SemiLEDs is a LED chip maker, possessing UV LED chip and systems, also producing lighting class LED.

LEDinside had the opportunity to interview Ilkan Cokgor, Ph.D., Executive VP of Sales and Marketing SemiLEDs, in order to understand SemiLEDs's LED lighting and UV LED development.

Development status of SemiLEDs's UV LED system integration

Although many UV LED applications are currently available on the market, most--for instance, curing technology--tend to be used in industrial settings. The relatively low UV LED adoption rate is generally attributable to the system integration problems that are encountered by manufacturers within the industry.

In the interview, Dr. Cokgor pointed out that to overcome system integration challenges, greater numbers of downstream solutions and better product integrations are needed. These would enable products to be assembled much more effectively, and in turn increase the adoption for UV LED applications. While SemiLEDs is known only to provide chips in the past, the company now offers various engineering solutions and provides convenient component parts that are easily integrated into the product systems of different clients.

SemiledSemiLEDs's plan for the future, as of now, is to provide core light sources that will enable customers to make better lighting items and to shorten the time it takes for their products to reach the market.

The specialty of new UV LED products and related applications

Products like UV LED-based laser printers and high speed printers are known to require high photon densities and power in order to perform at optimal levels. These products are generally known to have wavelengths that range from 365nm to 395nm.

According to Dr. Cokgor, SemiLEDs will be looking to release promising new UV LED products by mid 2013; Before then, the company will continue to provide engineering services that are aimed at helping its clients produce cost-sensitive consumer applications.

SemiledSemiLEDs's customers are often given the option of customizing their own designs, and as such have more than a few opportunities to optimize their production processes and to increase their competitiveness within the market.

Unique traits and benefits of SemiledSemiLEDs’s UV LED products

When it came to the subject of unique product quality, Dr. Cokgor made sure to mention the ability of SemiledSemiLEDs's UV LED chips to withstand extremely high power currents and temperatures. SemiLEDs, according to Dr. Cokgor, differs from its competitors in that it is able to include such a high-quality feature without compromising its products' reliability. As a means to apply its products to as many different settings as possible, the company has created a number of designs that are both ideal for chips of different sizes and suitable for a unique set of purposes.

The two other important product traits of SemiLEDSemiLEDs's chips that are worthy of mentioning include their highly directional emissions, which makes them good for environments requiring high concentrations of UV lights, and the large selection of wavelengths, which range from 365nm to 420nm.

SemiledSemiLEDs's Strategies in the UV LED Market

SemiledSemiLEDs's current strategy in the market involves rapidly developing UV LED applications and creating products that come in a wider variety of wavelength options. When asked to elaborate on his company's perception towards the lowering of UV LED's wavelength, Dr. Cokgor referred to the importance of fulfilling diverse business needs and practically assessing a product's market potential. Although SemiLEDs continue to research wavelengths that are 365nm and under, Dr. Cokgor stated that other competitive approaches should also be considered carefully.

The current state of SemiledSemiLEDs’s global supply chain

SemiledSemiLEDs is a vertically integrated organization, and has been known to develop core chip technology for many years. The said technology is described as being the main engine for all UV systems.

Dr. Cokgor is confident about the state of SemiledSemiLEDs's global supply chain, given the increased demand for UV LED in countries like the US, Russia, India, Taiwan, China, South Korea, and Japan. In Japan, UV LED is applied in many notable fields, including that of manufacturing, semiconducting, and medical appliances. The demand for UV LED in Asia is continuing to rise to this day, and accounts for approximately 50% of the world's total UV LED demand.

SemiledSemiLEDs’s future in the Asia-Pacific markets remains optimistic, although UV LED may still take 5 years to reach maturity

With regard to the future, Dr. Cokgor believes in the importance of having more distributors in different markets. This appears to be a goal for not just the UV LED industry, but also that for general lighting, industrial lighting, and commercial lighting. The increased number of distributing channels is believed to be critical in terms of stimulating further market growth.

Looking at the state of the UV LED industry and its various technological developments, Dr. Cokgor believes that it will at least take another five years for the UV LED market to mature. If the number of beneficial applications increases, significant growth can be expected earlier.