Veeco Instruments Inc., a manufacturer of LEDs, solar panels and hard disk drives, was awarded $4 million in R&D matching funds by the US Department of Energy to support high-efficiency solid-state lighting projects. The company received the award for a project targeted at lowering the manufacturing costs and improving the brightness and efficiency of LEDs by utilizing novel materials, substrates and deposition technologies. Crystalline nitride semiconductor materials provider Kyma Technologies of Raleigh, N.C., will supply materials and services to Veeco as part of the project. On June 7, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced nearly $15 million to support eight new R&D projects that will accelerate the development and deployment of high-efficiency solid-state lighting technologies. The projects were selected from four states across the US and are focused on advancing core R&D goals, developing products and expanding domestic manufacturing capacity. The goal is to help the US remain competitive in this growing technology market. “The Veeco and Kyma project is an excellent example of a research investment that ensures our future economic competitiveness,” said David Price, US Congressman for the 4th District of North Carolina. “This project and others like it show that the Triangle is again leading the way investing in job creation, furthering our nation’s energy independence and moving us one step closer to a clean energy economy.” This is the seventh round of DoE funding for solid-state lighting core technology R&D and the second time that DoE has funded solid-state lighting manufacturing projects. Veeco also received funding in the first manufacturing solicitation in 2010. For more information, visit: www.veeco.com