Crystal IS Receives $5M DARPA Award

Ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UVC LED) developer Crystal IS Inc. announced it was awarded $5 million by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) based on the performance of its existing 265-nm LEDs that leverage its proprietary aluminum nitride (AlN) substrate technology.

The goal of the program is to develop efficient LEDs operating below 275 nm for use in water sterilization and numerous other applications of significant interest to the Department of Defense.

“With the tremendous help provided by DARPA, we believe we will accelerate the development cycle and bring bright, efficient, and long lifetime UVC LEDs to market sooner,” said Dr. Steven Berger, CEO of Crystal IS.

The development will take place at its Green Island facility, and it will run in parallel with its recently announced effort to produce large diameter AlN substrates.

To ensure a successful project, the company has assembled a group of expert collaborators, said Dr. Leo Schowalter, CTO and fonder of the company. The experts will include industrial and university partners, as well as a cooperative research agreement with the Army Research Laboratory, which is administered by Dr. Wraback.

For more information, visit: www.crystal-is.com