converts the hydroxide into oxide and results in Al2O3. The calcination kilns are fired with natural gas, using roughly 0.5m³ per kg of Al2O3. The manufacturing process for metallic aluminum and alumina ceramics is identical up to this point. Using stoichiometry, 530 g of aluminum is obtained from 1000g of Al2O3. For the CO2 balance sheet this means that the energy consump-

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tion from the Bayer process is about twice as high for 1 kg of aluminum than for 1 kg of alumina ceramics. This fact is considered in the tabular overview in the calculation by a factor of two.

The processes go different ways after calcination. By far, the most amount of energy is required for fused-salt electrolysis, during which metallic aluminum is obtained from the alumina powder. The melting temperature of Al2O3 is very high (apprx. 2200˚C). It is thus necessary to mix the alumina powder with cryolite (Na3AlF6), which reduces the melting temperature down to approximately 950˚C. At fused-salt electrolysis the aluminum metal is deposited at the cathode in the electrolytic cell. The anode consists of carbon blocks that decompose to CO2 during the reaction. This process consumes 15 kWh of electrical energy and additionally directly releases 1.2 kg of CO2 per kilogram of aluminum. Another important factor to consider in the ecobalance is the formation of harmful gases such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen fluoride. Aluminum takes shape when it is cast; the metal is melted at temperatures of around 700˚C, which consumes comparatively little energy.

After calcination the ceramic powder is ground, dried and, depending on the production process, combined with 2-12% organic binding agents. Die casting is the preferred method for forming powder

Global LEDs/OLEDs – Spring 2011 – 9

Head-in-pillow: Identifying and highlighting suspect solder joints

Alumina Al2O3

Aluminum Al Raw material Bauxite

Bayer process Al(OH)3 Electricity 0.5 kWh/kg Figure 1. Bauxite raw material: The basis for the production of aluminum and ceramic. Source: Geological collection, University of Tübingen, thanks to Dr. Udo Neumann

bodies in mass applications with complex geometries. Dry pressing is suitable for the large-scale production of less complex components. Electricity consumption of 0.4 kWh/kg was assumed together with grinding and drying in evaluating the production process. Sintering requires the most amount of energy in the production of ceramic components, consuming 1 m3/ kg of natural gas. Moreover, approx. 0.4 kg of CO2 is released for each kilogram of ceramic sintered as the organic binding agents are burned.

This concludes the process evaluation and energy estimates regarding the production of aluminum and alumina ceramic components. A tabular summary of all CO2 relevant process steps provides a good overview here. Figures from the Bayrisches Landesamt für Umwelt, Infozentrum UmweltWirtschaft [Bavarian State Office for Environment, InfoCenter Environmental Economics] were used in calculating the CO2 equivalents of various energy sources. According to these figures, the production of 1 kg of metallic aluminum creates roughly 13.5 kg of CO2 as opposed to 4.8 kg for 1 kg ceramic alumina. When you consider the weight of the end product, aluminum contributes about three times the amount of CO2.

The density of aluminum is 2.7 g / cm³; Al2O3 has a density of 3.9 g/cm³ (factor 1.44). Replaced by the same volume (Al2O3: 4.8 kg CO2 × 1.44 = 6.9 kg CO2), the CO2 balance is still significantly better for alumina ceramics than for aluminum. Using a rough estimate, substituting aluminum with alumina ceramics for a component of the same size reduces CO2 emissions into our atmosphere by approximately a factor of two.

Whenever considering CO2 we should ask the question at which point a comparison no longer makes sense. Right here, with the heat sink as the end product? One step

10 – Global LEDs/OLEDs – Spring 2011

Calcination Al2O3 Natural gas 0.5 m3/kg

Electricity 0.4 kWh/kg

Fused-salt electrolysis Al Electricity 15 kWh/kg Release of CO2 1.2 kg/kg

Sintering

Casting

Natural gas 1 m3/kg Release of CO2 0.4 kg/kg

Electricity 0.3 KWh/kg

Grinding, drying and forming

Figure 2. Overview of energy-relevant processing methods. Note: Several energy sources are used in this process. To increase clarity, all numerical values in this article have been simplified and rounded.

Formed ceramic parts undergo heat treatment below the melting temperature; alumina Al2O3 e.g. at 1300-1600˚C (air). Sintering uses the most energy of all process steps in the production of ceramic, yet the amount of CO2 released is only half the amount released in aluminum production.

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Energy source

Quantity

Unit

Total quantity CO2 equivalents*

Electricity

1.00

kWh

0.62 kg

Heating oil

1.00

l

3.12 kg

Natural gas

1.00

m3

2.46 kg

Liquid gas

1.00

l

1.90 kg

Diesel

1.00

l

3.13 kg

Gasoline

1.00

l

2.92 kg

Wood pellets

1.00

kg

0.07 kg *Including upstream process

Table 1. CO2 equivalents of various energy sources. Source: Bayrisches Landesamt für Umwelt, Infozentrum UmweltWirtschaft, http://www.izu.bayern.de

Materials

Density

Aluminum

2.7 g/cm

Aluminua ceramics

3.9 g/cm3

Factor

3

1.44

Table 2. Comparison of specific weight.

further, after it has been populated with electronic components? Another step further, in its use, e.g. as a LED lamp which saves more energy with ceramic thanks to more efficient cooling for its service life of 15,000 or even 40,000 hours? There are too many imponderables to be able to provide a single simplification. What appears to be more interesting and calculable, however, is the final stage—disposal or recycling.

Metallic aluminum in part can be partly reused through recycling; in contrast, a sintered ceramic component cannot be reused in the production of ceramics. Yet ceramic

is absolutely chemically stable and entirely neutral for the environment. Disposal is not critical; worn-out ceramic components are used, among other things, as a filling material in road construction. With metallic aluminum, on the other hand, metal ions can be released into the groundwater under unfavorable conditions. Also considering the harmful products from fused-salt electrolysis, there are many convincing ecological arguments in favor of using modern advanced ceramics.

Process step

Energy Source

Consumption

Factor

CO2 equivalent

Bayer process

(electricity)

0.5 Kwh/kg

2

0.6

Calcination

Natural gas

0.5 m /kg

2

2.5

Fused-salt electrolsys

Electricity

15 kWh/kg

1

9.0

Fused-salt electrolysis

Release of CO2

1.2 kg/kg

1

1.2

Electricity

0.3 kWh/kg

1

Casting

3

Total

Figure 3. Substituting an aluminum heat sink with a ceramic CeramCool heat sink with a comparable geometric form reduces CO2 emissions by 50%. Millions of these compo-nents are in use – an important contribution to the environment.

0.2 13.5

Table 3. Aluminum—calculation of CO2 equivalents (for the significance of the factor see the notes on the Bayer process). When you consider the weight of the end product, aluminum contributes about three times the amount of CO2.

Process step

Energy Source

Consumption

Factor

CO2 equivalent

Bayer process

(electricity)

0.5 Kwh/kg

1

0.3

Calcination

Natural gas

0.5 m /kg

1

1.3

Processing

Electricity

0.4 kWh/kg

1

0.3

Sintering

Natural gas

3

1 m /kg

1

2.5

Sintering

Release of CO2

0.4 kg/kg

1

0.4

3

Total Table 4. Alumina ceramics—calculation of CO2 equivalents.

4.8

Dr. Meinhard Kuntz, from Philippsburg, Baden, Germany, is the Head of Oxide Development at CeramTec GmbH. His responsibilities include materials and product development in the fields of orthopedics and dental technology, mechanical engineering, cutting tools and electronics. After receiving his doctorate from the University of Karlsruhe in 1995, he spent 10 years as the chief engineer responsible for the research areas of fracture mechanics, bioceramics and innovative production processes in the Advanced Ceramics group at the University of Bremen.

Title Interview

Interview—

Digi-Key’s Mark Larson

Digikey is one of the fastest growing, most dynamic companies in the electronics industry. Trevor Galbraith met Digi-Key’s CEO, Mark Larson at electronica to talk about the strategies that propelled them to the top in such a short time and to gain an insight into their plans for the future.

What would you say have been the key characteristics of the meteoric growth that Digi-Key has experienced in recent years?

I think there are a couple of drivers that have really played strongly in the last few years. One is the Internet. The growth and acceptance of the Internet by the engineering community have been spectacular. In addition to the Internet, we have seen very strong international expansion, which in recent years has been excellent.

A third driver would be our ability to fulfill the needs of tier 3 and tier 4 manufacturers. This started out as a North American initiative and it is now being rolled out in Asia and Europe.

How do you audit and qualify your suppliers, and what key criteria do you demand from them?

To start with we only work with world-class suppliers. However, there are occasions where we do have to vet a supplier of a particular product more closely, where they have not exhibited a long track record.

Basically, we expect performance from our suppliers. They should deliver a quality product, on time, and they should stand behind that product.

One key point is that we only purchase products directly from the manufacturer.

Even if our stocks are depleted on that component, we would not use alternative sources. This helps to guarantee quality and performance and protect against issues such as counterfeit. This is fairly unique to Digi-Key.

12 – Global LEDs/OLEDs – Spring 2011

In a commodity driven market, such as components, how important is it to have the best and easiest to use website and ordering system?

I almost couldn’t overstate it. Bill Gates said people tend to overestimate the impact of technology in the short term but underestimate the impact of technology over 10 years. We have gone from 5% of our business being online to 80% in a very short space of time. We are the industry leader in this area. It has provided our international reach. It has to go beyond just a sales tool and provide all the data behind each product and enable the site to be customized to a customer’s areas of interest.

The Digi-Key software, and in particular the ability to easily price up a BOM list, is one of your best-known features. What strategies do you use to make sure the customer then turns that into a buy decision and doesn’t simply use your site for comparison shopping?

There are a couple of answers. First, we have to be price competitive. Then we have to compare how we’ve serviced that customer over the last five, 10 or 50 orders.

Did we meet the level of customer service that was expected?

How is the current shortage of raw materials and metals affecting your ability to maintain consistent supplies of components to your customers?

In some product categories, it has been incredibly challenging. In the normal course of events we would be running

around 95% of inventory availability. This last year we were running around 89-90% in stock, which indicates we were having trouble with around 5% of stock allocation from some manufacturers. In many cases there were alternatives, but we are seeing an improvement in this situation over the next quarter or two.

Have you experienced any favoritism in the supply chain? Some industry sources say the top six CEMs in China are not experiencing these same difficulties.

In some cases we actually got in a favored position because Digi-Key is seen as a demand creation tool, and many engineers are looking for products for new designs.

These designs may be a handful of components now, but the potential for large volume orders is considerable.

Almost 22% compound growth over the

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Title Interview

past twenty years is a remarkable achievement, but to do this organically, without an acquisition strategy, is even more remarkable. How sustainable is this, and do you see an acquisition strategy featuring in the next stage of your company’s development?

I really don’t see acquisitions playing in within the next five years. I think the growth we have at the moment is sustainable, although we are always subject to the market. Having said that, Digi-Key has always outperformed the market. For example, if the market is up 10%, Digi-Key will be up 25%. In Europe passives are 50%.

Our passives are up 100%.

We are still at the bottom end of the growth curve in Europe. I think we could grow two to three times in Europe and something similar in Asia. Most of our European growth has been on the

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engineering side. We really have not event started in serving customers for NPI and high-mix, where our real strength lies. The fun has just begun!

As you seek to improve your service and your reach beyond the United States, do you envisage opening regional distribution centers?

If you would have asked that question five years ago, I would have said we would have had a regional distribution center in europe by now. My thinking has changed 180 degrees. The Digi-Key model is shipped from a single point. We can go anywhere in the world in one to two days. At a worst case it would take three days for deepest China.

We are not in the maintenance and repair business. We are in the design, NPI, production environment, and the

importance to designers is the greatest breadth of component inventory and that it will be delivered on time. When they source a single product and mine down to it, they will see the same component from up to six different vendors.

2010 has been a busy and challenging year.

What is next for Digikey?

This is not going to sound like an exciting answer to your question. I think we will be doing much the same as we are doing now, but more of it. We are like a snowball rolling down a hill.

Twenty years ago we were a $100 million company, Last year, we were a $900 million company. This year we will be over $1.5 billion with growth in Asia of over 150%.

Trevor Galbraith.

Global LEDs/OLEDs – Spring 2011 – 13

New Products

New products

Veeco introduces MaxBright MOCVD multi-reactor system

The new TurboDisc® MaxBright™ gallium nitride (GaN) metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) multi-reactor system from Veeco Instruments is designed for the production of high-brightness light-emitting diodes (HB LEDs). The system leverages Veeco’s market-leading Uniform FlowFlange® technology and automation expertise by combining multiple, new, high-throughput MOCVD reactors in a modular two- or four-reactor cluster architecture.

The MaxBright reactors, based on the production-proven K465i, feature both expanded wafer capacity and advanced, proprietary, closed-loop, thermal control technology. These reactors achieve 25% higher throughput than the standard K465i, while extending proven performance advantages—uniformity, repeatability and material quality.

The MaxBright MOCVD system offers industry-leading wafer capacity of up to 216 x 2”, 56 x 4”, 24 x 6” or 12 x 8” wafers. In addition, seamless recipe transfer from K465i to MaxBright enables customers to achieve rapid production start. www.veeco.com

Xicato’s new spot module range features up to 50% increased efficiency

The Xicato new Spot Module range features improvements of up to 50% efficacy increases and extensions that include a doubling of flux to 2000 lm, yet all modules have the same form factor with the same interfaces. Whether a module has 400 lm or 2000 lm, the 22 mm diameter aperture remains the optical interface, and therefore no change in optics is needed. There is even backward thermal compatibility within the range. For example, the 1300 lm module

14 – Global LEDs/OLEDs – Spring 2011

(which can perform on a par with a 20W CMH lamp) can be used on a heat sink designed for a 1000 lm module, preventing the need for luminaire design changes.

Future proofing is a hallmark of this design concept. www.xicato.com

New Bridgelux LED arrays double light output of today’s commercially available LED products

Shattering industry standards for light output performance while significantly improving efficacy and further reducing the cost of solid-state light (SSL),

Bridgelux’s new RS Arrays deliver 3500 to 8000 operational lumens, an extended range of color temperatures including warm, neutral and cool white (2700K to 5600K), and multiple color rendering indices (CRI) options, further increasing choices for high quality lighting. These LED arrays both simplify and enable rapid development of new high-lumen LED products accelerating the ability for solid state lighting to replace high wattage HID luminaires, providing safer operation and reducing payback periods to as little as 2 years. These high flux density sources enable precision lighting previously impossible with lower power solid state lighting technology, opening up new markets to solid state lighting. www.bridgelux.com

Helios Crew rolls out MEMSintegrated S35 LED packaged component

Taiwan-based Helios Crew has rolled out a new packaged component LED called the S35 that combines semiconductor processing and MEMS to create a new silicon packaging technology. The silicon sub-mount technology combines a highbrightness SemiLEDs chip and offers both reliability and brightness. The compact S35 silicon exhibits over eight times more www.globalledoled.com

New Products thermal conductance than aluminum oxide ceramic packages. In addition, it is cost-effective compared to aluminum nitride ceramic. www.heioscrew.com

Rubicon introduces innovative 12-inch sapphire wafers for LED production

Rubicon Technology, Inc., is now producing 12-inch polished wafers, the largest high-quality, sapphire wafer ready for production of LEDs (light emitting diodes). Rubicon offers a complete range of high quality sapphire substrates including two-, three- and four-inch core, and six-, eight- and 12-inch wafers. www.rubicon-es2.com

Free expert resource kit for better thermal management of LED lighting now available from ATS

Advanced Thermal Solutions, ATS, has bundled a range of expert technical resources for thermally managing LED lighting into a comprehensive package. It is called the Expert Resource Kit for Better Thermal Management of LED Lighting.

The kit was developed specifically for thermal management professionals in the LED lighting industry, and for engineers who are responsible for ensuring the proper performance of LED designs. To get your copy of this important thermal design resource, visit http://fs10.formsite.com/ joday-qats/form3/index.html

Isolated active PFC off-line LED controller is TRIAC dimmable & needs no OPTO isolator

Linear Technology’s LT3799 is an isolated LED controller with active power factor correction (PFC) specifically designed for driving LEDs from a universal input range of 90VAC to 265VAC. The LT3799 is optimized for LED applications requiring 4W to over 100W of LED power and also compatible with standard TRIAC in-wall dimmers. The LT3799’s unique current sensing scheme delivers a well regulated current to the secondary side without using an opto-coupler. This not only reduces cost but also improves reliability.

It’s single stage PFC regulator design requires minimal external components.

Additionally, it’s thermally enhanced MSOP-16E package ensures a simple and compact solution footprint for off-line LED applications. www.linear.com

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Philips Lumileds extends LED portfolio for automotive signaling Philips Lumileds’ new SignalSure mid-power, surface-mount LEDs for automotive signaling applications are intended to be the most robust and reliable surface mount LED available to the automotive industry today.

The LEDs undergo a rigorous multi environment overstress testing (MEOST) regime that exceeds the testing required by today’s standards for automotive signaling LED sources.

SignalSure is available in red-orange and amber colors per automotive specifications. www.philips.com

Cree broadens LED module family

Cree, Inc. extends its LED module family with the Cree LMR2 LED module, a compact, high-efficiency module that provides a simple solution for lighting designers and manufacturers looking to offer best-in-class LED lighting. The previously-released Cree LMR4 LED module is also now available in four

color points, 2700 K, 3000 K, 3500 K and 4000 K, each based on Cree TrueWhite® Technology.

The versatile LMR2 module uses Cree TrueWhite Technology to provide efficient, high-quality light where high CRI and efficacy are required. www.cree.com

Count On Tools debuts SMT pick-up tooling design for CREE XM-L LEDs

The new serise of custom SMT Pick-and-place nozzles for CREE® XLamp® XM-L LED components from Count On Tools is manufacturer-approved, based on CREE Inc.’s strict requirements and specifications.

By working closely with the component manufacturer, Count On Tools guarantees secure picking of all fragile components and accurate placement on the circuit board. The company’s line of custom SMT nozzles was developed especially for CREE XLamp® XM-L LEDs. According to CREE, the XLamp® XM-L is the industry’s brightest, highest performance lighting-class LED. With breakthrough light output and efficacy, XM-L is designed for very high-lumen applications, such as high-bay or roadway lighting. www.cotinc.com

Global LEDs/OLEDs – Spring 2011 – 15

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