Taiwan Continued To Increase Output Of Laser Diode

n Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITIS)plants shift to the mainland, or joint venture
in a recent report that the first quarter of thiscompany with China to reduce manufacturing
year, Taiwan's laser diode (laser diode) the outputcosts.
value increased by 15.9%, reaching 287 million U.S.And the pressure in the price war, some
dollars. The report concluded that from the opticalTaiwanese to continue to reduce prices to
storage and communications equipment is torespond to competitive pressures. This, together
stimulate the demand for laser diodeKwan's assistant vice president of optical Liang
manufacturers to expand production capacity ofTsong-Min said, DVD-ROM and CD-ROM to force
the main reasons, and expected the third quarterdown the prices of manufacturers and
of this year, Taiwan's output of laser diodes willcomponent suppliers to reduce prices. This year
greatly increase.he expects the price of laser diodes will continue
These are expanding the production capacity ofto decline by more than 10%.
companies, including Taiwan and China on theProducts into more applications.
optical (Arima Optoelectronics) and MillenniumOptical storage laser diode is usually used,
Communication Technology (Millennium) Ltd..especially DVD and CD laser top field. China
Among them, the Jehovah photoelectric plans toOptoelectronics Corp said it will launch for the
monthly from the current 5 million to 7 millionCD-RW and DVD-RW laser diode high-end
expansion; Jubilee Technologies is planning toproducts, and plans to start the second half of
double production capacity to meet rising marketthe mass production of several new products.
demand.In this year's CLEO 2004 exhibition, China also
United Kwan Optical (Elite Advanced Laser) Co.,launched with the built-in optical APC (automatic
Ltd. will be increased in Taipei a new plant to bepower control) circuit for TO-can packaged laser
edge emitting (edge-emitting) laser diodes TO-18diodes. The company's marketing manager
TO-56 production from the current 5 million toVincent Chen said: "By the APC circuit into an
upgrade to 8 million. In addition, the joint Junexternal ASIC, we are able to APC circuit and
optical monthly production of 500,000 one-sidedlaser diode is usually placed with the TO-can
also shot type (surface-emitting) laser diodes.package inside. This breakthrough allows us to
Respond to competitive suppliers cut prices.offer smaller size, more stable output of laser
In terms of price, because most of thediodes, while allowing automated production. "
company's products are sold in Taiwan, mainlandLaser diodes in the industry have also been widely
China, the mainland so they bear the enormousused. Friend Technology Co., Ltd. (Union Optronics)
peer pressure. In general, despite the decisionSenior Marketing Specialist Zoe Lin said: "Our
maker most of the mainland domestic import rawcompany is about 70% of the laser diode sales to
materials from Japan and the United States, butmainland China, and most used for industrial
the products these companies offer is still higherapplications, such as manufacturing equipment,
than in other regions 20% of manufacturers.such as the medical field."
Overall, the Taiwan company's laser diodeCommunications has become another key market
manufacturers selling price for the internationalof laser diodes. Jubilee Technologies R & D
price of 60%, but still higher than mainland ChinaDirector, Dr Lai Lihong: "As the technology
local manufacturers. In this case, in order tomatures, the future demand for optical
compete with mainland China manufacturers,communications and LAN will increase.
Taiwan will also be part of the manufacturing