Got the blues

A recent research report by Displaybank (www.displaybank.com/eng/report/report_show.php?id=726) forecasts the doubling in worldwide blue LED capacity in about 18 months. They estimate the number of installed MOCVD systems needed to make blue LEDs will rise to 2,000 by the first quarter of 2011 and nearly 2,500 by the end of 2011. The demand being driven by a range of applications including lighting mobile devices, cars, LCD backlights and large electronic signs. These figures contrast with the 1,000 MOCVD systems installed worldwide in June 2009 and 500 in April 2008. To illustrate the projected growth, Displaybank's report notes that Seoul Optodevice Co., Ltd. will go from using less than 20 MOCVD machines in 2009 to about 80 in 2011. Additionally, as reported in Semiconductor Today (www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/2010/AUG/IMS_300810.htm) more than 300 MOCVD systems were installed in the second quarter of 2010. Quoting from the IMS Research (www.imsresearch.com) Quarterly GaN LED Supply Report, Semiconductor Today notes that in excess of 4,000 MOCVD systems are expected to ship in the 2010 to 2013 timeframe.