BluGlass Launches Laser Diode Business Unit

Australian semiconductor developer BluGlass Ltd. has announced a direct-to-market business unit that will enable higher brightness and higher efficiency GaN laser diodes. Similar to LEDs, laser diodes are used in several commercial applications such as industrial lasers, automotive and general lighting, displays, and life sciences.

BluGlass, a developer of remote plasma chemical vapor deposition (RPCVD) semiconductor manufacturing technology founded in 2005, reported in 2018 to have raised approximately 11.2 million AUD (about $8.3 million US) for a push to commercialize the technology. The company says it now expects to deliver its first laser diode product in 2019.

The new business unit will be headed by Vice President of Business Development Brad Siskavich out of BluGlass’ U.S. office. “This new business stream fits well with our strategy of commercializing the competitive advantages of the RPCVD technology to maximize returns,” Siskavich said. “This highly customizable, end-to-end approach will enable BluGlass to generate revenue in this high-value market and build our leadership in the manufacture of novel GaN laser diodes.”

BluGlass is confident that the higher-performance, lower-cost technology of GaN lasers will help address significant unmet needs in the industry. The company will initially focus on industrial laser diodes for welding and cutting applications, targeting a market capture of 6 to 10% by 2025. The total global market for laser market applications is estimated to reach $27 billion by 2025. BluGlass expects the GaN laser diode to grow to represent a $658 million serviceable addressable market for the company by 2025.

“BluGlass is entering the laser diode market as a result of our success in demonstrating tunnel junctions as a building block for high-performance cascade LEDs,” said BluGlass Managing Director Giles Bourne. “Our RPCVD tunnel junction technology has unique, compelling advantages to drive performance and cost improvements for the GaN laser diode market.” Bourne believes the similarities between LEDs and laser diodes will allows the company to hasten its entry into the market space “without diluting our activities on other RPCVD applications.”

With the recent opening of the Paul Dunnigan Laboratories, BlueGlass now has a pre-installed RPCVD capacity onsite, which it believes will help it gain significant laser diode revenues to help the new business unit become a profitable addition to the company.