Laser, LED Projects Get DoE Funding

Two photonic projects have received more than $7 million in grants from the US Department of Energy (DoE) to increase laser machining energy efficiency and gallium nitride manufacturing efficiency.

Delphi Automotive Systems LLC received a $3.7 million grant to develop a highly versatile, energy-efficient method for micromachining complex shapes utilizing ultrafast laser technology. The process will increase laser machining energy efficiency up to 25 percent over standard practices while eliminating secondary processes such as etching, deburring or surface cleaning.

Delphi has partnered with Raydiance Inc. and Microlution Inc. to develop the new system, which will be built and verified at the automotive electronics and technologies supplier’s Rochester facility.

MEMC Electronic Materials Inc., a wafer technology company, received $3.68 million in funding to develop more efficient gallium nitride manufacturing. The project could reduce the cost of LEDS, solid-state lighting, laser displays and other power electronics and improve their output. Gallium nitrides hold the potential to reduce lighting energy by as much 75 percent, electric drive motor energy use for consumer applications by 50 percent, electric motor energy used for transportation by 60 percent, and energy for information technology infrastructure power delivery by 20 percent.

For more information, visit: www.delphi.com or www.memc.com