As part of the agreement, Veeco will place its latest generation GaNzilla(R) metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) tool into KOPTI's facility in Gwangju, Korea, along with key technical experts and other process support. MOCVD tools are used to deposit the layers of material that make up an LED device structure.

The Veeco-KOPTI site will be used for R&D, training and demonstrations both for KOPTI's R&D efforts as well as other Korean HB-LED manufacturers. In addition, Veeco and its LED customers will be allowed to use KOPTI's LED characterization and chip fabrication facilities.

The agreement also includes potential sharing of solid-state lighting technology and intellectual property which is created as a result of this collaboration.

Piero Sferlazzo, VP and general manager of Veeco's MOCVD operations, said that KOPTI has a world-class development center and close relationships with Korea's important LED manufacturers, including Samsung and LG Innotek

"[This makes KOPTI] the ideal place for Veeco to establish our base of operations in the rapidly growing Asian marketplace," he added.

Kim Tae II, President of KOPTI, said, "We have chosen Veeco for this collaboration due to their leadership position in MOCVD technology and world-class process and applications support expertise."

Kopti has a division dedicated to R&D of semiconductor light sources, which includes work on epitaxial lateral overgrowth techniques.

KOPTI also runs an LED test production technology support business, aiming to develop the technology and infrastructure necessary to advance the LED industry, particular in the filed of solid-state lighting, and to support Korea's specialized companies in this field.