The Company Is Currently Shipping Into Solid State White Light Applications
DURHAM, N.C., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Cree Research, Inc. (NASDAQ:CREE)
today announced a light emitting diode (LED) product line for solid state
lighting applications. The line will build on the company's existing blue LED
products which are now being used in customer applications to generate solid
state white light through conversion of blue light into white. The offerings
will include new blue and ultraviolet LEDs, currently under development, that
are designed to maximize conversion efficiency.
Neal Hunter, Chairman and CEO, stated, "Globally there is great
anticipation and demand for LEDs in lighting applications because of their low
power consumption and long life. Our LED products will not be replacing the
residential incandescent market in the short term, but we anticipate our chips
may significantly impact the miniature incandescent market. Based upon
feedback from customers, we see solid state lighting representing the largest
potential application for LED materials in the long term."
The colors are generated through the use of conversion material,
traditionally phosphors or plastic, that transitions the blue or ultraviolet
output into the desired color including the broadest use which is for white
light.
Key to the success of this product line will be much tighter control of
wavelength than is currently available in the marketplace. Conversion
materials are particularly sensitive to broad wavelength distribution which
requires the LED supplier to tighten specifications for wavelength control to
obtain consistency in the converted wavelength. The company expects to
complete release of the entire product over the next six months.
North Carolina based Cree Research, Inc. is the world leader in the
development of silicon carbide semiconductors which have potential advantages
in certain optoelectronic, RF and microwave, power, and high temperature
applications. Cree owns outright or licenses exclusively 51 U.S. and 32
foreign patents related to its process and device technology.
In accordance with safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the company notes that statements in this press
release which look forward in time involves risks and uncertainties that may
cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-
looking statement. Such forward-looking statements include those related to
development of new LED products and potential uses of LED products by
customers. Factors that could cause results to differ materially from those
indicated by the forward-looking statements include possible delays in
achieving or inability to achieve technology breakthroughs necessary to
produce commercially viable devices for the target market; potential inability
to reduce wavelength variability in its LED chips to the extent required to
offer cost-effective products; possible lack of repeatability in its
manufacturing processes; the actions of competitors, and other factors
discussed in the company's report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 28,
1998 and subsequent quarterly reports.
SOURCE Cree Research, Inc.
-0- 11/19/98
/CONTACT: Fran Barsky, Investor Relations Manager, Cree Research, Inc.,
919-313-5397, or fax, 919-313-5452/
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