12 July 2011

Ireland’s Tyndall National Institute spins out InfiniLED   

Ireland’s Minister for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock T.D., has formally launched InfiniLED Ltd of Cork, Ireland, a spin-off from Tyndall National Institute, UCC (University College Cork).

Picture: Ireland's Minister for Research and Innovation Sean Sherlock, Tyndall's CEO professor Roger Whatmore, and InfiniLED's CEO Joe O'Keeffe.

InfiniLED is founded on Micro LED (µLED) technology invented by a team of researchers led by Brian Corbett in the III-V Materials and Devices group of Tyndall National Institute, supported and funded by Enterprise Ireland (EI). Based on free-standing gallium nitride (GaN), the Micro LEDs have been developed as a next-generation source for miniature lighting applications.  

Advantages of Micro LED are said to include: a 10-fold reduction in the active light-emitting layer; minimal power consumption; optimum extraction efficiency (up to eight time more efficient than conventional LEDs when coupled to an application); a quasi-collimated beam; the formation of addressable arrays; a color range spanning UV–blue–green–yellow–orange; and good coupling efficiency with both glass and plastic optical fibres.

As a development and production company for next-generation LEDs, InfiniLED is now commercializing the new LED technology that, it is claimed, can significantly extend the battery life for portable devices such as cameras, mobile phones and laptops, as well as for various medical and analytical instrumentation, by producing more usable light using less energy.

Under the EI Business Partner Programme, entrepreneur Joe O’Keeffe (who has previously spun out a series of successful companies) evaluated the commercial potential of the Micro LED. The purpose of the Business Partner Programme is to identify, engage and support successful entrepreneurs and introduce them to research teams to capitalize on the portfolio of commercially viable research developed within the academic sector, with the aim of creating start-up companies.

“Portable device manufacturers are continuously in search of new technologies that provide end-users with extended battery life, while reducing energy usage,” says O’Keeffe, InfiniLED’s interim CEO. “Our Micro LED technology extends battery life by up five times relative to the current state-of-the-art for any device with an LCD display,” he reckons. “Micro LED technology brings performance advantages across a broad spectrum of applications. Already, products have been developed to serve LCD display, medical and analytical instrumentation and maskless lithography markets,” he adds. “InfiniLED is actively seeking new applications, new customers and new licensing opportunities. We are in the process of raising investment and we invite any interested investors to contact us at [email protected],” O’Keeffe continues.

“This is an excellent example of a successful collaboration between researchers, UCC s Technology Transfer team and external entrepreneurs,” comments Tyndall’s CEO professor Roger Whatmore. “Dr Bill Henry, who as a Tyndall employee worked on indentifying commercial opportunities for the technology, has now joined InfiniLED as chief commercial officer,” he adds. “InfiniLED will continue to access our facilities and expertise in the further development of the Micro LED technology under an access agreement between InfiniLED and Tyndall.”  

“As we strive to embed the knowledge economy in Ireland it is vital that we maximize the return on the significant investment Government is making in R&D,” commented Sherlock. “InifiniLED is an excellent example of the type of company that we want to see emerge from this investment. One that will grow, develop and create the jobs this economy needs,” he added.

Tags: LEDs GaN Free-standing GaN

Visit: http://infiniled.com

Visit: www.tyndall.ie