(Author: Joanne Wu of LEDinsidehttp:// Translator: Judy Lin, Chief Editor, LEDinside)

LEDinside had an opportunity to speak to top UV LED manufacturers at RadTech UV+EB 2016, which took place from May 16-18 in Chicago, U.S. this year. A lot of UV LED manufacturers launched their products at the show, which can be classified into three major technologies UV LED package, epoxy resin, photoinitiators, and other related materials and modules.

Nichia to launch UV-C LED products in late 2016

Top UV-A LED manufacturer Nichia’s products has mainly been supplying high end quartz glass substrate based products and silicon adhesive glass packages with high Cost/ Performance ratio that are used in oil-based printing, and epoxy curing market applications. High end quartz LED package products NVSU233A that have a dimension of 35 mm x35 mm have a wavelength emission of 365 nm-405 nm. When driven under 1,000 mA current it can reach an efficacy of 1,400 mW. The company aims to improve luminous efficacy by 40% by first quarter of 2017. 

NIchia's aim for its NVSU233A  UV LED product. (All photos courtesy of LEDinside)

The second promoted product is the more efficient NVSU119C, which is also a 35 mm x35 mm size package product with a wavelength performance of 375 nm-405 nm, and can reach 1,340 mW at 700 mA. The NVSU119C has a higher cost/performance ratio, and the company aims to raise luminous efficiency by 20% by fourth quarter of 2017. The last product is NVSU333A, which is a package with a dimension of 68 mm x 68 mm, the product has a wavelength ranging between 365 nm-405 nm, and when driven under 3,500 mA current, the efficacy performance is 4,640 mW. The product can be applied in high speed printing, and the company aims to raise luminous efficacy by 50% in second quarter of 2017.

Nichia is also releasing DUV LED products later this year, which will come in two wavelengths models 280 nm and 310 nm. The two-in-one LED package at 350 mA or 6V can respectively reach efficacy of 70 mW and 73 mW. The product’s lifetime was 5,000 hours at lumen maintenance of about 70%, which is the product with the longest lifetime in the industry. The company expects to start mass producing the product in November and December 2016.

Toyoda Gosei glass LED package products high reliability and product lifetime

Toyoda Gosei's glass encapsualted UV LED product.

Toyoda Gosei is a UV LED chip and package manufacturer, and the company released glass UV LED products in 2016. The product uses flip chip LED technology, and has a wavelength of 385 nm. The 2020 LED package efficiency performance can reach 800 mW when driven under 500 mA currents, the maximum current it can be driven at is 1,000 mA. Compared to silicon resin packaged products 5,000 hour lifetime, Toyoda Gosei’s glass-encapsulated UV LED package can reach 40,000 hour lifetime.

At the same time, each surface unit power output can reach 200 mW/mm². It is expected the product can be applied in curing equipment application markets, such as printing and bonding. The company currently has a product lineup including 385 nm, 395 nm, and 405 nm products. In the future, Toyoda Gosei will release 365 nm UV-A LED products, and will continue to raise the luminous efficiency of its 385 nm-405 nm products. Responding to market demands, Toyoda Gosei will release COB UV LED products during third quarter of 2016.

Ushio’s comprehensive exposurer UV curing supply chain

After Ushio merged with Epitex, the company released UV LED and IR LED products in 2016. The company showcased UV LED and IR LED products, and UV-A LED made up the majority of its UV LED products. The company product line includes LED chips, LED package, module, and equipment system to comprise a comprehensive curing and exposurer market. At the same time, the IR LED product wavelength ranges between 850 nm-1,700 nm. The company supplies LED chips, LED package and other products, which covers a very wide wavelength range.  The company’s IR LED products have a wavelength range of 800 nm-1,700 nm, which is supplied to LED chips and LED package products. Since the product has a very wide wavelength application range, IR LED chips are applied in wearable devices.

Ushio's UV LED products displayed at RadTech UV+EB 2016.

Violeds 275 nm UV-C LED products can deliver 30 mW performance

Violeds is a strategic joint venture established by Seoul Viosys and SETi. The company’s Violeds UV-A LED products have a wavelength of 385 nm, and can deliver a luminous efficiency performance of 1,200 mW when driven at 500 mA or 3.4V, delivering stellar performance. The company also released 365 nm and 385 nm COB LED products at the show, which are mainly used for surface inspection applications, for instance checking whether engines in aircrafts have been damaged.

Seoul Viosys representative at its booth and products at RadTech UV+EB 2016.

The company is also targeting the commercialization of UV LED chip products with a wavelength below 405 nm, and has escalated production capacity. In 2016, the company’s UV-C LED products which emit a wavelength of 275 nm when driven at a current of 350 mA or 3-3.5V can reach 30 mW.

Seoul Semiconductor UV LED product lineup.

LG Innotek provides high C/P ratio UV-A LED and UV-C LED products

LG Innotek has been active in providing UV-A LED and UV-C LED products on the market. The company’s 365 nm UV-A LED product uses 3535 LEDs, and when driven by 1,000 mA currents, or 3.5 V can reach an efficiency of 1,900 mW. The product uses silicon resin packages to improve its C/P ratio.

LG Innotek UV LED chip and UV LED package products.

LEDinside observations

UV LED manufacturers have been actively developing UV-C LED products and improving C/P ratio, lifetime, while lowering prices and costs. Only by doing so can companies introduce UV-C LED products into disinfection and purification markets. At the same time, the curing application market must also take into consideration photoinitiator developments have failed to meet expectations and UV LEDs are still mostly using traditional mid-wavelength photoiniators in curing equipment. This has also led to UV LED manufacturers’ active development of related products to launch comprehensive UV LED wavelength products.