China-based Lattice Power Corp has started volume production of its new-generation gallium nitride (GaN)-based high-power LEDs on silicon substrate. The firm reckons that the development could set the stage for a sharp reduction in the prices of energy-efficient LED light bulbs.

Lattice Power claims to be the first firm in volume production of GaN-on-silicon LED chips, with products comparable to high-end chips that rely on conventional sapphire substrates. At an operation current of 350mA, the 45-mil product is capable of producing 130 lumens of cool-white light with an efficiency of 120 lumens per watt (lm/W) consumed. Moreover, silicon substrates are readily available in larger diameters and at a fraction of the cost of sapphire substrates, resulting in substantial cost reductions for downstream manufacturers.

The firm says that 20 strategic customers have received the LEDs and will incorporate them into indoor and outdoor lighting applications. The silicon substrate-based LED series encompasses four different chip sizes: 28mil x 28mil, 35mil x 35mil, 45mil x 45mil, and 55mil x 55mil. Chip power ranges from 0.5W to 2W.

Lattice Power says that it has always invested heavily in R&D in silicon substrate-based LED technology, and that commercialization of its silicon substrate-based-power chip series represents a second milestone after the recent launch and volume production of its smaller-size silicon substrate-based LED chips used in display and signage.

Lattice Power says that using GaN-on-Si technology to make commercial-grade LEDs in the USA and Europe has shown promising laboratory results, but not at the volume production levels that it has achieved in the past year. The firm says that, realizing its potential early on, it started to work on the technology before it became part of the mainstream industry perspective. Lattice Power has filed more than 200 international and domestic patents in this field.

“With the big growth of solid-state lighting and Lattice Power’s introduction of high-power LED product family into the lighting market, the company has once again proven its cutting-edge development and manufacturing capabilities,” comments Sonny Wu, managing director of GSR Ventures and chairman of Lattice Power.

“Since its birth, Lattice Power has focused on high-efficiency, low-cost and high-reliability LEDs on silicon. To get to where it is now, Lattice Power has faced lots of hurdles and challenges and overcome many obstacles,” says co-founder & CEO Dr Wang Min. “But we have persevered and gained enormous traction with customers.”

The firm says industry experts now predict that future LED chip cost savings could be as much as 70% greater than with the current mainstream products when manufactured on larger-diameter silicon substrates. Lattice Power is actively working on 150mm GaN-on-Si technology and is expecting to transfer its production to the larger-diameter silicon substrates in 2013.