LEDs Magazine September/October 2010 issue now available

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The LED and solid-state lighting industry is a growing segment of focus for the venture-capital community, as our article from Braemar Energy explains.

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FINANCEVenturing into LEDs: An overview of venture capital and its investment in lightingDENNIS COSTELLO of Braemar Energy Ventures explains the reasons for this level of interest and describes what makes a particular company in the sector attractive as an investment target for venture capitalists.

DRIVERS
LED driver lifetime and reliability hold the key to success in LED lighting projects
Product lifetime and reliability are two very different but related concepts. Understanding the issues relating to both parameters is a critical aspect of designing a product that will perform as expected in the field, explain GEORGE MAO and MARSHALL MILES.

OFF-GRID LIGHTINGLED lighting provides long-term value for the poorOff-grid LED lighting provides clear benefits for users in developing countries, and can also be built into a profitable business for committed suppliers, explain STEWART CRAINE, HARRY ANDREWS and SAM ANDREWS.

OUTDOOR LIGHTING SSL Luminaires must deliver reliable beam patterns in outdoor applicationsLuminaires for outdoor SSL applications such as street lights must deliver increasingly precise beam patterns to minimize light pollution and maximize efficiency by directing light to the appropriate area, says MAURY WRIGHT.

LED CHIP DESIGN Nano-patterning boosts LED efficiencyA variety of nano-patterning technologies can be used to enhance the light-extraction efficiency of LED chips, according to KI DONG LEE, ROBERT SJODIN and TORBJORN ERIKSSON.

INTERVIEWIntematix to take materials-centric approach under Mark Swoboda Mark Swoboda, the new CEO of Intematix, will leverage the company's materials heritage to capitalize on the value proposition of phosphors and phosphor-based lighting components, reports MAURY WRIGHT.

CIRCUIT PROTECTION
Circuit-protection devices guard against electrical transients
Open LED protectors can cope with significant over-voltage transients and keep a series string lit when one LED fails as an open circuit, say PHILLIP HAVENS, JIM COLBY and TEDDY TO.

LIGHTING: COMPATIBILITY
Compatibility and reliability are key factors in the design of LED lighting devices and systems
For everyday operational scenarios, LED lighting devices and systems must be compatible with power systems and electrical infrastructure, explains PHILIP KEEBLER.

DESIGN FORUM
System-level approach yields optimized LED backlight design
LEDs are quickly becoming the dominant backlight source for large displays, but design teams need to address thermal, power-management, dimming and other issues to yield an optimal design say XIAOPING JIN and ARKADIY PEKER.

LAST WORDSolid-state lighting isn't just about decreasing energy consumption More-efficient, lower-cost lighting could cause people to consume more light in the future, so overall energy consumption may not decrease, says JEFF TSAO of SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES.

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COMMENTARY
Money talks, and LEDs are no exception

NEWS + VIEWS