E-Report

May 2008

Avago Technologies Introduces New Family of High-Brightness Surface Mount Tricolor LEDs for Indoor and Outdoor Full Color Signs and Video Displays

Avago Technologies, a supplier of analog interface components for communications, industrial and consumer applications, has introduced a new family of compact high-brightness tricolor surface mount (SMT) LEDs for indoor and outdoor full color signs and video displays. Avago’s ASMT-YTB0 LEDs, which are available in a PLCC-6 package, provides full color display and video application designers with better color control and contrast, and a 115° viewing angle. With dimensions of 4.4 mm by 4.4 mm by 3.5 mm, this new family of LEDs from Avago also incorporates silicone material to extend light output performance over time.

Avago’s compact ASMT-YTB0 package is specially designed to meet indoor and outdoor LED screen requirements for better screen resolution (greater than 12 mm pixel size) and high-brightness performance. It also has six-leads to enable individual color control of each color chip to display a multitude of colors including white and enhanced thermal management. The ASMT-YTB0 incorporates a separate heat path for each LED dice to enable it to be driven at higher currents. As a result, these SMT LEDs can operate in a wide range of environmental conditions to provide customers with high reliability. These new tricolor LEDs are well suited for use in indoor and outdoor video screens, advertising displays and stadium scoreboards.

The family of ASMT-YTB0 LEDs are compatible with reflow soldering processes and have a moisture sensitivity level of 2a (MSL 2a) to make them suited for use in SMT production environments.

Avago’s ASMT-YTB0 LEDs are priced at $0.60 each in minimum quantities of 1,000 pieces. Samples and production quantities are available now through Avago’s direct sales channel and worldwide distribution partners.

High Efficiency White LED Driver Powers up to 10 LEDs, Offering 32:1 Dimming Ratio

Linear Technology has released the LT3593, a high efficiency constant current white LED driver packaged in a 2 mm by 2 mm DFN (or ThinSOT) package. It features a unique high-side LED current sense topology that enables the LED cathode to be connected directly to ground, creating a single wire current source. Also a single digital control pin enables set-and-forget LED dimming with ratios as high as 32:1. The LT3593 is designed to drive up to 10 white LEDs from a single Li-Ion cell at efficiencies over 80 percent. It operates from an input voltage from 2.7 V to 5.5 V, optimizing it for single cell Li-Ion and multicell alkaline/NiCd/NiMH sources. Its 1 MHz constant switching frequency allows the use of tiny, low profile inductors and capacitors while keeping input and out put noise low and well controlled. The combination of high efficiency, low noise and extremely small total solution footprint makes the LT3593 well suited for handheld applications, requiring up to 10 white LEDs for backlighting.

The LT3593 ensures the uniform brightness of each LED by acting as a constant current source, delivering the same current to each white LED, regardless of fluctuations in the LED’s forward voltage drop, which varies with temperature, manufacturing tolerances and age. The LT3593 uses a single wire digital serial interface to deliver 32:1 linear brightness control. Additional features include output disconnect in shutdown, open LED protection and a ±5 percent reference accuracy.
The LT3593 is available from stock in a 6-lead 2 mm by 2 mm DFN or ThinSOT package. Pricing starts at $1.40 each for 1,000-piece quantities.

New LED Spot Projectors Offer Improved Illumination

Moritex, specialists in machine vision and inspection, has released the new MSPP series of LED Spot Projectors designed to replace conventional halogen point light sources as well as fibre optic illumination solutions.

Available in two versions, for narrow and wide lighting area applications, MSPP LED Spot projectors provide stable, uniform illumination improving the performance of image processing applications. Compact and lightweight in design, MSPP LED Spot projectors offer improved illumination over a wide range of working distances (500 to 2,000 mm) and lighting areas. Consequently the new LED light sources allow for a wide range of movement within the working distance and can be used even when robots are close to inspection targets. Using proprietary technology, MSSP LED Spot Projectors achieve low temperature emission and low energy consumption making it possible to save energy and reduce environmental impact.

Constructed to IP67 standards to stop the ingress of water droplets or oil mist, MSSP LED Spot Projectors can be installed in most machine vision working environments. The LED light source cover glass is replaceable making maintenance easy to perform. MSSP LED Spot Projectors offer a long operating life and are designed to be RoHS compliant. MSSP LED Spot Projectors use a versatile connector, making it possible to use cables that support spatter.

Surface Mount White LED’s for Backlighting Units

JKL Components Corp., a California based lighting technology provider, has introduced a new series of SMD LEDs. The LEDs yield up to 1,900 mcd, offer a 120° viewing angle and offer crisp, clear bright white output, well suited for display backlighting. Available in top view or right angle projection these low profile LEDs are excellent for use in backlight units for liquid crystal displays.

The LEDs are available on reels for automatic placement to printed circuit boards for matrix lighting, rails for LCD lighting or rear and edge illuminated signage. PCB assemblies for backlighting can be supplied using a variety of components for color matching, brightness uniformity and performance. Submit your design needs to JKL engineering. The LEDs are reliable and dependable in extreme environments and offer a low-cost, long-life solution to designers seeking LCD enhancement or CCFL replacement options.

New SLED at 880nm

AMS Technologies has extended the Exalos family of powerful Superluminescent light emitting diodes (SLEDs) with the 880 nm SLED (EXS8810).

SLEDs are semiconductor light sources that combine the spatial coherence of a laser diode with the temporal incoherence of an LED.

The 880nm SLEDs typically exhibit 2.5 mW optical power in a single mode fiber and 40 nm, 3-dB spectral bandwidth. The standard light sources are delivered in a 14-pin butterfly housing with a built-in monitor diode and TEC. The optical fiber is terminated with a FC/APC connector.

Due to the high output power and extremely wide bandwidth EXALOS 880nm SLED is especially suited for medical imaging, fiber optic sensor and instrumentation applications.

Catalyst Delivers New High-Resolution Brightness, Quad-Mode LED Drivers for Enhanced LCD Backlight Control

Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc., a supplier of analog, mixed-signal and non-volatile memory semiconductors, has expanded its line of patented, Quad-Mode fractional charge pump LED drivers with two new high-resolution brightness devices, featuring 32-dimming levels to provide enhanced LCD backlight control in emerging portable product applications.  The new CAT3647 and CAT3648 address the need for high-resolution LCD control and longer battery life in cell phones, digital cameras and other handheld devices, where designers constantly need to balance higher performance features with longer battery life. 

The CAT3647 and CAT3648 give designers finer control of LED current and brightness with the ability to program in step increments as small as 3 percent, to produce a richer user experience.  This is achieved via Catalyst’s 1-wire EZDim programming interface, which supports 32 linear steps from full-scale brightness down to zero current. 

The new LED drivers are four-mode fractional charge pumps (1x, 1.33x, 1.5x, 2x), providing 10 percent higher efficiency and no added cost, compared to three-mode charge pumps.  The CAT3647 drives three LEDs at 30 mA each and the CAT3648 drives four LEDs at 25 mA each, both with power efficiency as high as 92 percent.  Both devices save significant board space and costs since they come in a low profile, 3 mm by 3 mm, 16-pad TQFN package and do not require additional capacitors, as do existing four-mode LED drivers.

“The portable LED market is very large, with diverse approaches to driving the LEDs,” said Scott Brown, vice president of marketing for Catalyst Semiconductor.  “Based on our strategy to be a ‘one-stop’ supplier of drivers to meet these varying requirements, we responded to market demand with these two higher-resolution versions of our existing three- and four-channel Quad-Mode LED drivers.”

The CAT3647 and CAT3648 join the following devices in Catalyst’s Quad-Mode family of LED drivers:
the CAT3604V four-channel LED driver with PWM dimming interface; the CAT3636 six-channel (1-wire EZDim interface with 32 dimming levels); the CAT3644 four-channel and CAT3643 three-channel devices (1-wire EZDim interface with six dimming levels); and the CAT3637 six-channel (1-wire EZDim interface with 16 dimming levels).

Pricing for the CAT3647 LED driver is $0.64 each, in 10,000 piece quantities.  The CAT3648 is priced at $0.68 each in 10,000 piece quantities.  Samples and evaluation kits are available now.  Projected lead-time for production quantities is currently 6 to 8 weeks ARO.

The Alamo Captivates Audience with Philips LED Lighting Technology

Photo by Bill FitzGibbons, Blue Star Contemporary Art Center

Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions, the new entity formed by Philips' acquisition of Color Kinetics, recently added the Alamo to a growing number of landmarks to be transformed by its intelligent LED lighting systems. Located in San Antonio, Texas, the Alamo is an important symbol of Texas liberty and American history.

The temporary installation marked the first time the Alamo was illuminated on a grand scale, demonstrating the ease with which LED lighting can transform venues for special occasions. The structure served as the backdrop for a visually striking light installation held in conjunction with Luminaria, a one-day celebration of San Antonio's diverse artistic community. The lighting design was conceived by Bill FitzGibbons of Blue Star Contemporary Art Center using Philips ColorBlast 12 fixtures, which combine LED sources with digital control technology to produce near-endless color combinations. FitzGibbons refers to these art installations as "architectural interventions," emphasizing the dynamic effects that are made possible with ColorBlast 12 fixtures.

 "My concept was to provide onlookers with a new perspective of the Alamo, while using light and color in a creative way to reflect the spirit of our local arts community," said FitzGibbons. "Philips' LED-based fixtures gave me an unlimited palette of colors and design capabilities allowing me to create the effects I desired. Most importantly, the crowd loved the programmed light installation; some called it the most memorable feature during the entire event."

The Alamo is typically lit by incandescent PAR lights, which would have required colored gels or filters to produce colored lighting effects. For Luminaria, FitzGibbons temporarily installed the ColorBlast 12 fixtures along the ground facing the Alamo's facade, painting it with deep, saturated colors. The light show was synchronized to the music of the San Antonio Symphony, first washing the façade in steady white light then bright greens, yellows and blues that tracked across the structure. Only 30 fixtures were required to illuminate the entire surface from the ground up.
From tradeshow exhibits to concert tours, LED lighting is increasingly favored by rental and event production companies for its ease of control and ability to produce millions of colors without gels or filters - allowing simple customization of wide-ranging venues. In addition to their aesthetic versatility, Philips' compact LED fixtures offermany cost advantages over typically large and cumbersome lighting equipment. Their long source life and rugged nature translate to minimal replacement for rental houses, and their low power draw allows for easy temporary installation without complex electrical requirements.

LED Driver with Two LDO Regulators Saves 50 Percent PCB Area

Maxim Integrated Products has introduced the MAX8822, the industry's only white-LED (WLED) driver to combine a highly efficient negative charge pump with two independent, low-dropout (LDO) regulators. Available in a 3 mm by 3 mm by 0.8 mm TQFN package, this single-chip solution for driving up to four WLEDs is 50 percent smaller than the standard two-chip solution. To achieve the industry's highest efficiency, the MAX8822 features a negative-charge-pump architecture that completely eliminates high-side in-line resistance, delaying 1x mode to 2x mode transition during battery discharge. It utilizes independent, adaptive-mode switching for each LED to further extend battery life, even with large LED forward-voltage (VF) mismatch. These innovative features enable the MAX8822 to be 12 percent more efficient than competing solutions, thus making it well suited for use in cell phones, smartphones, PDAs and other handheld devices in which space and battery life are precious.

The LDO regulators provide a low 45 microVrms noise and high 60dB PSRR output for noise-sensitive applications, such as RF, LCD panels and cameras. Output voltages are programmable in 16 different combinations using a simple, serial-pulse control interface.

The MAX8822 is fully specified over the –40°C to 85°C extended temperature range. Prices start at $1.55 (2,500-up, FOB USA.)

Albeo Technologies Releases T8LED Troffer Product Line for New-build and Retrofit Applications

Albeo Technologies has released its solid state T8LED family of recessed troffer products. Consisting of both LED troffers for new builds and troffer LED retrofit kits, Albeo’s LED troffers will enable commercial and industrial troffer owners to access the low-maintenance, high-efficiency advantages of LED lighting systems.

Albeo’s T8LED Troffers and retrofit kits are available in 2 feet by 2 feet and 2 feet by 4 feet configurations. The retrofit kits are available to upgrade existing two-, three-, and four-lamp fluorescent troffers. The new-build troffers and retrofit kits can be ordered in max-efficacy or max-value variants, based on customer needs. Albeo’s LED fixtures contain no mercury, are not breakable, reduce energy costs for lighting and cooling, last five to ten times longer than fluorescent, don’t flicker or buzz, don’t  require recycling and eliminate maintenance costs. These benefits are particularly important in high maintenance or temperature sensitive environments, such as cold storage, data processing centers, public facilities or heavy manufacturing firms.

“Troffer owners are eager to transition from fluorescent to LED to enjoy LED’s tremendous benefits, but before the availability of Albeo’s T8LED series, the only way to do so was to purchase LED fluorescent-replacement lamps,” said Albeo’s marketing vice president, Tracy Earles. “These replacement lamps are plagued with problems: low light output and poor efficacy because of their severe thermal limitations, in addition to retaining an inefficient fluorescent ballast with unknown remaining life. Albeo’s patent-pending TEMPR™ Technology is used in our troffers and retrofit kits to provide excellent thermal contact with the fixture, resulting in LEDs that run cooler and brighter than fluorescent bulb-replacement solutions, while lasting far longer than fluorescents or drop-in LED bulb-replacement solutions.”

The Innova Awards are announced annually by LED Journal and feature leading companies within the LED market who have shown, through their products and services, the most innovative and advanced technology breakthroughs in LEDs. The solid-state lighting and LED industry is constantly changing and evolving, the Innova Awards are designed to recognize companies each year for industry leadership, product development excellence, best new technology, and outstanding LED applications, which will eventually lead to the widespread adoption of LED technology in the marketplace.
Nominations will be accepted only electronically by email.

Send your nomination in the body of your email letter and include supporting material as attachments.

Submit to Heather Krier: heatherk@infowebcom.com. The total length of each nomination should be a maximum of 1,000 words. All nominations must be received by June 2, 2008. Winners will be featured in the November/December 2008 issue of LED Journal. 

Click Here for the 2007 Winners

LED Journal Now Available in PDF Format

Download the latest issue at www.ledjournal.com

Consumers Warming To LEDs as an Energy-Efficient Solution for Lighting, Finds Arrow Electronics Study

With consumer interest in energy-efficient lighting growing rapidly, the next wave of mass-market residential and business lighting could be coming from LEDs, also known as solid-state lighting. That's the key finding of a new consumer survey commissioned by Arrow Electronics, Inc., a leading global provider of products, services and solutions to users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions. The survey was conducted for Arrow by Harris Interactive.

Commonly used today in flashlights and electronic devices, LEDs are being adapted by manufacturers to replace the common light bulb. Although more expensive than other lighting options, LEDs use a fraction of electricity of traditional light bulbs, last longer than regular incandescent light bulbs and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and contain no hazardous materials.

Consumers are enthusiastic about the prospects of LED lighting in their homes, the survey found, with 87 percent saying they would be willing to try the technology for some or all of their home lighting needs to be more energy efficient. Amid rising concerns over energy prices, 82 percent of consumers cited the cost savings that LEDs can deliver as motivation to pay more for the bulbs, while 53 percent pointed to the environmental benefits.

"While the benefits of LEDs have long been recognized by electronics makers, the public's rising concerns over energy costs and the environment signify a positive shift for this important technology," said Michael J. Long, president and chief operating officer of Arrow Electronics, Inc. "It represents a rapidly developing market where electronic lighting modules are playing an increasing role."

The study found that consumers say they would be willing to pay an average of $4.70 per LED-based bulb, which compares with an average of $0.50 for incandescent bulbs and $3 for CFLs, according to media reports. Eleven percent of consumers are open to paying between $6 and $10 for an LED bulb, and 4 percent say they would be ready to spend $11 or more.

The study found that 47 percent of consumers use CFLs in their homes, 36 percent use regular fluorescent lamps and 20 percent use halogen bulbs.

The most popular methods of light-related conservation in the home (of those listed) are hitting the "off" switch (87 percent) and replacing incandescent or regular glass light bulbs with CFLs (46 percent). Other energy-saving measures include keeping the thermostat lower in the winter (58 percent), using Energy Star appliances (50 percent) and using renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power for some or all of their energy needs (4 percent).

Additional findings of the study include:

• Many consumers indicated that the use of LED lighting by a friend or family member (58 percent) and use of LED by their employer (45 percent) would encourage them to use LED lighting in their home.
  
• Factors that would influence a consumer to pay more for LED lighting than alternative bulbs are cost savings on their energy bill (82 percent), fewer replacements over time (77 percent), and more natural lighting (48 percent).
  

Four in 10 consumers (40 percent) stated that they are more concerned about saving money in the short term than with saving energy.

Lamina Announces CO2 Offset Certification for LED Products

Lamina Lighting, Inc.’s TitanTurbo TruColor LED product has been certified to avoid more than 3 tons of C02 emissions into the earth’s atmosphere as compared to its incandescent equivalent. This certification was awarded to the product by First Climate (formerly called the 3C Group). Lamina is also engaging this Frankfurt-based company to help them achieve total “climate neutrality” throughout all company operations.

“Our TitanTurbo TruColor is the only LED product known that can boast this kind of solid emission offset,” said Frank Shinneman, president and CEO of Lamina Lighting. “We are proud to be the first to provide solid state lighting products that not only offers exceptional performance as compared to incandescent light sources, but also gives buyers solid metrics relating to carbon avoidance and environmental stewardship.”

In certifying the Lamina TitanTurbo TruColor LED, First Climate utilized the services and standards of Munich-based TÜV SÜD Group, a leading technical service organization active in the inspection, testing and certification of products for the protection of the environment.

“Our LED products are the first that we know of to be certified by this method,” said Dan Polito, vice president of marketing for Lamina. “With the lighting industry, and the world, focusing more and more on carbon avoidance and CO2 emissions, providing actual CO2 avoidance metrics on our products in a way that is easy to understand, our customers will have another purchase decision component that figures into their – and their customers’ – choices relating to the environment.”

Other Lamina products that have also achieved certification through the company’s engagement with First Climate are the SōL MR16 LED product, whose use in comparison to an incandescent equivalent prevents the emission of approximately ½ ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The Lamina Titan and Atlas Series of products have also been certified for even greater carbon emission offsets.

Lamina labels its certified products with a “green tag” which highlights the bulb’s energy consumption as compared to its equivalent in the form of carbon dioxide avoided.

Lighting Science Group Aquires Lighting Lighting Partner BV

Lighting Science Group Corp. (LSG), a developer and integrator of intelligent and energy-efficient LED lighting solutions, has completed the acquisition of Lighting Partner BV (LPBV), a manufacturer providing a broad range of LED and High-intensity Discharge (HID) lighting solutions for residential, commercial and retail applications based in The Netherlands.

LSG has acquired 100 percent of the outstanding common stock of LPBV. As consideration for acquiring the outstanding common stock of LPBV, LSG paid the former shareholders of LPBV US$5 million and issued a total of 4.632 million shares of LSG common stock (representing approximately 16 percent and 13 percent of the actual and fully diluted shares of LSG common stock outstanding respectively). LSG also granted the former shareholders of LPBV certain piggyback registration rights and assumed expenses of approximately $1.2 million incurred due to change of control of LPBV. LPBV had revenues of $23 million with positive cash flow in 2007 and is expected to have positive cash flow on a standalone basis, before synergies, in 2008. Approximately 70 percent of LPBV’s business is LED based and this is a rapidly growing part of the business in line with the overall trend in the global lighting market. The company has also launched an innovative LED lighting system, Eyeleds designed for indoor and outdoor applications globally. Eyeleds are currently distributed in more than 35 countries and are used in the commercial and residential market.

“Today’s acquisition creates a significant and immediate global presence for both companies and provides the foundation for us to become a leading player within the highgrowth LED lighting market,” said Govi Rao, chairman and chief executive officer of Lighting Science Group. “We look forward to combining our complementary strengths and regional market positions to create a foundation for robust future growth
opportunities. We continue to drive innovations that benefit our partners, consumers as well as the environment. The combination of our capabilities further enhances our ability to support our OEM partners with agility, reliability and scale.”

“The lighting industry is currently going through significant disruption and this partnership underscores our combined vision and commitment to shape the emerging digital lighting space,” said Richard van de Vrie, managing director of Lighting Partner BV. “Combining our companies expands the breadth and depth of our respective portfolios and will help us deepen our customer relationships and drive increased sales to other targeted markets, globally. We foresee attractive opportunities for growth and believe that the combined company will be able to provide stronger enhanced products and services for our customers worldwide.”

“We welcome the associates and partners of LPBV to the Lighting Science family and are excited about the prospects of driving growth and innovation globally,” said Rao. I personally look forward to working with a fine team like LPBV and am glad to have Richard and his colleagues join our management team.”

Universities Switch to LED Lighting to Help Save Energy, Reduce Costs and Protect the Environment

Cree, Inc. has launched the LED University program, an international community of universities working to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient LEDs. In addition to evaluating, promoting and deploying LED lighting, the community of universities plans to work toward increasing energy savings, protecting the environment, reducing maintenance costs and providing a better light quality for improved visibility and safety.

Inaugural participant North Carolina State University along with Marquette University, University of California at Santa Barbara, University of Arkansas and Tianjin Polytechnic University in China have committed to evaluating and deploying LED lighting in areas such as offices, dormitories, parking garages, walkway lighting and streets across their campus infrastructures.

Each of the participating universities is conducting LED lighting pilots to determine the cost and environmental benefits of switching to LED lighting in campus applications. Initial installations include:
• NC State University installed LED recessed can lighting from Cree in the chancellor’s office and a dormitory, and is installing LED parking garage lighting from BetaLED.
• Marquette University installed LED T8 replacements from LED Dynamics in the vice president for administration’s office and is installing LED recessed and task lighting.
• UC Santa Barbara installed 23 LED streetlights from BetaLED on a campus street and reports that compared to its traditional streetlights, it is achieving a 44 percent reduction in energy use as well as better light distribution and color rendition.
• University of Arkansas has installed the first set of what it plans will be approximately 1,700 recessed LED lights from Cree in university buildings, starting with lighting the chancellor’s residence.
• Tianjin Polytechnic University installed 1,500 LED streetlights designed by its graduate students on the campus’ main roadway.

“Our commitment to become the first university in Cree’s LED University initiative marks an important milestone for NC State University. Part of our mission is to develop and implement real-world solutions that have global impact,” said James Oblinger, chancellor of North Carolina State University. “NC State has a strong heritage in energy research and conservation – including LED research. We are proud to note that Cree was founded by NC State graduates based on research work conducted in our engineering labs. It’s the basis for our commitment to this partnership. By joining the LED University initiative, we are making a long-term investment in an energy efficient future for NC State.”

“As a Catholic, Jesuit university, stewardship of the earth’s natural resources is an important part of our mission. By participating in the LED University initiative, we’re able to develop and share research on new lighting technology, helping Marquette and other universities throughout the world contribute to a more energy-efficient future,” said Art Scheuber, vice president for administration at Marquette.

“The University of Arkansas is pleased to participate in the LED University program. Our LED lighting applications are environmentally friendly, energy efficient, they provide high quality light, and are expected to reduce maintenance costs,” said Nick Brown, Ph.D., executive assistant for Sustainability at University of Arkansas. “Outfitting our new buildings with LED is one of many steps that we are taking to make our campus sustainable and energy efficient. We look forward to adopting this technology widely across our campus, in both indoor and exterior applications.”
“Both the university administration and student body are especially interested in advancing the use of LED lighting at our university and beyond,” said Pingjuan Niu, Ph.D., Tianjin Polytechnic University professor. “Lighting is a significant energy drain worldwide and if we can significantly reduce the amount of energy used for lighting, we will make a dramatic contribution to protecting our resources and environment. Tianjin Polytechnic University is proud to be among the first to join this important lighting and energy conservation initiative.”

Consulting Business Specializes in Solid State Lighting

LED Transformations, LLC has launched an engineering consulting business that is specializing in solid state lighting. The company plans to work with architects, luminaire manufacturers, building owners and municipalities to help them navigate the rapidly evolving field of solid state lighting.

“In meeting after meeting it became clear that the one thing which could hold back the promise that LED technology represents was the confusion and misinformation that exists within the industry,” said Jack Curran, principal. “In terms of LED technology, proper guidance can make the difference between a superior, long-lasting lighting fixture and an underperforming, expensive failure. The difference is in knowing the technology.”

LED Transformations, LLC offers consulting services on retainer, project-by-project, or hourly basis depending on the needs of its customers. Services include the following: design and prototyping of custom light engine modules, optical and photometric design and analysis; electronics and circuit board design; thermal management; guidance in how to handle and assemble LEDs; project management and development from concept to finished product; advice on which LED sources, control circuits, and LED luminaires to use; guidance for working with approval agencies such as UL, ETL, and CSA; and cost-savings analysis.

The principals have over 30 years of combined product development experience and have worked on a multitude of projects including fire alarm signals, traffic signals, vehicle lights, industrial signals, aviation obstruction beacons, and hazardous location lighting.

Join Embedded Design Engineers from around the Globe July 21-26 in Phoenix, AZ at the 12th Annual Microchip MASTERs Conference!

12th Annual Microchip MASTERs Conference
July 21-26 in
Phoenix, AZ

With over 90 different technical classes offered for all experience levels, you can be sure to find a curriculum to help you become an expert in practically any embedded control application!
Enjoy fun activities too! We will have a variety of fun evening events and networking opportunities available each night Unwind by playing casino games, programming a robot or participating in the world’s smallest tractor-pulling contest! There are also 'family-friendly' evening activities to enjoy, so plan to bring the whole family to MASTERs this year!

www.microchip.com/MASTERs

Ecosystems Summit 2008 • Denver, Colo. • June 25-26

Ecosystems Summit 2008 is a solutions-packed two-day conference focused on the business opportunities for increasing sales and profits from the ecosystems of software, IT and technology companies. Today's leading technology companies are developing products and services to serve numerous specific solutions and platforms. To capitalize on the growth opportunities from these developments, you need to know how to become a key player in the ecosystems of strategic partner networks. Learn how to build your own web of lucrative ecosystem relationships and put the power of alliance and partner programs to work for you. You'll learn best practices to take advantage of these market opportunities. Discover winning strategies, time-to-revenue benchmarks, structuring the best deals and achieving maximum benefit from them by building your ecosystem programs to become revenue-generating growth engines.

www.ecosystemssummit.com

5/6 - 5/8
EDS 2008
Las Vegas, NV

5/18 - 5/23
SID - 2008 International Symposium, Seminar and Exhibition
Los Angeles, CA

5/26 - 5/30
LIGHTFAIR International
Las Vegas, NV

6/3 - 6/5
euroLED 2008
Birmingham, UK, West Midlands, United Kingdom

6/11 - 6/13
OPTO Taiwan
Taipei, Taiwan

6/24 - 6/27
LED Expo 2008
Kintex, Korea

euroLED 2008
June 4 – 5, 2008
Burmingham, UK

euroLED 2008 is the 5th annual Conference and Exhibition dedicated to the science, technology and application of HB LEDs and solid-state lighting. A highlight of the global solid-state lighting calendar, the event offers a unique opportunity for global organisations to penetrate, expand and understand the European and global LED & solid-state lighting markets. It continues to generate unprecedented industry participation from leading organisations and is firmly established as Europe's premier event dedicated to solid state lighting.
This year, a new and exciting sustainable lighting conference and exhibition, euroLight is being launched on behalf of the lighting industry to address the issues of low carbon and sustainable lighting. The new conference and exhibition is intended for lighting designers, architects, light artists and end users wishing to discuss the future of quality sustainable lighting. euroLight will run alongside and complement euroLED.

For further information please contact Eve Gaut on 0121 250 3515 or email eveg@astonsciencepark.co.uk.

Visit www.euroled.org for more info

SEMICON West 2008
July15-17
San Francisco, Calif.

SEMICON West 2008–Infinite Innovations, Infinite Ideas SEMICON West is the place to see the companies, technologies, and people driving the future of micro design and manufacturing. No other event this year has more new products, more new technologies, and more solutions than SEMICON West.
From the latest developments in cutting-edge materials, to the systems and technologies driving semiconductor designs to the limits of Moore's Law, you'll find everything and everyone in the industry at SEMICON West.

Registration is now open! Plan now to participate and get ready to discover the infinite opportunities shaping the design and manufacture of semiconductors, MEMS, photovoltaics, flexible electronics, and more!

For more information, visit www.semiconwest.org.

SPIE Photonics West
January 24-29, 2009
San Jose, California

Be part of SPIE Photonics West—the largest photonics event in North America, 24-29 January 2009, at the San Jose Convention Center in California. SPIE Photonics West features 3,100 technical papers in 75 conferences and 70 technology courses. Organized around four symposia, Biomedical Optics (BiOS), Lasers and Applications in Science and Engineering (LASE), Integrated Optoelectronic Devices (OPTO), and Micro and Nanofabrication (MOEMS-MEMS), SPIE Photonics West provides you the interdisciplinary research that is setting the stage for the R&D of the future.

The SPIE Photonics West exhibition, 27-29 January is the largest photonics exhibition in North America, hosting 1,100 exhibitors and 17,500 attendees from 50 countries. The BiOS symposium features the world’s largest biomedical exhibition, with 1,500 attendees.

For more information - Click Here