Osram GmbH of Munich, Germany, and Vishay Group of Malvern, Pa., have signed a joint agreement under which Vishay will acquire the right to manufacture and sell Osram Opto Semiconductor GmbH's white-light LEDs with conversion technology and its surface-mount LEDs for high-current applications. The technology licensed by Vishay enables white LEDs to be produced with blue-emitting InGaN chips and a phosphor converter, which Osram says produces a brighter, whiter light output using less energy.

As result of the agreement, Vishay plans to expand its white LED product offerings with new devices to be designed for the automotive industry, according to Dieter Wunderlich, executive vice president of semiconductors at Vishay Intertechnology Inc. in Malvern.