Uniroyal Technology Corporation Partners with Educational Institutions to Advance Ultraviolet LED Device Development
August 7, 2001
SARASOTA, Fla., Uniroyal Optoelectronics (UOE), a subsidiary of Uniroyal Technology Corporation (Nasdaq: UTCI - news), has announced a long-term collaborative project, "UV Florida , with three of Florida s leading research universities -- University of Florida, University of South Florida and University of Central Florida -- to accelerate UOE s development of ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diodes (LEDs), the cornerstone for efficient "white light LED devices. Current estimates suggest that one third of the world s total energy resources are utilized in the generation of light. Solid state LEDs consume 90% less power than required by incandescent bulbs and statistics gathered from applications such as LED traffic signals are confirming the efficiencies of LED devices.
"Once again, Florida is center stage leading efforts to positively impact one of the most important issues facing our country today -- the shortage of energy, said Governor Jeb Bush. "In partnership with three outstanding Florida universities, I am confident that Uniroyal Optoelectronics will continue to break new ground in state-of-the-art research and development. Innovations such as Uniroyal s ultraviolet LED device are just one more reason that countless hi-tech businesses are choosing to call Florida home.
Uniroyal Optoelectronics has assembled a world-class R & D team and is nearing completion of its state-of-the-art R & D facility. The UV Florida project will be funded by a portion of the potential $3.6 million State of Florida research & development incentive program available to UOE and will enhance UOE s extensive on-site R & D program. The initial goal of the project will be the development of UV (350-400nm) AlGaInN-based LED devices. Ultraviolet LEDs, when packaged with a tri-colored phosphor, generate a brighter, purer and more efficient ``white LED device than the current method of packaging a high brightness blue LED with yellow phosphor. High brightness UV LEDs (>2 mW) represent a tremendous opportunity to establish new markets in solid-state white lighting, medical diagnosis, optical storage, and compact sensing devices in the chemical, environmental and biological markets. According to market research, the high brightness LED market grew in sales to $1.2 billion or 54% in 2000, and is expected to triple by 2005.
"The development of efficient blue and even shorter wavelength solid-state light emitting devices is perhaps the most significant technological breakthrough in the last decade, declared Tim Anderson, Professor and Chair of Chemical Engineering at the University of Florida. "This advance should have a broad impact on a variety of technologies and UOE has the opportunity to become a major producer of devices for this market. The State of Florida is to be commended for its foresight in establishing this partnership between UOE and three of its universities, said Anderson.
Each university will provide research in its specific area of technical expertise. The University of Florida will focus on the epitaxial growth and processing of UV LED devices while the University of South Florida and University of Central Florida will provide structural measurement and electrical and optical characterization, respectively. UOE will benefit, not only from the results of the focused UV Florida project, but from the resources of knowledge, sophisticated measurement equipment and the talent of the students that each university offers.
"This is a win-win situation for the universities and UOE, said Robert L. Soran, President and Chief Operating Officer of Uniroyal Technology Corporation. "Aside from the benefits each university will derive from the funds of the incentive program, both the universities and UOE will benefit from the exchange of knowledge between the research professors and UOE s world class scientists. In addition, students have the opportunity to conduct research on cutting edge technologies and, upon graduation, should be ready for high tech positions with UOE, said Mr. Soran. "We are excited about the opportunities ahead through our partnership with Florida s universities.
The American Electronics Association (AeA) recently reported that Florida ranks fifth in the United States in terms of high-tech employment and the State s proactive support, through programs such as the research and development incentive, promotes the advancement of Florida s technology industry.
"This research partnership with Uniroyal is extremely significant for the State of Florida. This will make our region the nucleus of an explosive expansion into a major new technology market, said Michael G. Kovac, USF Director of High Tech Partnerships and former Dean of Engineering. "It is similar to the partnerships that Hewlett Packard, Fairchild and Intel had with Stanford University when Silicon Valley was spawned and the partnerships that Polaroid, Digital Equipment and IBM had with MIT creating the Route 128 phenomenon, said Kovac. "Because of this partnership, we have attracted several nationally known researchers to our faculty this year.
Dr. John Hitt, President of the University of Central Florida, added, ``Our students and faculty members will benefit enormously through their work with UOE researchers, but the long-term winners are the taxpayers of Florida who will reap the benefits of the value-added, high-wage jobs created through this investment in semiconductor manufacturing. The State of Florida research and development incentive program unlocks the value of our state s research universities and enables them to help Florida attract these widely sought investments.
Uniroyal Technology s Compound Semiconductors & Optoelectronics business segment includes Uniroyal Optoelectronics, Sterling Semiconductor, Inc., and NorLux Corp. Uniroyal Optoelectronics manufactures high brightness light emitting diodes (HB-LEDs), a rapidly growing market with applications such as traffic signals, indoor/outdoor signage and automotive applications. Brand names include POWER-Ga(i)N(TM and POWER-BR(ite)(TM). Sterling Semiconductor is a leading producer of silicon carbide (SiC) substrates, epitaxial thin films on SiC substrates and is developing SiC devices for wireless communications, industrial process control, and power amplification. NorLux Corp. specializes in the design and manufacture of custom lighting solutions utilizing light emitting diodes (LEDs). Well-known brand names in Uniroyal s Coated Fabrics and Specialty Adhesives segments include NAUGAHYDE® and NAUGASOFT® in coated fabrics and, SILAPRENE®, HYDRA FAST-EN® and GUNTHER ULTRA/BOND® in adhesives.
The Company s common stock and warrants trade on the Nasdaq/NMS under the symbols UTCI and UTCIW, respectively.
Statements made herein that are forward-looking in nature within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those related to business conditions and the financial strength of the various markets served by the Company, the level of spending for such products and the ability of the Company to successfully manufacture and market its products.
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