Contents

OptoLink International Edition (OLIE)

is a quarterly magazine published
by the Photonics Industry and
Technology Development
Association (PIDA).

Industry News
5F., No. 9, Roosevelt Road, Sec. 2., 4 President Ma’s Green Photonics Tour
Taipei, Taiwan, 10093.
www.pida.org.tw
Tel.: +886-2-2396-7780
7 The Solar Valley Project in Limburg Province,
Fax: +886-2-2341-4559 the Netherlands
10 21st-Century Cat's Eyes to Light up the Road
Publisher:
Frank Ma, CEO of PIDA
12 Taiwan Government Aiming Future Technologies for
Photonics Applications
Editorial Team:
Angel Chiou, Dan Guo,
Murphy Lin, Stephy Chen,
16 NETBOOK Brings Salvation to Panel/PC Manufacturers
Karen Ho, Deaphne Kuo,
Michelle Chen, Jason Lu

Art Designer: Exhibition Watch

20 FPDI Yokohama— the Latest Green Innovations from
Chiou-Ling Liu

Director of Market &

Bussiness Division: Taiwanese Exhibitors
Ryan Chung

Sales Contact:
Ginger Chen, Pamela Hsiao, Company Profiles
28 ITRI Wins R&D 100 Award with ACLED
Cathy Zhang, Ben Tsai,
Henry Nieh

Advertising:
Christine Chen
30 M-Com Goes Deep into the GaAs Solar Cell with III-V
ad@mail.pida.org.tw Compound Technology
Subscriptions:
32 Higgstec Touches the Future
Simon Huang
simon@mail.pida.org.tw

Editorial Submissions:
Angel Chiou
Product News
(angelchiou@mail.pida.org.tw)
37 Asia Optical, Manz Intech Machines, Dalux,
Far Easten Textile, Fittech, Guannway, Higgstec, iLEDm,
URT, Veeco, Eternal Chemical, Baso, Everphoton,
Hong-Ming, Truelight, Osram, Emit Technology, APAC,
FrontAnD, Lei Yueh, SiPix, Opto Tech
INDUSTRY NEWS

President Ma’s Green commercialized its research

on GaN product and rolled out

Photonics Tour
its first LED chip in 2000, the
time the global LED industry
was about to take off. Now
its monthly chip production
By Angel Chiou
capacity has increased from 50
million units to 600 million.
Dr. James M. Hong, the vice chairperson of
Huga, indicated that Huga’s products occupy

I
about 8% of the global LED market. With the
n order to hear the latest development impending opening of fab 3, Huga aims to be one
in the LED and solar industry, President of the global suppliers of full color LED, and to
Ying-Jeou Ma visited Huga Optotech and be the top three full color LED chip manufacturer
st
NexPower respectively on September 21 and worldwide in 2015.
nd
October 2 , 2008. Regarding the development President Ma in his address mentioned that
of green energy, LED lighting
has become one of the target
industries of Council for Economic
Planning and Development, along
with photovotaics, solar water
heating system, wind energy, and
refrigeration/ air conditioning.
With the increasing concern about
environmental issues, the energy-
saving and non-polluting features of
LED give the industry a big boost.
President Ying-Jeou Ma and
Premier Chao-Shiuan Liu arrived
at Huga’s fab 1 in Taichung Fig.1 President Ma speaks at the welcome reception at the Huga Optotech
Courtesy : PIDA
Industrial Park and showed their
support for Huga’s continuous
investment in fab 3 in Central
Taiwan Science Park. President
Ma believes that even though the
economy is now experiencing a
recession, industrial investment
would help to bring energy to the
market. “You are doing the right
thing,” said President Ma.
Huga Optotech is a
leading manufacturer of LED
semiconductor device dedicated to
LED chips and wafer production. Fig.2 President Ma speaks at the welcome reception at the Huga Optotech
Courtesy : PIDA
Founded in 1998, HUGA

4 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4

 INDUSTRY NEWS

Fig.3 Display of Huga’s products

Courtesy : PIDA

LED has already been used in our daily life. For

example, the pedestrian traffic signals apply LED
as the lighting source for the well-known “walking
green man.” He pointed that the new government Fig.4 President Ma hears the introduction of Huga’s products
endeavors to put the energy conservation policy Courtesy : PIDA

into practice. The Ministry of Economic Affairs

now promotes LED illumination to partially Taiwan, the Taiwanese government has designated
replace for incandescent light bulbs, and expects PV as a strategic industry.
to cease incandescent light bulbs all over Taiwan President Ma, when visiting NexPower,
in 2012. The government also plans to utilize LED showed his interest in the company’s name. By
lighting for all traffic signals in 3 years. his interpretation “NexPower” means “the power
Premier Chao-Shiuan Liu also stressed the of the future” and symbolizes the future success
importance of those policies. He indicated that of thin-film PV industry. Nexpower Technology
Taiwan lacks indigenous energy resources, and Corporation was found in 2005 by United
this fact consequently brings about a hidden Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) to enter the solar
threat for Taiwan's energy security and economic cell market. NexPower initially focused on the
development.
He called on Huga and
other manufacturers to turn
the pressure into impetus
to develop the renewable
energy industry in Taiwan.
On the other hand, the
demand for clean energy
grows faster than ever.
According to statistics, oil
and natural gas is going to
run out in respectively 42
and 61 years. Solar energy
becomes the solution that
every country seeks for
as the alternative energy
r e s o u r c e . Ta i w a n h a s
always been a major place
for TFT LCD technology
and the semiconductor
industry. In response to the Fig.5 Participants in front of Huga Optotech
Courtesy : PIDA
potential of PV industry in

OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 5

INDUSTRY NEWS

crystalline silicon solar cell but began to enter the value of this industry will hit 180 billion NT
thin-film area since 2007. The vice chairperson dollars in 2010, and rank No.4 worldwide..
Dr. John Hsuan announced
that, in the upcoming five
years, NextPower is going
to invest over 90 billion
NT dollars (approximately
2.7 billion US dollars) in
the seven thin-film solar
cell fabs in Central Taiwan
Science Park. NexPower
expects to achieve a total
generation of 1 GW in 2017,
and become the largest thin-
film solar cell manufacturer
in the world. Fig.6 President Ma arrived at NexPower.
Courtesy : PIDA
In response to
NexPower ’s investment
President Ma showed his
support and expectation of
Central Taiwan Science Park
to be the world’s largest thin-
film solar cell. He indicated
that even though Taiwan’s
economy is influenced by the
subprime mortgage crisis,
Taiwanese industries and
government should not be
intimidated. The government
would do the best to Fig.7 NexPower’s bikes made from eco-friendly materials
Courtesy : PIDA
create a better investment
environment to accelerate
the industries’ development.
One of the government’s
energy conservation policies
is to promote the solar water
heating system and increase
the users to 140 thousand in
4 years.
Taiwan is the world’s
fastest growing PV
industry region. A forecast
from PIDA indicates that
in comparison with 23.6 Fig.8 Participants in NexPower's hall
Courtesy : PIDA
billion in 2006, the total

6 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4


The Solar Valley project
in Limburg Province,
The Netherlands
By Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency
The advantages of the Limburg-
Germany border region
The Limburg Development & Investment
Company (LIOF) aims to create an attractive
investment climate for sustainable energy in
Limburg. LIOF is looking at solar energy in
particular: the recent Photovoltaic Conference in
Valencia, Spain, once again proved the remarkable
growth of this sector worldwide.
LIOF not only stimulates and attracts new
initiatives, it also provides financing. Its goal is that
by the year 2013 employment in this sector should
number 2,500, with a capital investment by the
various companies of over 1 billion Euro.
The basic idea is to develop a cluster of solar
energy activities in the southern part of Limburg
province, next to the border with Germany. The
main building blocks of this cluster are as follows:
● The Solland Solar Energy Company, located in the
Avantis Science and Business Park in Heerlen-
Aachen. Solland Solar is a silicon solar cell
producer rapidly expanding its production capacity
Solar energy value chain
Crystalline Supplier Silicon + ingot
Silicon quartz sand production
Technology
Metallurgic Glass pearls
Thin Film Shadow-mask
silicon/silane
Technology technology
INDUSTRY NEWS
from 170 MWp now to 500 MWp in 2011. It will
have a R&D centre (crystalline silicon technology)
employing 500 people in 2011. The Avantis Park
covers both Dutch and German territory, which
allows investors to profit from location and
incentive advantages of both countries.
● The Scheuten Solar Company in Venlo, which
is building a new manufacturing plant for the
production of 500 MWp solar cells based on
thin film technology. Scheuten operates a PV
cell manufacturing plant and a panel assembly
plant with a capacity of approximately 100 MWp
per year. A total employment of more than 500
employees is foreseen.
● Business Network Energy Hills is also located
in the Avantis Park; it is a cross-border network
for companies in the South Limburg and Aachen
region, which is home to institutes like EON,
Helmholtz, RWTH Fachhochschule, Hogeschool
Zuyd, Fraunhofer in Jülich, all active in new
energy, renewables etc.
● Further expansion of the E-Avantis foundation, a
development institute stemming from Ecofys, a
Wafer Production Construction Systems/
production solar cells solar panels applications
Wafer
production
OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 7
 INDUSTRY NEWS
Fig.1 Bird’s eye view of Avantis Science and Business Park in Heerlen
Courtesy : LIOF
subsidiary company of the EConcern Group. It
promotes applications of solar cells, solar boilers,
electrical bicycles and houses a demonstration
and visitors centre.
● Solar Academy: a training and development
institute founded by well-known Dutch Energy
Research Centre ECN and other partners for
managers, engineers and operators in the solar
cell manufacturing industry. This academy will
also be located in the Avantis Park. The Solar
Academy will invest approximately €12 million
in state of the art manufacturing equipment.
● Evonik/ The Silicon Mine, the first silicon
manufacturing plant in the Netherlands, is near
its final decision phase. Production of solar-grade
silicon is scheduled to start in April 2010 at the
Chemelot Industrial Estate in Sittard-Geleen.
Capacity starts with approximately 4,000 tons/
year solar-grade silicon.
Solar energy in Limburg
The Netherlands, and Limburg in particular,
are well positioned in the development and
commercialization of solar energy. The location
8 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4
Unique center for Research &
▲
Development, manufacturing and
European logistics
100 hectares (60% Germany + 40%
▲
Netherlands)
Glass fiber network with high capacity
▲
(dark fiber)
Nearby region: Fraunhofer, RWTH
▲
Aachen
Home to Solland Solar, ECN, E-Acantis,
▲
Solar
Academy, DocMorris, Vodafone-
▲
Ericsson, CapGemini, WTC Heerlen-
Aachen
Available at your request :
▲
● Park Management
● Waste Water Treament
● Solid & Liquid Waste Services
● Water Supply
● Environmental expertise and permits
service
● Facility service
near the German and Belgian border allows close
cooperation with partners across the border. In
addition, following the German example, the Dutch
Ministry of Economic Affairs has recently launched
an incentive program for photovoltaic power
generation for the Dutch consumer market.
The ultimate goal of the joint partners in Solar
Valley is to develop the solar energy cluster into
an established industry sector in Limburg that will
develop and manufacture sustainable products
of high added value. The so-called Euregion,
which includes the cities of Eindhoven, Venlo,
Gelsenkirchen, Heerlen-Aachen and Leuven, covers
Dutch, German and Belgian territories. This region
should develop into a true “Solar Energy Valley”
with the potential to become one of Europe’s
hotspots in solar energy.
LIOF’s vision is to start thinking in terms of
value chains that can be developed in this greater
area. It wants to realize all the different elements of
the solar energy value chain in this community in
the next five years, thereby creating approximately
high-value 3,500 jobs and generating a total
investment of more than € 1 billion.

An important cornerstone is the development
of the Solar Energy Village at Avantis Science
and Business Park in Heerlen/Aachen. The
Energy Hills Business Club at Avantis will offer
a campus-like environment where ideas and
knowledge will be shared between companies,
educational and knowledge institutes and
government.
Another vital factor is that the Province of
Limburg, LIOF, the municipalities of Heerlen,
Maastricht and Sittard-Geleen, universities and
schools, and the chemical and solar industry have
joined forces to create appropriate education and
training facilities.
Who are LIOF’s partners in Solar Valley?
• The Province of Limburg
• The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs
• The city of Heerlen
• Various academic institutions in the Euregion
• Various companies, including Solland Solar
Energy and Scheuten Solar
Fig.2 Bird’s eye view of Trilandis Business Park in Heerlen
Courtesy : LIOF
INDUSTRY NEWS
The Taiwan connection
Limburg Solar Valley should offer interesting
opportunities for the Taiwanese photo-voltaic
industry. The Avantis Science and Industry Park,
with its unique position in both The Netherlands
and Germany, is an ideal location to develop
and produce solar cell-based products aimed at
the Northern European market. This is a very
attractive market, as it not only has many millions
of prosperous households, but also is the most
innovation-friendly area in all of Europe.
Representatives of the Euregion come to Taiwan
to introduce the opportunities for Taiwanese solar
energy producers at a seminar to be held in Taipei on
November 26, 2008. This event is jointly sponsored
by PIDA and the Netherlands Foreign Investment
Agency (NFIA). A Taiwanese tax-expert will present
the specific advantages of investing in this sector.
Please check www.nfia-taiwan.com or www.pida.
org.tw for further details.
OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 9
INDUSTRY NEWS
21st-Century Cat’s
Eyes To Light Up
The Road
O
NE of the greatest inventions in road
safety – the reflective Cat’s eye stud – is
about to be replaced with a brighter, safer
alternative to guide motorists through bad weather
or warn of dangerous conditions.
After 40 years of marking trunk routes, main
roads and country lanes, the old light reflectors are
to be replaced gradually with solar-powered road
studs called SolarLites.
After trials on many routes, the Department for
Transport has given the green light for the use of the
SolarLite device throughout the United Kingdom.
And now transport authorities in many other
countries, including the United States and South
Africa, have shown interest in buying the safety
studs.
SolarLites work via energy cells capturing
sunlight and were invented by Martin Dicks, a
former firefighter. It was while he was driving long
distances regularly to work some years ago that
he found that existing road reflectors were just not
good enough in dense fog.
“Virtually, all I could see on the road was a
Cat’s-eye reflector every now and then,” he said,
remembering those dangerous journeys. “I figured
that if I could make the Cat’s-eyes more visible, I
could probably save more lives than I could in the
fire service.”
Not long after, a back injury forced him out of
the fire department, giving him the time to pursue
his road safety idea. His training as an electrical
engineer provided the necessary skills.
10 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4
He came up
with the idea of
solar-powered
road studs and
now they are
made by an
Oxfordshire-
By Richard Maino based company,
Astucia. Martin
Dicks was the
driving force behind the original Astucia product
range and started the business in 1989. He is the
inventor of devices featuring solar and hardwired
studs as well as other road safety products.
Back then, Dicks’ problem was that photovoltaic
cells were not as efficient as they are today. And
he found there was no concept of a white LED.
Working mostly with family members at first, he
produced a prototype marker within two years.
He got around the white LED problem by
combining the glow from red, green and blue
arrays. The group not only overcame the limitations
of solar cells but also managed to engineer markers
that turned red to warn when the gap between two
vehicles was dangerously small.
The studs only need two hours of sunlight to
power them for up to 10 days and can be seen from
10 times further away than traditional Cat’s eyes.
A company spokesman said, “Martin is today
rightly recognised as one of the true visionaries in
this vital field of road safety. His contribution is at
least as great as that of Percy Shaw (the Cats-eye
inventor).”
SolarLites have already been used on some UK
roads and now manufacturer Astucia has come up
with a new model that costs the same as an old-style
Cat’s eye.
When SolarLites are in place, drivers are less likely
to cross the white line in the middle of the road when
following the studs than using previous methods.
The latest version of the studs also allows them
to be set into the road without sticking up above the
surface, thus avoiding the bumpy feeling of running
over the rubber-jacketed Cat’s eyes.
The new studs use solar technology to store

energy to power light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that
stay illuminated from dawn to dusk. They have an
impressive range of 900 metres, and the makers
claims they are maintenance-free.
Furthermore, in a study by the Transport
Research Laboratory, some local authorities
reported that where solar-powered studs were in
place there was a 70 per cent reduction in night-
time accidents.
Astucia believes the upgraded, solar-powered
successor would make roads much safer for many
millions of users. “With the increased visibility of
the SolarLite road-stud, a driver reaction time of
potential hazard in the road ahead is increased from
3.2 to more than 30 seconds, when driving at 90
kilometres (60 miles) an hour,” said a spokesman.
Further benefits of the design of the new road
stud include:
● being ideally suited to centre-line delineation
or across slip lanes because of the low profile
of fewer than four millimetres above the road
surface;
● being motorcycle and bicycle friendly;
Fig.1 Sun-light at night: familiar Cat’s eyes reflectors are to be replaced by a brighter, safer and low-cost alternative - solar-powered studs. The Solarlites need
two hours of sunlight to power them for up to 10 days, can be seen from 900 metres and cost the same as Cat’s eyes.
Courtesy : Astucia
INDUSTRY NEWS
● totally sustainable, harnessing free solar
energy;
● a capability to withstand harsh environments
including the use of self-healing
polycarbonate and polyester compound
material, superior battery and charging
circuits designed to maintain light outputs
throughout winter conditions.
Martin Rodgers, sales and marketing director
for Clearview Traffic, said:
“Along with the reduction in market price the
new stud is also easier and therefore cheaper to
install, further reducing the lifetime cost of the
product while continuing to prevent accidents and
save lives.”.
Information :
Department for Transport, Great Minster House,
76 Marsham Street, London, United Kingdom,
SW1P 4DR Helpdesk:
Tel: +44 20 7944 8300 Fax: +44 20 7944 9643
Web: www.dft.gov.uk/
OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 11
INDUSTRY NEWS

Taiwan Government Aiming

Future Technologies for
Photonics Applications
By PIDA

I
n m i d 2 0 0 8 , Ta i w a n
government officially
authorized a national
research organization to deploy
the next generation applications
for the optoelectronics industry,
in which flexible electronics,
stereoscopic image and LED
lightening technologies were
ranked as the first priority in
the future.
The Department of
Industrial Technology (DoIT)
of the Ministry of Economic
Affairs (MOEA), an office
serving as the guiding force
behind Taiwanese industry’s
research & development
efforts to encourage pioneering
research and breakthroughs,
said it had charged Industrial
Technology Research Institute
(ITRI) with a major task to
house the world's largest
optoelectronics industry cluster
i n Ta i w a n b y d e v e l o p i n g
new technologies with great
potential.
This was originally a critical
conclusion made by the Science
& Te c h n o l o g y A d v i s o r y Fig.1 the tactile sensor
Courtesy : ITRI
Group (STAG), a mission-

12 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4

 INDUSTRY NEWS

oriented organization invited to advise the

Premier and members of his cabinet on the
government's science and technology policy
for future development a while ago. An
establishment has been proceeding gradually
with a couple of notable accomplishments
over the time to accelerate the pace.
In 2007, ITRI inaugurated its Flexible
Electronics Pilot Laboratory, the first such
laboratory in Taiwan, devoted to research
and development of flexible electronics
and international cooperation. Johnsee Lee,
President of ITRI, claimed on the press
conference that the lab is aimed to provide a
comprehensive range of functions including
synthesizing materials and developing
production processes as well as product
design and pilot production. Moreover,
the lab will serve as an important platform
for cooperation between the international
industrial and academic circles and it will
facilitate the development of the flexible
electronics industry in Taiwan.
In addition, Flexible Electronics Industry
Alliance (FEIA) and Special Interested
Group (SIG) were encouraged to build up
in succession to speed up the cooperation
among the industry, the academia and the
research arena, as well as to accelerate Fig.2 the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag
the R&D and master the trend of flexible Courtesy : ITRI

electronics. Ming-ji Wu, Deputy Director

General of DoIT of MOEA, further illustrated
the primary goals for the government to lead the
industry players to achieve are all printed smart
tag and 7-inch full-color portable display.
Mr. Wu said, since establishment, more than
70 companies have joined FEIA to prioritize the
machinery for continuous processes, which is
the key to establish high performance flexible
electronics production lines. They are major
players in every segment across the supply chain
from Unimicron Technology Corp., one of the
leading printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer,
AU Optronics Corp. (AUO), one of the top 3
worldwide manufacturers of thin film transistor
liquid crystal display panels (TFT-LCD), Prime
View International Co. Ltd. (PVI), one of
the most aggressive electronic paper display
development kits offers in the world to Advanced
Semiconductor Engineering Inc. (ASE), a leader in
IC packaging and test by providing a total solution
for customers.
Aside from flexible electronics, three-
dimensional display is also a new technology
with great potential. Mr. Wu said modern
technology gadgets are characterized by ultra-
thin and high-quality images, which prompt
companies to go deep into the research and
development of the key technologies, next-

OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 13

INDUSTRY NEWS

generation memory chips, 3D image and storage way for a successful infrastructure migration.
for example. Taiwan’s second-largest panel maker Chi Mei
3D Interaction and Display Alliance came Optoelectronics (CMO) and its smaller rivals
with the tide of need. It was an organization led are members of the alliance, as well as content
by the Electronics & Optoelectronics Research providers Gamania Digital Entertainment Co. Ltd
Laboratories of ITRI, along with highly passionate and its online game competitors.
players in the industry, aimed to pave the Another crucial technology is light-emitting-
diode (LED) lighting,
a national-level project
that has been taking off
since the emergence of
the energy crunch in the
past few years. Several
key advantages of a LED-
based product are its high
efficiency and power
saving, and therefore
widely applied in the
public business to replace
lamps and other lighting
fixtures.
Mr. Wu said with the
materials technology is
getting more advanced,
Fig.3 the comparison of traditional and RFID tag output is increasingly
Courtesy : ITRI more as well, more
new applications are
expected to emerge in
the market. For example,
a prominent scientific
project of alternating
current (AC) LED was
successfully developed
by a professional team
of ITRI. The innovation
is in great expectation to
enhance the LED supply
chain from components
designers, manufacturers
to packagers and testers,
and then further to bring
benefit to the whole
industry.
Fig.4 7 inch color filter
Courtesy : ITRI

14 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4

INDUSTRY NEWS

NETBOOK Brings optimized for

Internet-focused
services such as
Salvation to Panel/PC web browsing and
e-mailing with a

Manufacturers
price range from
US $249 to US $399
By PIDA depending on add-
on features. It was a
concept stemming
from SUBNOTEBOOKS and was originally
created in late 1990. In the first quarter of 2008,
Intel re-introduced it and therefore the name came

A
into existence.
lthough the financial crisis continues H o w e v e r, e a r l y b e f o r e h e a v y w e i g h t
to worsen in the several quarters, players HP and Intel, as well as Dell Inc, the
which is expected to cripple consumers world’s second-largest branded PC vendor,
spending on technology, the emergence of a new clamor to enter the market, AsusTek Computer
force might supersede the market to grow strongly Incorporated, a Taiwan-headquartered own-
throughout next year. branded computer seller, made the bold move
The troop is so fresh that the industry has by first launching Eee PC in September 2007.
just settled on a name of NETBOOK for it. Besides, not until Acer Inc., another Taiwan-
As new and young as NETBOOK based computer vendor only after HP and Dell,
is, almost all the world’s biggest joined in the van of low-priced laptop providers
technology companies take up the by unveiling Aspire One, did big international
positions to grab a piece of pie, rivals see the potential of the market.
from Hewlett-Packard Company, Asustek president Jerry Shen reported in a
the world’s largest press conference for the third quarter performance
own-branded personal of 2008 that NETBOOK shipments in the third
computers vendor, to quarter reached 1.7 million units and shipments
Intel Corporation, are expected to surge to 1.8 million units in the
No. 1 semiconductor fourth quarter, achieving the company's goal of
manufacture world shipping five million units in 2008. Acer outspoke
wide, even though a more aggressive annual shipment target of 6
the growing market million units of Aspire One by the end of 2008,
is mainly all about which competes against AsusTek’s Eee PC at the
lower-priced personal top of the market.
computer for pint- No matter who outstands in the NETBOOK
sized customers. segment, according to a report newly released by
A NETBOOK Market Intelligence Center, a local information
is a small and communication technologies (ICT) industry
to medium- and market research firm for the Asia-Pacific
sized, light- region, the two Taiwanese pioneers have shipped
weight, low-cost, energy- 11 million units of NETBOOK PCs over the past
efficient laptop, generally year, accounting for 99% of the world market. The

16 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4

 INDUSTRY NEWS

institute addresses in the report that it expects to
see the global demand to double in 2009 as more
and more players jump into the supply chain for
NETBOOK PC.
Karen Ho, an analyst of Taiwan’s Photonics
Industry & Technology Development Association
(PIDA), a nonprofit organization gathering
technology and market analysis worldwide for
Taiwanese optoelectronic industries, is more
optimistic about the prospect of the easy-to-use
gadget. In Ms. Ho’s latest report, by the end of
2008 NETBOOK PC is likely to take up 10.6% of
the overall PC market, equivalent to 13.8 million
units. “The exponential growth is so strong that it
is able to drive the volume to hit 42.6 million units
by 2010,” said Ms. Ho.
Ms. Ho attributes the smash hit in the PC
market to Taiwan’s strength as a well-established
manufacturing hub in the PC industry. “Taiwan
leads the world in several key components from
flat panel to motherboard, which is essential to
a flexible infrastructure to create a niche market
agilely,” said Ms. Ho.
Take flat panel for example. Local thin film
transistor liquid crystal display panels (TFT-LCD)
makers AU Optronics Corp. (AUO), Chi Mei
Optoelectronics Corp. (CMO) and Chunghwa
Picture Tubes (CPT) together top No. 1 in the

Table 1 NETBOOK supply chain

Key component Local vendor

Surpedia Technologies Co., Ltd.

Himax Technologies, Inc.
Sitronix Technology Corporation
Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Ralink Technology Corp.
Sonix Technology Co., Ltd.
Integrated circuit
Genesys Logic Inc
Global Mixed-mode Technology Inc.
Richtek Technology Corporation
Anpec Electronics Corporation
ENE Technology Inc.
Niko Semiconductor Co., Ltd

Sunrex Technology Corp.

Keyboard
Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd

AU Optronics Corp. (AUO)

Panel Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp. (CMO)
Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT)

Celxpert Energy Corporation

Battery Simplo Technology Co
Dynapack International Technology Corporation

Quanta Computer Inc

Compal Electronics Inc.
Winstron Corp
Assembly plant
Inventec Corp
Pegatron Technology Corp
Elitegroup Computer Systems

Courtesy : PIDA

OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 17

INDUSTRY NEWS

world by shipment, downturn has pressed them to

claiming a market brace for the trend. While Intel
share of more than announced that it has sold "tens
90% of the netbook- of thousands" of Classmate
use LCD panel market. PCs since they went on sale,
Senior executives of HP weighted in the market
three companies vow to
put more new models Fig.1 HP Mini 1001
Courtesy : PIDA
on the shelf to gain more
ground in the fast-growing
market. with a hybrid of
The other Taiwanese a notebook and
original equipment netbook that it
manufacturers (OEM) that calls the Mini-Note.
greatly benefit from the strong The category is poised to take off.
demand include motherboard, Ms. Ho called the dramatic change in the PC
keyboard and battery makers to assembly plants industry traditionally dominated by international
(see table 1). An analyst with Forrester Research titans is not a special case, and will go further in
pointed out AsusTek, best known for making the future. “NETBOOKS are largely a consumer
motherboards a few years ago, has successfully phenomenon today because users get exactly what
formed NETBOOK supply chain for local they want, which is basic computing functions,
components vendors to challenge market rules surfing websites and checking emails for example,
made by the own-branded players who want to sell in the Internet age,” said Ms. Ho.
PCs that cost a bigger money. Nevertheless, as promising as NETBOOK
In spite of a wariness of profit erosion by is gaining popularity with its low price and
the low-priced new breed to threaten big PC high energy efficiency, there’s worry looming
makers’ already thin margin, the severe economic out. Ms. Ho warned that a fierce competition
against each other might be
inevitable given a wave of
involvement starting in mid
2008. She cited a newspaper
saying that NETBOOK
manufacturers will be
forced to cut prices in order
to clear out their inventory,
as well as to acquire market
share from competitors.
“While Taiwanese players
enjoy bountiful harvest, it
is something that cannot be
ignored,” said Ms. Ho.

Fig.2 Asustek exhibited its EeePC in Taipei Computer Application Show

Courtesy : Asustek

18 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4

EXHIBITION WATCH
FPD International 2008 in Yokohama:
The Latest Green Innovati
Taiwanese Exhibitors
D
rawing manufacturers from all over the
world to present their latest technologies
and products, FPD International was
taking place in Yokohama, Japan from October
29th to 31st. In addition to the continuing focus
on the slimness of displays since last year, FPD
International 2008 in Yokohama also added
the most discussed concern worldwide into the
event— eco-friendliness.
The theme of this year’s FPD International
is “Displays Trigger a Lifestyle Revolution—
Ambient & Green.” With the remarkable advance
Fig.1 AUO’s innovations of this year’s Flat Panel Display International in
Yokohama
Courtesy : PIDA
20 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4
in FPD industries, the access to information is
getting easier than ever. “Ambient” indicates the
expectation that objects around our daily life,
windows and walls for instances, will be able
to provide information on demand through their
integration with technology. “Green,” on the other
hand, refers to the increasing global concern of
the environmental issues. Products from different
manufacturers feature the same appeal for being
environment-friendly and non-polluting.
Green innovations from AU Optronics Corp.
(AUO) are based on four major principles—
energy saving, material saving, environment
friendly, and lean design, which echo this year’s
theme of FPD International 2008.
One of AUO’s focuses this time is the 10.1”
WVGA green panels which apply LED backlight
as well as driver IC technology. The LED
backlight technology CABC (Content Adaptive
Backlight Control) allows the panels to adjust
the backlight according to the lighting condition
around the users, and thus helps to save the
backlight power by 50%. On the other hand, the
driver IC technology APSD (Advanced Power
Saving Display) not only reduces the power
consumption of the driver IC by 40% but also
simplifies the design by cutting down the number
of source drivers into one.
The other green product AUO showcased is
the “Eco Plus” 46” green TV panel. It reduces
weight, thickness, and power by 30% respectively
and therefore increases 66% package efficiency
 EXHIBITION WATCH

ons from

By Angel Chiou

for the product’s thinner and lighter size.

According to AUO’s Green Logistic, the
reduction of size and weight improves the
transportation efficiency and consequently
decreases the impact on the environment.
In addition to green products, AUO
also exhibited several innovative designs.
The in-cell multi-touch panels, for
instance, recognize input from both fingers
and light pens by applying photo-sensing
technology. The multi touch functionality
makes it possible that users can play
piano with virtual black and white keys
on a LCD display. These in-cell multi-
touch panels range from 4.3” to 15”, and
can be integrated into notebooks or larger
Fig.2 AUO’s 2.8-inch image/ fingerprint scanning technology on QVGA mobile device panel
handhelds. Courtesy : AUO
AUO also unveiled two 2.8” mobile
panels that would bring the smartphone users a whole The other company that also showcased
new experience. The first one is a VGA mobile panel green and innovative products is Chi Mei
equipped with the function of a UV sensor. The panel Optoelectronics Corp. (CMO). In accordance with
is integrated with optical sensors and a detection the theme of this year’s FPD International, CMO
circuit. When used outdoors, the panel detects UV presents their new products developed under two
rays in a numerical term (from 0 to 11) and therefore notions— “green” and “innovative.”
informs the users of their exposure to the sun. The CMO’s “green” products emphasize their “3S”
other one is a QVGA image/ fingerprint scanning concept— power saving, material saving, and time
mobile panel with a resolution up to 288 dpi. This saving. One of the best examples is CMO’s new
scanning technology enables the cell phone to use 42” and 47” LCD TV panels. These panels are
fingerprint identification as a security system. This designed to use lamps that are 30~40% less than
function is expected in the future to make it possible before, but to increase power performance up to
that users can shop around by just putting their 40~50%, saving both materials and power at the
fingers on the mobile panel. same time. Also by simplifying and integrating

OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 21

EXHIBITION WATCH

the highest omniview contrast ratio over 100:1 of

all LCD panels, as well as the highest dynamic
contrast ratio at 4000:1 in the mass market
segment.
The other amazingly slim product is CMO’s
new 13.3” notebook panels. It weights 100g and
measures only 1.2mm thick— same thickness
as a CD. The lightness and thinness of the panel
give more flexibility and possibility for further
design. In terms of desktop panels, CMO also
Fig.3 AUO’s VGA mobile panel which can sensor the UV ray
Courtesy : PIDA
debuted an innovative 19” computer panel that can
display images on both front and back of the panel
the assembly, these LCD panels further feature the independently.
decrease in manpower and time spent during the Similar to the manufacturers above, Chunghwa
production. Picture Tubes, Ltd. (CPT) also endeavors to
Milli Power is the other breakthrough develop products that are energy-saving. The
technology on LCD panel CMO debuted in the 15.6” notebook panel reduces power consumption
exhibition. Targeting energy saving, Milli Power
reduces power consumption of LED backlit panels
by 80%. Since the LCD is one of the most power-
consuming parts in a notebook computer, by
minimizing average power consumption less than
a watt, the Milli Power technology enables more
efficient power management and meets customers’
need for an extended battery life.
While CMO’s green products focus on the
3S concepts, products developed under the
innovative theme feature high image quality,
lightness and slimness. CMO’s Fresco TV, with
only 24 lamps, sets several records in photonic
Fig.4 CMO’s Milli Power technology saves power consumption
industry. It measures only 14mm and is the by 80%
Courtesy : PIDA
world’s thinnest 42” CCFL LCD TV panel. It has

22 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4


to 65%, while the 18.5” and 21.5” TV panels save
50% energy.
Echoing the earth-friendly appeal of this
year’s FPD International, most of CPT’s products
shown in the exhibition are made of halogen-
free and mercury-free materials, aiming to reduce
the pollution to the environment. In addition to
products, CPT also takes action on packaging.
Boxes are reused for package while 70% of the
packaging materials are made from recycled
papers.
Regarding the new technologies, CPT
showcased its 15.4” on cell multi-touch LCD
panel. It reduces the use of substrate glasses which
is part of the conventional touch panels, and
thus remains the same weight and thickness as
regular LCD panels. The other CPT’s product—
Fig.6 CMO’s double-sided display that presents images from
both sides
Courtesy : PIDA
EXHIBITION WATCH
active matrix Electro Phoretic
Display— features not only
its lightness and slimness, but
also its sunlight readability and
images of better quality. The
6” EPD panel has a resolution
of 800X600, while 8” has a
resolution of 1024×768.
FPD International 2008 in
Yokohama showed not only
manufacturers’ latest products and
technologies, but their concern
of the environment as well. With
the increasing importance of Fig.5 Milli Power’s energy consumption
environmental issues, this trend of 1.303 W in comparison with
of being energy-saving and eco- 5.889 W of a conventional panel
Courtesy : PIDA
friendly will continue for sure.
Fig.7 CPT takes reduces packaging materials based on
eco-friendly principles.
Courtesy : CPT
OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 23
http://www.e-tonsolar.com/company.htm
Company Profile

ITRI Wins R&D 100

ACLED
Award with

By PIDA

“T
he invention of LED has changed
the lighting history, and our leading
on-chip AC LED technology marks
a significant breakthrough in the technology
development,” said Wen-yung Yeh, a Deputy
Director of Opto-Electronics Device and
System Application Division of Electronics and
Optoelectronics Research Laboratories under
Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI),
a national research organization that serves to
strengthen the technological competitiveness of
Taiwan.
LED is short for light-emitting-diode, which
is a semiconductor diode that emits light when an
electric current is applied in the forward direction
of the device. One of the most-anticipated
applications for LED is public lighting because
when LED light theoretically uses less energy and
lasts longer than conventional bulbs, and therefore Fig.1 Lamp that utilizes AC LED
Courtesy : PIDA
saves significant energy and maintenance.
However, over several decades since the 1960s
LEDs have been around, manufacturers are still well as make the module much smaller and
not quite ready to meet the public lighting needs. replaceable,” said Dr. Yeh.
“Luminous efficiency and distance are the keys,” ITRI’s remarkable achievement was also
said Dr. Yeh. recognized in mid October in 2008 by the
D r. Ye h e x p l a i n e d t h a t w h i l e L E D i s reputable U.S.-based R&D Magazine, which is
traditionally powered by direct current (DC), called the Oscars of invention by the Chicago
it is a great fit for low-power applications, for Tribune, to be selected as a winner of this year’s
example mobile phones and the other handsets. R&D 100 Awards sponsored by the magazine. Intel
However, DC loses its power when it comes to Corp, DuPont, Argonne National Laboratory and
a much bigger application and a longer distance, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
architectural lighting for example. “Our inventive (NASA) are participants alongside. Dr. Yeh noted
on-chip AC LED technology can reduce energy that after the announcement of the R&D 100
consumption by 15 percent to 30 percent, as Awards nomination, there have been a couple

28 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4

 ITRI

of international lighting including Epistar Corp,

suppliers paying attention to focusing on manufacturing
this new technology. and marketing high
Dr. Yeh explained the brightness LED products,
concept of the on-chip AC Lite-On Technology Corp,
LED lighting technology, providing various optical
which was developed from storage components, Tyntek
directly using alternating Corp, developing high-
current (AC) power. The brightness AlGaAs red LED,
diodes are cut into many and Forward Electronics Co,
micro dies so as to adapt possessing an integrated,
to AC and higher voltage, professional capability in
as well as to provide more R&D and manufacturing
flexible and longer-lasting optoelectronic components,
than traditional lighting. and the other companies
Fig.2 Lamp that Utilizes AC LED
Dr. Yeh further pointed Courtesy : PIDA
across the industry.
out that the hot swapping E v e n t h o u g h Ta i w a n
design enables a great improvement in LED deserves to enjoy a great honor for a moment,
packaging limitations and reducing thermal Dr. Yeh admitted that there are challenges ahead,
contact resistance. Besides, with the technology’s for example, fierce competition among market
unique hot swapping design, more flexibility is players. “We are facing pressure from major rival
available for designing novel lighting fixture. the South Korea-based Seoul Semiconductor, and
“We have been in talks with several customers to the only way to outstand is to add on higher value
apply the technology in lamps replacement and and put it into mass production to get them behind,
flat panel backlighting systems,” said Dr.Yeh. which is the ultimate goal for us” said Dr. Yeh.
He emphasized that AC LEDs increase the
convenience of LED lighting sources and bring
greater potential for further LED applications in
general.
But most important of all, Dr. Yeh placed
emphasis on the high value-added patent portfolio
in which AC LED’s design, processing, packaging
and applications are concluded as three major
aspects. “Considering the great commercial
potential of the on-chip AC LED to be widely used
in the future, ITRI has applied for national as well
as international patents, with 70 patents already
granted,” said Dr. Yeh. With patent protection,
the institute will be able to handle a difficult task,
which is to lead Taiwan ahead the world in on-
chip AC LED technology development, with ease.
According to a study, the technology is
expected to create a production value to reach NT
$7.4 billion in just two years, which appeals to a Fig.3 Dr. Yeh— one of the key members of ITRI’s
handful of local electronics and optoelectronics AC LED team
Courtesy : PIDA
manufacturers to form an alliance with ITRI,

OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 29

Company Profile
M-Com Goes Deep into
the GaAs
Solar cell
with III-V Compound Technology
M
illennium Communication Co., Ltd.
(M-Com for short), established in
2001 in Taiwan to develop fiber-optic
communication, has changed to go deep into the
GaAs solar cell since the emerging strong demand
for the product gave a boost to the market in 2003.
Lih-Wen Laih, General Manager of M-Com, is
optimistic about the company’s 2009 outlook
because the monthly capacity of 10 million chips
will drive the growth.
Solar cell is a semiconductor device, made
from polysilicon, which generates electricity by
converting the photons from the sun. According
to Photon International, the worldwide market
for solar (photovoltaic or PV) energy and the PV
industry itself have grown substantially in 2007
and 2008, with 2007 annual production jumped to
3,800 megawatts worldwide, up an estimated 50%
over 2006. The institute expects the global solar
cell production will continue to grow at 25% in the
next 5-10 years due to strong support in the form of
government subsidies.
The PV includes two major technologies of
traditional polysilicon-based solar cell and new thin-
film. At present, the traditional type takes up about
90% of the solar market, and they are expected
to dominate for at least the next 10 years. But Dr.
Laih noted that competing thin-film cells present
some advantages because they are cheaper than
polysilicon-based cells. In addition, thin-film cells
are better at generating electricity when it's cloudy
or when the sun is not directly shining on them.
30 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4
By PIDA
A key force driving the advancement of thin-
film technologies is a polysilicon shortage that
began in April 2004, which also represented a great
opportunity for M-Com to seize on. “Because our
superior GaAs-based solar cell technology applies
to a variety of superficial lens design and consumer
electronic application,” said Dr. Laih.
Dr. Laih explained that M-Com’s GaAs-based
solar cell ingot is grown by high-technical metal-
organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and
advanced related photolithography process. The
exclusive epi-wafer growth technology and process
capability helps the company develop diverse
products from optoelectronic semiconductor units
such as VCSELs, edge-emitting LDs and single-
and multi-crystal silicon solar Cell and module
with main applications of infrared products, laser
pointer, laser mouse, laser printer, plastic optical
fiber communication, IrDA wireless transmission,
solar cell, and etc.
Currently M-Com is focused on laser mouse,
an advanced tool using an infrared laser diode to
illuminate the surface beneath their sensor. “We have
foreseen the big advantage of power usage of laser
mouse will fuel our sales starting this year, and will
boost even more in the coming days,” said Dr. Laih.
In a corner of the company’s meeting room
stands a toy with faint light over the whole body.
Dr. Laih said the toy is used as a source of indoor
light to provide free power lighting. “A solar cell
chip is embedded inside the toy, which converts
sunlight to electricity when receiving the solar
 M-Com

energy,” explained Dr. Laih. Despite an inadequate

conversion between two types of energies, the toy
has become one of the hottest Christmas gifts on
demand with a monthly shipment up to several ten
thousands.
Dr. Laih said with endeavoring to research
and develop the GaAs-based solar cell technology
for many years and finally coming a long way
to successful mass production over 30% multi-
junction GaAs-based solar cell, the process of
groping for success now pays off by signing more
contracts with customers from all over the world,
which is followed by more orders for their products.
Fig.1 Dr. Shi— the chairperson of M-Com
In March of 2008, M-Com signed a contract Courtesy : PIDA
with its neighbor Gigastorage Corporation to
purchase its workshop in Hsinchu Industrial Park, associated with the dot-com bubble because industry
which is located in the north city of Hsinchu. Dr. promoters drummed for an exponential increasing
Laih said the company is planning to build clean in Internet protocol date traffic. However, from the
room and construct the correlation reorganization bust of the dot-com bubble through 2006, the main
work for expanding their production line of high trend in the industry has been consolidation of firms
conversion efficiency solar cell in the near future. and offshoring of manufacturing to reduce costs.
The fiber-optic communication is a method of M-Com claimed that it is still watching closely on
transmitting information from one place to another the advanced technology related to the fiber-optic
by sending pulses of light through an optical fiber. communication, and will make a comeback if the
In the late 1990s through 2000, the industry became market recovers.

Fig.2 From left to right : M-Com's general manager Dr. Laih, chairperson Dr. Shi, and CEO Dr. Laih
Courtesy : PIDA

OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 31

Company Profile
Higgstec
Touches
D
ue to the latest
worldwide
financial
tsunami, many
Ta i w a n e s e p a n e l
manufacturers face a
decline in, or worse, a
closedown of business.
Higgstec Inc., however, is
going to build its third plant to
meet its growing demand of orders.
Founded in 2002 by only five engineers,
Higgstec Inc. now is a company with over three
hundred employees, focusing on research and
development of human-machine interface and
touch technology applications.
With the impact of iPhone phenomenon,
touch panels are currently regarded as the human-
machine interface with great potential to replace
most functions of mice and keyboards. Higgstec
also devotes effort into the development of touch
technology. As the major product of the company,
Higgstec’s touch panels originally range from
6”~24”, targeting applications such as phones,
ATM, KIOSK, and POS (Point-of-Sale). Smaller
sizes were only undertaken when strategic moves
or higher-standard requirements were concerned.
However, with recently matured technology,
Higgstec expands its product size to 4” ~ 40” and
aims to a market of broader application.
In terms of touch technologies, Higgstec
mainly focuses on 5-Wire Analog Resistive
and Surface & Projected Capacitive. Figure 1
32 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4
the Future
By Angel Chiou
presents the proportion of
Higgstec’s touch panels.
Analog Resistive is
the major technology
Fig.1 Proportion of Higgstec’s touch panels
Courtesy : Higgstec
in touch screen market. It
provides accurate touch control
as well as high resolution, and is the
most cost-effective technology amongst others.
It is widely applied in consumer products of
small to medium size. Surface Capacitive, on
the other hand, is commonly used in public
access applications such as ATMs and Kiosks.
It has a better durability, longer lifetime, and
optical transparency up to 90%. Now Higgstec
is devoted to the further development of Surface
Capacitive, and is confident of its potential in the
future market. Higgstec aims to apply Surface
Capacitive screen into products of small form
factor such as cell phones, and expects Surface
Capacitive to drastically increase its market share
in the near future.
One of Higgstec’s advantages in touch
panel market is its high temperature tunnel
furnace. Conventional touch panels are relatively
easily influenced by temperature or humidity
in the environment. The significance of high
temperature tunnel furnace lies in its superior
stability and durability. By undergoing the high
temperature process, the molecular structure of

the materials and ITO glass would reconstruct to
form a homogenized structure and thus achieve
a better stability. Higgstec now has the high
temperature tunnel furnaces in both Taoyuan and
Yilan plant. Construction of the third plant will
begin at Li-ze Industrial Park, Yilan County in
2009. In the future, the Taoyuan plant will focus
on the production of 5-Wire Analog Resistive
panels while the two Yilan plants produce the
capacitive ones.
But why did Higgstec choose to build plants
in Taoyuan and Yilan, instead of China? Many
panel manufacturers have gone across the strait
in order to take advantage of China’s cheap
manpower and low land cost. Higgstec Vice
president Dr. Dagang Pan however sees the
Chinese market from a different perspective. He
defines cost as the tangible cost and the intangible
Fig.2 Terminal Resistance Variation between -40ºC to 100ºC
Courtesy : Higgstec
Higgstec
one. Manpower, transportation, and land cost
that are viewed as attractions to Taiwanese
manufacturers are categorized into the tangible
cost. The lower the tangible cost, the more a
company earns. But to Dr. Pan, the intangible
cost is a more important concern for a long-term
business.
“Chinese people think differently from
us— a lot.” The distinct education and value
result in a fundamental difference among
Chinese and Taiwanese people, which would
easily lead to mutual misunderstanding during
communication, and thus influence the products.
Besides, after a new technology or product is
brought to China, says Dr. Pan, one can see its
copies all over the whole country in just three
months.
In addition, Dr. Pan believes that it is an
OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 33
 Company Profile

Fig.3 Conceptual Drawing of Higgstec Li-ze II Plant

Courtesy : Higgstec

unavoidable trend of increasing cost in China. research and development in the filed of human-
Manufacturers go to China because of cheap machine interface, because, “engineers’ concern
manpower and lower land cost. However, is how to develop a new technology or product,
with more and more investors heading to the not how to make a profit,” said Dr. Pan.
country, costs would increase and soon fall
short of the manufacturers’
expectation. At the same
time, obstacles in cash flow,
information flow and logistics
would also be a problem for
investors to deal with. The
intangible cost, according to
D r. P a n , i s c l o s e l y r e l e v a n t
to a product’s quality and its
competition in market, and
is viewed as important as the
tangible cost for Higgstec.
I n t h e f u t u r e , H i g g s t e c ’s
Taoyuan plant will focus on the
production of 5-Wire Analog
Resistive panels while the
two Yilan plants produce the
capacitive ones. Higgstec would Fig.4 Higgstec’s VP of Sales & Marketing Dr. Dagang Pan
Courtesy : PIDA
continue its endeavor to the

34 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4

 Product News

Asia Optical Co., Inc.

http : / / w w w. asia - o p tica l. c om
Products►•Fiber Optics
Switch, WDM, EDFA

■ Switch :
•FTTX Optical Protection Switch
•1+1 and 1:1 Optical Protection Switch
(1) Automatic, remote, or manual operation
(2) Automatic optical switching within 20ms

■ WDM Series Module

•Mini-size CWDM : 4-CH, 8-CH, 9-CH, 10-CH (1431nm~1611nm)
•32/40 Channel DWDM
(1) Ultra Low Insertion Loss (2) Wide Operation Wavelength Range
(3) Ultra-flat Wide Pass band (4) Different Isolation Choice
(5) Environmentally Stable

■ EDFA
•C-band EDFA
(1) High power output (2) Low noise figure
•L-band EDFA
(1) Low noise figure (2) Wide operating wavelength range

MANZ INTECH MACHINES CO., LTD

http : / / w w w. im l auto . c om .t w
Products►■ Cleaner/ Developer/ Etcher/ Stripper/ IR Oven
•Applicable to G8.5 (G10 is under developing) •High capability of design and home manufacture,
supply customs with the highest quality products and service.
•Friendly HMI (human machine interface),
easy operation and maintenance.
•Low water and chemical consumption reduce running cost and
minimize impact on the environment.

■ Photovoltaics
Cleaner and Texture etcher and relative Wet bench
for thin film solar cell manufacturing

■ FPD
Wet bench, Dry cleaner and IR oven of LCD
manufacturing, applicable to TFT Array、Color
Filter、Cell、Module process.

■ Touch Panel
Total solution of wet process

OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 37

Product News

Dalux Technology Co.,Ltd.

http : / / www.d a lux . com .t w
Products►•Wet Process & Automation Equipment
•CBD (Chemical Bath Deposition) Coater for Buffering Layer of CIGS Solar Cell
•CIGS-PV Turnkey Solution

DALUX Group, founded in 1992, is a leading Optical and Automation equipment trading company
and after-service provider in the fields of PCB, Optical and Automation Manufacturing. It has recently
evolved to the fields of Flat-Panel Displays and Semi-conductor.

Based on manufacturing, installation and

performance experience in the field of Opti-
cal related process and automation equip-
ment, DALUX TECH now develops its core
business to turnkey operation in Solar Cell
& Module provided system solution, and
ultra power saving system industries. Even,
we provide related equipments and transfer
technology from Japan, Europe and USA’s
leading companies. This accomplishment
not only fulfills our customers' needs for
equipment, but also provides them leading
edge and state of the art technology.

Far Eastern Textile Ltd.

http ://www.f eg .com .t w/t w/index .aspx
Products►•Anti-Reflection Films •Hard-Coated Films
•Anti-Glare Films •Functional Coated Films

Features :
•Roll-to-roll wet precision coating
•Up to 1500mm in coating width
•Operation in highly clean room ( Class ≤ 100 )
•Available for TAC, PET and PC films
•OEM & ODM available Cost competitive

Far Eastern Textile is a leading manufacturer in the field of

optical films applied for FPD industries in Taiwan. The optical
film products— which include functional coated films such as
hard-coated films, anti-glare films and low-reflection films—
are manufactured by roll-to-roll precision coating technology
and operated in highly clean room.

38 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4

 Product News

Fittech Co., Ltd.

http : / / w w w. f itte ch . c om .t w
Products►•Solar Cell Test & Sorting System(Silicon)
•Solar Cell Tester

■ Solar Cell Test & Sorting System(Silicon)

•Auto Loading:There are 3 cassettes in loading area and
can auto-detect if there is any cell in the cassette.
•Auto position:Auto position before inspection
•Inspection:Inspection for good cells or cracked cells
•Auto Bin Sorting:Auto sorting based on test result
■ Solar Cell Tester
•Class A (ASTM E927 and IEC60904-9) standard
•Equipped with test roller track; adapt to production line swiftly
•Measurable parameters:I-V curve, Isc, Voc, Pm, Vm, Im, F F, η
•Use constant intensity single long pulse to test
characteristic curve of solar cell
•repeatability: ± 0.3%
•Adopt pulsed Xenon lamp to affirm test source
spectrum and usage duration

Guann Way Technologies Co., Ltd.

http : / / w w w. g uanny inn . c om .t w
Products►•Thin Film Sputtering
•Injection Molding •Dispenser & Spin Coating of Photo Resistance & Dye
•UV Lacquer Coating & Curing Process
•Image / Optical Inspection System •Screen Printing Equipment
•Offset Printing Equipment •Digital Inject Printing Process

GW is specialized in programming of automation equipment. Since its

establishment over a decade ago, GW has accumulated an extensive
experience in designing and manufacturing in the field of automation
of photoelectrical industry. GW has exposed itself to other
equipment manufacturers the difference of its strong intention to
pursue its product quality in the development, manufacture and
production of equipment as well as in its after service to its
customers. We can clearly see that the success of GW is built on the
basis of customer trust and satisfaction. With the hard work and effort
of the crew of the company, GW products have now acquired high
degree of its customer recognition in Europe, U.S. and Japan.
Based on our experience in designing and manufacturing, GW
provides “Custom made” service also. For automation of new
products, improvement and maximization of production equipment or
manufacturing process, GW would always be your best partner.

OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 39

Product News

HIGGSTEC Inc.
http : / / www. hig g ste c. com
Products►•PCT: Projected Capacitive Touch Panel
•SCT: Surface Capacitive Touch Panel

Higgstec capacitive touch products include projected and

surface capacitive touch panels. They are your ultimate solution for
applications where accurate, reliable and fast touch performance is
critical. With enhanced optical performance and a unique
high-temperature process, Higgstec capacitive touch panels provide
you with excellent transmittance, low reflectance, robust structure
and high resistance to scratches or abrasion. Panel size ranges from
5" to 24" with many options to meet your satisfaction.

■ Projected Capacitive Touch Panels

•Multi-Touch Platform
•Works with gloved or ungloved finger
PCT multi-touch screen capture
•Touch Panel can be operated through store window or vandal
resistant glass
•High transmittance >= 90%
•Accuracy >= 98.5% •Surface Hardness >
= 7H
•Total solution available

■ Surface Capacitive Touch Panels

•High transmittance >
= 97% •Reflectance <= 1.84%
>
•Surface Hardness = 7H •Total solution available

iLEDm Photoelectric Limited Company

http : / / www. ile dm . com
Products►KIP Series : High efficient LEM(light emitting module, longer or
square type LEM (1W, 3W, 6W, 12W)

■ Low temperature
iLEDm products consume power from 1 to 12 watt and can be
used without complex heat dissipation systems.
■ Bright Light & Save Energy
Good CRI, uniformed light source, and light emitting
efficiency up to 80 lm/w
Energy consumption is less than 80% of other
incandescent light bulbs with six times more emitting efficiency
■ Classic
Unlike common plastic style, our products are classic and easy to
assemble.

Our high efficiency LEM would be applied in street lamps,

projectors, emergency lights, surgical lights, table lamps, and for all indoor or
outdoor lights. It can combine with solar modules to provide the best energy saving
combination products.

40 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4

 Product News

United Radiant Technology Corporation

http : / / w w w.ur t . c om .t w
Products►•Size:1”~14” customization is available
•High contrast ratio up to 500:1~800:1 •No mura problem •Operating voltage:1/4D1/3B
4.5~5.5V•Temp. Range:-30~80°C

■ Ultra Black LCD

U.R.T. announces Ultra Black LCD, built
by Vertical Alignment with special
polarizers and liquid crystal. The LCD
has an ultra black background color with
high contrast ratio.
■ Products applications in:
•Automotive: Dashboard, Car Audio…
and more.
•Industrial & Medical application
•Consumer electronics ,
Audio, …and more

OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 41

Product News

42 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4

 Product News

EVERPHOTON Energy Corp.

http : / / w w w. e ver p ho ton . c om
Products►•Compact High-Efficiency HCPV Module

After just months of EVERPHOTON’s first generation

standard module, EVERPHOTON again improved the design
and came up with the latest Compact HCPV solar module.
With smaller cells (2.5x2.5mm) and higher light
concentration ration (~700x), the thickness of the
module can also be reduced by 50%. Unlike the
si-base solar cells, III V compound
semi-conductor cell dissipates heat
faster due to smaller cell size, so no
heat sink or cooler is required for
the system.

Hong-Ming Technology Co., Ltd.

http : / / w w w. hmte ch . c om .t w
Products►•Microcrack Inspection System
•Solar Simulator and IV Measurement Equipment
•Solar Cell Surface Optical Characteristics Measurement System

■ Our product can inspect large and microcracks, holes,

inclusion, diffusion length, contact area or bad conductivity
area. The suitable samples are single-crystalline silicon wafer,
polycrystalline silicon wafer and thin-film silicon solar cell.

■ Our product meets ASTM E 927, IEC 60904-9 and JIS

C8912-1989 standards, where spectral conformity, uniformity
and stability are required. The beam area ranges from 2 to
8 inches. Parameters such as IV curve, Isc, Ivmax, Voc, FF,
power convert efficiency can be measured precisely.

■ Our product meets ASTM903, CIE130-1998 and NREL lab

standards. It can measure transmittance, transmittance
scattering rate, reflectance, reflectance scattering rate,
roughness, and anti-reflective film thickness (SiNOx, SiO2).

OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 43

Product News

TrueLight Corporation
http : / / www.tr uel ig ht . com .t w
Products►■ Chip and Array •VCSEL (780nm~980nm) •Visible-to-IR PD (GaAs 650nm~880nm)
•Near IR PD (InGaAs 880nm~1600nm) •Far IR PD (InGaAs 1600nm~2600nm)
■ TO46, TO56 Metal-Can Package •VCSEL TO •LD TO • PD TO
■ OSA •TOSA: VCSEL, FP/ DFB •ROSA: PD, PINTIA

TrueLight provides total solutions from CHIP, TO-CAN to OSA products. With its manufacturing
lines, TrueLight has established adequate and flexible manufacturing capability, and has committed
to fulfill every customer’s demand.

Based on TrueLight’s core technologies— the integration

of Optics, Mechanics and Electronics, TrueLight has built
up a reputation for new product development, component
design, device manufacturing process, performance char-
acterization, packaging and reliability assurance. TrueLight
establishes these strengths as disciplines in every manu-
facturing process. Our strong research and development
capability makes TrueLight a market leader in both fiber-
optics and consumer-electronics business.

TrueLight has succeeded in optical components business

for the applications of LAN (Local Area Network), SAN
(Storage Area Network), and FTTx (Fiber-To-The-Home,
and Access-related Networks). For the FTTH market in
Japan, TrueLight is the major qualified top-tier supplier of
the PINTIA TO-can products.

OSRAM Opto Semiconductors

http ://www.osr am- os .com/osr am_os/ E N /
Products►•OSTAR Headlamp LED

Depending on the number of chips arranged in

series, the OSTAR Headlamp LED produces between
125 lm at 700 mA (one chip) and 1000 lm at 1A (five
chips). The enormous brightness from an unchanged
power rating of 12 W results from improvements in
the chips themselves, the converter and the package.
Thermal resistance for the five-chip version is around
3 K/W.

A high-precision shutter integrated in the glass

provides a clearly defined beam pattern on the road
without losing light, as was the case previously with
mechanical shutters. Compared with conventional
solutions the mounting depth is also significantly
reduced. And the glass cover itself makes the LED
more robust.

44 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4

 Product News

Emit Technology Co., Ltd.

http : / / w w w. em it . c om .t w
Products►•Fiber optical connector, adaptor, hybrid adaptor, attenuator and accessories……
•Termination cabinets, coupler/splitter(PLC)…..Pigtail/patchcord

Emit is a leading dedicated manufacturer based in Taiwan for the

fiber optic components industry. Founded in 1990, Emit is one
of the pioneer suppliers in fiber optic components for DGT, the
former organization of
ChungHwa Telecom.

Our automation strategy that

makes our efficiency, cost
competition and also makes it
possible for our survival with
our valued customers, with its
industry.

Your ODM/OEM projects,

Export and Service are
welcome.

APAC Opto Electronics Inc.

http : / / w w w. ap ac o e. c om .t w
Products►•Video Extender

Designed to convert based band video signals to single-mode fiber

optic, the converter comes with transmitter and
receiver and works in pair. It can easily extend
the video signal up to 2,000 meters. Linear
modulation and wideband low-noise
circuit design are to assure transmission
quality to meet NTSC, PAL and SECAM
specifications.

■ Long distance image transmission

■ No RF interference by optical fiber
■ RS 232/485 remote control(optinal)

OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 45

Product News

FrontAnD Technology
http : / / www.f ront and . com .t w
Products►•LuxBar
•High Power LED Light Bar with Eco-friendly and Small Footprint

■ Features
•Extendable light bar, patented modular design
•No dark zones and seamless connection
•Built-in LED driver for stable and uniform light
output
•Built-in dimming circuit for intensity control
•No-polarity design, free of wrongly installation
•No UV/IR, low heat and long lifetime
•Lengths:30, 60, 90 and 120cm available

■ Applications
•Cabinet, Bookshelf, Cupboard, Showcase, Cove
lighting, etc.

Lei Yueh Enterprise Co., Ltd.

http : / / www. l eiyueh . com
Products►•LED Glass Brick

The LED Glass Brick won Lei Yueh Enterprise Co., Ltd. the “Red Dot: Best of the
Best” in the international design competitions among the 3,203 submitted products.

The LED Glass Brick is an imprinting design with new concepts of light, color
and texture fused into the current modern design. Combined with specialized
control, LED Glass Brick is able to perform stunning fancy lighting effect as
well as smooth elegant flash changing effect. These visual effects would
greatly enhance the interaction between users and the environment. LED
Glass Brick not only provides the usually glass block impression, but also
displays dynamic visual effect which greatly enhances the decorative
atmosphere of environment.

The LED Glass Brick provides the

standardization module designs of
light-source and glass for texture glass
customization. It lets users designate any
glass-type or clear materials for producing
a colorful, multidimensional presentation
at their home living environment.

46 • OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4

 Product News

SiPix
http : / / w w w. sip ix . c om
Products►•SiPix Flex-It™ Family of e-Paper Films

SiPix, a leading e-paper provider, launched its

Flex-It™ Family of EPD Films, offering
substantial improvements in brightness,
contrast and speed. Based on Microcup®
technology, Flex-It™ EPD Film offers
unparalleled performance for flexible and
rollable displays. It is manufactured on SiPix’s
patented roll-to-roll line and has enabled a new
generation of electronic readers,
electronic pricing labels, informational
displays, mobile device displays, and
indicators.

SiPix is currently partnering with leading

display companies to integrate Flex-It™
technology into display modules for
forthcoming active matrix products, as well as for
ESL/POP applications.

Opto Tech Corporation

http : / / w w w. o p to . c om .t w
Products►■ Street Lighting
•Excellent thermal management •Optimal Optical and Mechanical Design

■ Use high efficacy LED (Nichia NS6W083B)

■ Long operating life
■ Save energy and maintenance cost
■ More energy efficient than most halogen lamps
■ Environmental Protection— no lead or mercury,
therefore no environmental pollution
■ Start Without Delay (less than 100 ns for LEDs)
■ Low heat generated/ no UV radiation
■ Easy to assemble— modular design
■ Special design for thermal dissipations
■ IP65

The features of a slim and streamline profile design reduce weights and allow an easy installation. A
heatsink integrated in the housing helps to maintain junction temperature and overcome the defected
heat dissipation through light casing. Opto Tech’s street light’s outstanding performance, long life and
optical system design meet IES and China Street light standards.

OPTOLINK International Edition 2008 Q4 • 47