Nitride Semiconductor Launches High-Power UV-LEDs for Sterilization and Medical Use
The new LEDs offer output high enough to replace mercury lamps in sterilization and phototherapy, a shift accelerated by global mercury regulations under the Minamata Convention.
Reporting from 1 sources: ASCII.jp.
Nitride Semiconductor has begun sales of two deep ultraviolet UV-LED SMDs with wavelengths 275 nm and 310 nm. The 275 nm model achieves 82 mW optical output, about five times that of conventional products, while the 310 nm model reaches 27 mW, about 15 times conventional. The products target sterilization, resin curing, and skin disease treatment. The launch comes as global regulations phase out mercury lamps and the sterilization lamp market is projected to grow 9.6% annually through 2030.
The 275 nm model has been confirmed to sterilize E. coli and inactivate viruses at the Sendai Medical Center Virus Center, while the 310 nm model is intended for phototherapy of atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and vitiligo. The company notes that unlike mercury lamps, the LEDs are compact, impact-resistant, and pose no risk of glass or mercury scattering. The global sterilization lamp market is expected to reach about $1 billion by 2030, driven by infectious disease concerns and the Minamata Convention's restrictions on mercury. Nitride Semiconductor says the new products overcome the previous weakness of UV-LEDs-lower output compared to mercury lamps.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- ASCII.jp 殺菌・樹脂硬化・皮膚病の治療に応用可能な高出力UV-LED登場