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To: pompsander who wrote (4584)	12/17/2000 10:16:30 PM
From: phaedrus7	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 10713

From Rohm's website: ROHM has entered into an alliance with U.S. Cree Inc. - ROHM files Patent Infringement lawsuits on Blue LEDs against Nichia and Nichia America Corporation - ROHM CO., LTD. (Head office: Kyoto), a manufacturer of semiconductors, agreed on December 12, 2000 to form a technical alliance with Cree Inc. (Head office: U.S.A. North Carolina, CEO: Mr. Neal Hunter, Nasdaq: Cree) in the field of GaN-based blue LEDs and blue-violet semiconductor lasers based on silicon carbide (SiC). Cree, Inc. develops and manufactures semiconductor materials, such as Blue LEDs, and has the best SiC technology in the world. On the same day, Cree and ROHM signed a 5-year exclusive license agreement granting Cree rights in certain US patent of ROHM relating to LEDs/semiconductor lasers. ROHM and Cree plan to combine the strength of their companies by merging ROHM's mass-production technology of LEDs and semiconductor lasers, Cree's world-leading SiC technology, and GaN technology possessed by the two companies. This will allow them to develop highly efficient, reliable, and long lasting blue LEDs and blue-violet semiconductor lasers. GaN-based blue LEDs and blue-violet semiconductor lasers are generally based on sapphire substrates. However, blue LEDs and blue-violet semiconductor lasers based on SiC substrate have the following features: 1. High efficiency: Since SiC substrate corresponds with the crystal structure of GaN, it will make the reflection inside of the laser more efficient. 2. High reliance: Since SiC substrate has high conductivity, it can radiate heat from LEDs and lasers more efficient. 3. Reduction of tip size: Since SiC substrate has high conductivity, electrodes from both the upper and lower parts of LED and laser tips may be removed, which helps to reduce tip size. ROHM plans to develop and manufacture GaN-based blue LEDs based on SiC substrates. With regard to blue-violet lasers, the current plan is to develop them using sapphire substrates and SiC substrates. With the partnership of ROHM and Cree, ROHM has taken legal action against Nichia Corporation in order to protect the patents which were licensed to Cree. Accordingly: (1) ROHM CO., LTD. has filed patent infringement lawsuits against Nichia and Nichia America Corporation in the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In its complaints, ROHM alleges that Nichia is infringing its U.S. Patents 6,084,899 and 6,115,399 by manufacturing and selling certain GaN-based LED products. The district court lawsuit seeks damages and injunction against infringement. The subject of the patents is a structure which allows high-brightness light emitting devices by lowering the operating voltage in a light emitting semiconductor such as GaN-based blue LEDs and GaN-based blue-violet semiconductor lasers. (2) Date of the patent infringement lawsuit December 15, 2000 (EST) (3) Defendant of the lawsuit Name: NICHIA CORPORATION (CEO: Eiji Ogawa) Address: Anan-city, Tokushima, Japan Name: NICHIA - AMERICA CORPORATION Address: 3775 Hempland Road, Mountville, PA 17554, USA 1. Location: North Carolina, U.S.A. 2. Representative: Neal Hunter 3. Sales: US$108,562,000 (Fiscal Year of 2000) 4. Number of Employees: 680 5. Establishment: 1987 6. Business: Cree manufactures and develop semiconductor materials and devices that use silicon carbide (SiC), and gallium nitride (GaN) and its compounds. Cree's products include blue and green light emitting diodes (LEDs), RF Power Transistors used in radio communications, SiC crystals used in manufacturing jewelry in particular, and SiC wafers used for research and development. Cree takes the initiative in developing new products based on its experience in SiC and GaN semiconductors.