Technical Insight
UV Florida project targets ultraviolet LED development (LED News)
Uniroyal Optoelectronics has announced a long-term collaborative project with three Florida-based universities to accelerate the development of UV LEDs for efficient white light emitters. Known as "UV Florida", the initial goal will be the development of AlGaInN LEDs operating from 350 to 400 nm in combination with tri-color phosphors. The company says UV LEDs packaged with such phosphors generate brighter, more efficient white sources than emitters based on the combination of a blue LED and yellow phosphor converter (see ). As part of the joint initiative, the University of Florida will focus on epitaxial growth and processing of UV LED devices, while the Universities of South and Central Florida will provide structural determination and electrical and optical characterization respectively. The project will be funded in part by a Florida State R&D incentive program, and supplement UOE s existing R&D program. "The development of efficient blue and even shorter wavelength solid-state light-emitting devices represents perhaps the most significant technological breakthrough in the last decade," said 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 manufacturer of devices for this market."
