Phosphor intellectual property rights affect the strength of the LED industry pattern

According to the French Research Institute Yole analysis, in the LED lighting patents, involving LED phosphor patent is one of the most fundamental, therefore, the most influential.

In mid 90s, Nichia researchers Shuji Nakamura and Japan's Nagoya University professor Akasaki worked out the first commercial GaN based blue LED (Dan Huajia). Soon, some of the basic use of LED blue phosphor to produce with white LED patent respectively by OSRAM, Nichia, ATMI and other companies to submit. Then, in 2005, more and more companies opened in the LED competition in the industry, these basic patent application products were quickly more and more sought after, such as mobile phone, notebook computer, LCD TV screen and general lighting.

Intellectual property rights of phosphor powder is an important force in LED industry. Related cases up to 40 cases. There are hundreds of companies involved in the intellectual property rights of LED phosphors, most of which LED companies will list the list of top patent assignee. However, independent fluorescent powder manufacturers, such as Intematix and Mitsubishi Co, are becoming the main force of LED phosphor intellectual property.

Nowadays, high-performance silicate has been widely used as a substitute for YAG, the new combination of development and the focus of patent protection mostly turned to red and green converter. A new fluorescent powder Market and some of the most critical intellectual property mainly from MITSUBISHI and Denka dominate, they have respectively from the NIMS (National Institute of Materials Science) won the license and oxygen nitride nitride.

However, many other companies are also developing nitrides and nitrogen oxides, including Intematix, middle pole and Lightscape (now Dow electronic materials). The new family of materials has also been viewed as promising phosphors, including tungstate, molybdate, and fluoride, which is advocated by GE.

According to Yole analysis, based on recent advances in thermal stability and manufacturability, quantum dots have finally become a reliable option. In the lighting industry, the use of red quantum dots combined with standard phosphors may occur in remote phosphor applications.