Samsung Electronics announced that it has achieved the industry’s highest light efficacies for its fillet-enhanced chip-scale package (FEC) LED lineup – LM101B, LH181B and LH231B.

Taiwan-based LED chip manufacturer Epistar reported a decrease of 8.59% MoM and a growth of 11.52% YoY in its revenue for January 2018. The slow season and the price decline of LED are factored in for the decrease.

Samsung Electronics today announced two new additions to its chip-scale package (CSP) line-up: LM101B, a 1W-class mid-power LED, and LH231B, a 5W-class high-power LED. Built with enhanced CSP technology, the new LED packages deliver industry-leading efficacy and reliability for spotlights and high-bay lighting applications.

Osram Opto Semiconductors is expanding its existing portfolio for flash applications with a product featuring a specially developed chip sized package (CSP). With Ceramos C, Osram is following the trend for miniaturization as the new LED is the smallest yet in its product family. It is ideal for flash applications on smartphones etc., producing perfect illumination for every snapshot.

The China LED chip industry is highly concentrated at this point. It is undergoing an reshuffle and slowly transitioning to a dynamic where LED chip and package behemoths San’an Opto and HC SemiTek pretty much lead and even control the pack. In the face of upcoming capacity expansion from major manufacturers, is there really a way for other SMEs to sail through such turbulent waters?

 Curable Phosphor PSA Films designed for CSP LED high-volume manufacturing were successfully developed and mass-produced by FLORY Optoelectronic Materials Company in Suzhou of China after years of innovation and optimization. The pressure-sensitive nature of this Phosphor Film (PF) eliminates the usage of an extra-layer of PSA in between the phosphor sheet and the CSP chip （Figure 1). The use of Curable Phosphor PSA Films can significantly simplify the CSP packaging process, enhance reliability, improve yields and productivity, and reduce the cost of ownership. In addition, curable and thermally conductive silicone pastes T02-01 with excellent gap filling and high conductivity were successfully developed as well at FLORY Materials.  

Epistar on 21st June announced its financial results, reporting a fully utilized capacity of blue LED as well as a sustained production of AlInGaP LED despite subtle growth in both the output of light sources and the orders for LED backlighting and little possibility to raise prices of its products. The company estimated a 15% QoQ rise that could possibly push up 2Q17’s revenue close to the number in 2Q16. Epistar also expected a decent financial performance in 3Q17 supported by the chip production for LED lighting, AlInGaP LED and infrared LED.

Corning, a global leader in silicones, silicon-based technology and innovation, introduced Dow Corning CL-1000 Optical Silicone Binder, a new, more thermally stable, high refractive index (RI) material available only in China that is formulated to expand design options for high-power chip-scale LED packaging (CSP). The latest addition to the company’s portfolio of advanced solutions for LED lighting, CL-1000 Binder offers best-in-class thermal stability and is optimized for compression molding processes.

Last Friday, LED epiwafer manufacturer Genesis Photonics Inc. (GPI) outlined its future roadmap at a press conference, stating it was redirecting its focus to CSP LEDs for automotive lighting, reported Money DJ.com.

Royal Philips Lighting finally sold its 80.1% stake in Lumileds for US $2 billion to Apollo Global Management, retaining only a 19.9% stake in its former LED component business.Will Lumileds sale result in a new owner of CSP LED technology? As a “senior stalker” of CSP LEDs, a stroll down the memory lane indicates the technology was launched by Lumileds nearly a decade ago, leading international players control the key technologies. However, Chinese manufacturers have also taken off in recent years.

The LED market’s downturn resulted in net losses for certain manufacturers, such as Taiwanese LED die manufacturer Genesis Photonics Inc., leading to rumors that it is on the brink of a shutdown, reported Apple Daily.

In 2016, Epistar lead the Taiwan LED industry business model transition from unprofitable product portfolio to refocusing on more profitable client orders. Other LED companies have caught onto this trend, such as Unity Opto, which slashed LED bulb production capacity by 70%, reported China Times.

At LEDforum 2016 hosted by LEDinside in late September in Taipei, Taiwan, industry insiders were all focused on innovative technologies including Quantum Dot (QD), Micro-LEDs and other new technologies. Saturation in the LED backlight market, while the LED lighting market might have high market potential, but requires specialization has ushered development of new applications in the LED industry. Some of these include small-pitch LED displays for billboards, large indoor displays, automotive LEDs, non-visible LED light (UV and IR applications), grow lights and other important emerging applications. Future technology developments include integrating QD technology with micro-LEDs to optimize LED performance.

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced component solutions, announced today that it has introduced “Fx-CSP”, a line-up of LED packages which features chip-scale packaging* and flexible circuit board technology, for use in automotive lighting applications.

Changxin, a guest writer for LEDinside highlights several market trends ahead of the upcoming Guangzhou International Lighting Fair, including a thorough analysis of why the industry has escaped being sucked into the vicious cycle of low price wars this year.

What’s next for the LED industry? Will CSP LEDs become a widely used light source in general lighting? These were some of the questions industry insiders asked at LED Executive Summit 2016 hosted by SEMI, which took place at Nangang Exhibition Centre, Taipei, Taiwan on Wednesday. 

CSP LEDs developed by Taiwanese LED manufacturer Genesis Photonics Inc. (GPI) are being shipped to Japan, Europe and U.S. markets is gradually taking off. In a recent interview with LEDinside, the company’s CEO Mark Chen analyzed the company’s wafer level Chip Scale Package (CSP) LEDs that were an extension of its flip chip technology, and the advantages these products have in future niche market applications.

The worst is thought to be over as 2015 comes to an end, a quick overview of developments in the past year show product prices have reached new historical lows in the past year. The elimination race has escalated with restructures becoming the new norm in the industry.

Intense competition in the LED market will spur the LED market into a new phase, and with Nichia’s white LED patents expiring in 2017, Taiwanese LED chip maker Genesis Photonics Inc. (GPI) is focusing on the emerging flip chip LED and CSP LED market, said the company Chairman David Chung in a recent interview with China Post.

Chip Scale Package (CSP) has been in the LED industry for some time, and many manufacturers have followed in Lumileds footsteps and launched CSP LED products. Even LED package manufacturers are entering the field, but CSP applications are rarely seen in lighting applications.

Plessey announced that it has developed a patented technology for Chip Scale Optics (CSO) based on its award winning GaN-on-Silicon MaGIC ™ LEDs.  Chip Scale Optics permits design of light emission angles down to ten degrees direct from the LED.  Having the primary optics on-chip eliminates the cost of primary optics typically found in packaged LEDs and chip-on-board modules.  Furthermore, it significantly lowers the cost and provides for far greater design freedom for secondary optics within a luminaire.  The first off applications include retail spot lighting, hospitality lighting, high and low bays, street lighting and stadium lighting.  It is estimated that Plessey’s chip scale optics will halve the cost of these lighting applications.

The LED lighting market has gradually slowed down in recent years after a period of exponential growth, and the Chinese market is seeing intense pricing competition. These factors have driven manufacturers to advance their LED technologies and aggressively develop uncontested markets. With its focus on high-power LED components, Edison Opto establishes a leading market position by utilizing its advantages in technology expertise and R&D.

CSP technology will lead the emergence of new LED package material demands, said Kaz Maruyama, Global Marketing Director, Dow Corning Lighting Solutions at LEDforum 2015 Guangzhou, which took place earlier this month at China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou, China.