LG Innotek today announced that the company has developed the world's first 100mW (mill watts) UV-C LED. This development is 2 years ahead of the industry forecast that predicted its development would be successful by 2020.

UV-C LED is a product that emits ultraviolet light with short wavelengths ranging between 200 - 280 nanometers (nm), and is also called Deep UV. It is used in sterilizing and hardening devices with its ability to destroy bacterial DNA and cause chemical reactions with special materials. LG Innotek’s product emits UV in the range of 278nm.

LG Innotek’s 100mW UV-C LED (Image: LG Innotek)

UV-C LED can produce more powerful sterilizing effects with higher light output, but it is very difficult to obtain a stable quality in products with it due to heat. The companies that have led the market have also planned to launch the 100mW UV-C LED by 2020.

LG Innotek has overcome the technological limit by applying the epitaxial structure and the vertical chip technology that maximize light extraction. The ultraviolet output is raised and the heat is discharged effectively, ensuring stable quality reliability. This one 100mW UV-C LED can emit strong sterilization ultraviolet light for more than 10,000 hours.

LG Innotek’s 100mW UV-C LED (Image: LG Innotek)

With this development of the product having a light output of 100mW, LG Innotek has now become capable of expanding its UV-C LED application field. As the product can rapidly sterilize flowing water and even air, it can be used in a wide array of household appliances from water purifiers and air purifiers to air conditioning systems for buildings and automobiles as well as water treatment devices.

Conventional UV-C LEDs with a light output level of 1~2mW are mostly used for portable sterilizers or small household appliances. Due to their weak UV-C power, their scope of application is limited.

As the company has discussed development of a variety of products using UV-C LED with a number of other global companies and the demand for high-output LEDs continues to grow, it is expected that the demand for 100mW UV-C LEDs will also increase rapidly.

LG Innotek intends to accelerate its securing of the UV LED market leadership. In particular, the company has confidence in hitting the market with its unrivaled technology in the UV-C field that can offer excellent sterilization and curing performance.

The company’s quality competitiveness has been proven by its launching of innovative products such as the LED module for sterilizing water purifier faucet aerator and the UV LED sterilizer for escalator handrails one step ahead of its rivaling Japanese companies.

According to the market researcher, the UV LED market is expected to more than triple to $526 million by 2020 from $166 million of last year. In particular, the portion of UV-C in the market will increase from $28 million to $244 million during the same period, leading the company's growth.

A representative of LG Innotek said, "We will continue to widen the technological gap with our competitors and introduce innovative products that our customers desire to stay as the leader of the market.”