In the manufacturing processes of liquid crystal displays, semiconductors, and printed circuit boards, short-arc mercury lamps are mainly used for "exposure"—the process of projecting light onto a substrate coated with resist to create the designed circuit pattern. Short-arc mercury lamps have been considered ideal for drawing fine circuits due to their small, high-output point light source.
As UV LEDs now achieve high package output and use lenses to concentrate light, they can serve as alternatives to point light sources. Furthermore, when LDs are used as the light source, the same level of exposure can be achieved with significantly less input power than short-arc mercury lamps. As a result, both power consumption and CO₂ emissions can be reduced, contributing to the realization of a mercury-free society as well.

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Alternative Technologies to High-pressure Mercury Short Arc Lamps for Photolithography Applications
Alternative Technologies to High-pressure Mercury Short Arc Lamps for Photolithography of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs)

For curing, high-pressure mercury lamps with a wide spectrum have been used, as different types of materials require different wavelengths. Nichia has successfully developed UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C LEDs that provide all the wavelengths necessary for curing. This has accelerated the replacement of high-pressure mercury lamps with LEDs.

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Alternative Technologies to Medium-pressure Mercury Lamps for Paint Curing Applications

LEDs are mercury-free, environmentally-friendly light sources. They offer higher efficiency than high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS), allow instantaneous on-off cycling which enables "smart lighting." and contribute to energy savings and carbon neutrality. Additionally, Nichia’s HPS color LEDs emit the same nostalgic emission color as HPS, helping to maintain the atmosphere of city landscapes while improving color visibility with a higher CRI (Ra≥70), making cities feel safer and more colorful. Furthermore, HPS color LEDs reduce light pollution for humans, animals, plants, starry skies, and the natural environment, an issue often associated with bluish white light from conventional LEDs. With a lifespan 2.5 times longer than HPS, replacement of lamps in high places can be less frequent and less dangerous, leading to lower maintenance costs. Through these features, Nichia’s HPS color LEDs are accelerating the shift to LEDs in street lighting, contributing to a mercury-free and sustainable society.

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Alternative Technologies for the High Pressure Sodium lamps (HPS)

Amid growing environmental concerns, expectations for the transition from mercury-based light sources in projectors to mercury-free alternatives such as LDs (laser diodes) and LEDs have increased. Nevertheless, a significant proportion of projectors installed in meeting rooms and educational facilities (2,000-8,000 lm) continue to utilize ultra-high-pressure mercury lamps, with the adoption rate of LD light sources remaining at approximately 40%. LDs offer key advantages including extended lifetime, reduced maintenance requirements, enhanced energy efficiency, and instant on-off functionality. By driving the replacement of ultra-high-pressure mercury lamps with LDs, Nichia is committed to supporting both cost reduction and environmental sustainability.

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Alternative Technologies to Ultra-High-Pressure Mercury Lamps for Projector Applications

Nichia's LEDs enable precise control of the light's color and spectrum, optimizing conditions for plant cultivation, which are not achievable with high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS). This capability not only enhances plant growth, but also improves crop quality, including taste and nutritional value. The adoption of LEDs in greenhouse applications has already become commonplace, driven by their superior luminous efficacy and extended operational life compared to HPS. In addition, the significantly lower radiant heat output of LEDs contributes to reduced air conditioning costs and enables more efficient, space-saving facility designs.

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