New LEDs announced by Samsung subsidiary

Samsung Electro-Mechanics, a Samsung Group affiliate that manufactures electronic components primarily for cellular telephones, said yesterday it would begin mass production early next year of two new lines: light-emitting diodes powerful enough to be used in traditional lighting applications, and backlight units for notebook computers and other display screens. The company now produces only light-emitting diodes for use in cell phones. A company spokesman said the new lines could generate 1.2 trillion won in annual sales five years from now. The diodes have several advantages over other types of lighting: they are small in size, have a much longer life, generate very little heat, sip rather than gulp electrical power and respond quickly when an electrical current is applied or removed. But their light output is limited, so they have been used primarily in applications where high light levels are not required. That includes uses such as indicator lamps, clock displays and display panels. Samsung said it would produce several different models of its new backlighting unit, including a seven-inch backlight for use in navigation systems, a 12.1-inch model for laptop computer screens and a 24-inch model for backlighting desktop liquid crystal display monitors. The largest application would be a backlight unit for a 40-inch television display. by Lee Chul-jae, Seo Ji-eun