LED displays are one of the primary application fields for LED diodes, experiencing growth in recent years. Currently, the technology for manufacturing LED displays is cost-effective, making it challenging for foreign companies to compete in the Chinese market. Unofficial statistics indicate that in 1998, there were over 150 LED display manufacturers in China, producing approximately 50,000 square meters of various displays, achieving a产值 of 1.4 billion yuan, and making significant global achievements in the LED industry. In recent years, China has been closely following Japan in terms of product structure, manufacturing technology, quality, production levels, and market share. It now ranks third in the global LED industry, just behind the US and Japan. Over the past five years, the industry has seen an average annual growth rate of over 20%. In 1997, Taiwan's optoelectronics products ranked fourth, with a产值 of 18.87 billion New Taiwan Dollars. Epistar Corp has successfully developed red and blue chips for full-color lamps and displays, with luminance exceeding 70mcd. A company currently in production is utilizing MOVPE technology to produce InGaAlP materials and chips with high brightness. There are seven LED chip manufacturing companies in Taiwan, producing various traditional chips, accounting for over 70% of the global output.
LED diodes are widely used due to their low working voltage, low power consumption, vibrant color options, and affordability, making them popular among electrical engineers and researchers. Initially, traditional products had low luminous efficiency, with light intensity typically ranging from a few to several dozen mcd, suitable for indoor use. They were applied in home appliances, instruments, communication equipment, microcomputers, and toys. With the advancement of application technology, traditional products are uncovering new market opportunities. The currently popular LED Christmas lights, with innovative designs like duckbill-shaped lights, colorful ball-shaped lights, and bead curtain lights, are in high demand due to their rich colors and shatterproof nature. These lights, which operate at low voltage, have seen strong sales in Hong Kong and other Southeast Asian regions, gaining widespread popularity and threatening to replace existing flash bulbs in the Christmas market. A flash shoe that appeals to children uses LED diodes to emit light while walking, making it highly visible with both single-color and dual-color options. In industrial products, the AD11 LED indicator lights are commonly used in power cabinets. These products are made up of multi-chip integrated sources and come in red, yellow, and green colors. After capacitive voltage reduction, they can operate with 220V and 280V power sources. A manufacturer in Jiangsu province reported that the company's annual sales exceed 10 million units, requiring (200~300) million LED chips each year. There is still potential for market expansion. Thanks to their active luminous indicators, long lifespan, low power consumption, and other features, they are highly favored by users and are expected to fully replace the incandescent AD11 products in the near future. In summary, the market for traditional LED diodes is not only expected to grow with the expansion of existing applications but also to open up new market opportunities.
