Silicon wafers to solve blue laser supply problem?

[HDTV News Poster]

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://hdtv.engadget.com/category/hdtv/" rel="tag">HDTV</a>, <a href="http://hdtv.engadget.com/category/homeentertainment/" rel="tag">Home Entertainment</a></p><a href="http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=LUBCFJHJ1WFT2QSNDLSCK HA?articleID=193700333"><img vspace="4" hspace="16" border="1" align="right" alt="" id="vimage_1" src="http://www.engadgethd.com/media/2006/11/shimeibluelaser.jpg" /></a>Blue lasers. The little diode is at the heart of Blu-ray and HD DVD technology, and its scarcity is the reason you might be reading this while camping out for a <a href="http://www.engadget.com/tag/ps3">PlayStation 3</a> right now. Shimei Semiconductor Co. thinks it's found an easier way to make them by growing the gallium nitride LEDs on a silicon wafer instead of the sapphire-based process used currently. The predicted lower cost and longer lifespan of the components sounds great ...too bad these aren't expected to be available until April of 2007. Still, those waiting for a dual-format player -- or maybe a <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/07/sony-admits-to-overreaching-on-playstation3s-blu-ray-producti/">European PS3</a> -- might have one of these blue lasers in their future.<br /><br />[Via <a href="http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9661966-1.html?subj=Crave&part=rss&tag=rss">CNet</a>]<p style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;">*</p><p><a href=http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=LUBCFJHJ1WFT2QSNDLSCK HA?articleID=193700333>Read</a> | <a href="http://hdtv.engadget.com/2006/11/10/silicon-wafers-to-solve-blue-laser-supply-problem/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://hdtv.engadget.com/forward/699957/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&fc=1&url=http://hdtv.engadget.com/2006/11/10/silicon-wafers-to-solve-blue-laser-supply-problem/" title="Linking Blogs">Linking Blogs</a> | <a href="http://hdtv.engadget.com/2006/11/10/silicon-wafers-to-solve-blue-laser-supply-problem/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a></p><hr /><p><a title="Sponsored By" href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/click;h=v2|3747|0|0|%2a|u;44404524;0-0;0;13519412;31-1|1;17996600|18014495|1;;%3fhttp://www.fordboldmoves.com/default.aspx?bannerid=%esid!|%epid!|%eaid!|%ecid!" target="_blank">BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD</a> A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time<img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/imp;v1;f;44404524;0-0;0;13519412;1|1;17996600|18014495|1;;cs=g%3fhttp://m.doubleclick.net/dot.gif"></p><p><a title="Sponsored By" href="http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?level=SK&id=432220&cm_ven=360i&cm_cat=Media&cm_pla=engadget&cm_ite=rsslink" target="_blank">Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System</a> Packs the power to bring games to life!</p>

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