Nichia Corp, will begin sampling 405-nm laser diodes for next-generation optical disk recorders in late November and launch volume production next spring. Denying reports that it would only supply partner Sony Corp., a chief backer of the the Blu-ray Disc format, Shigeki Okauchi, senior manager of Nichia's Opto-electronics Product Division, said, "Nichia will supply laser diodes both for HD DVD and the Blu-ray Disc groups." Sony has been a partner with Nichia since December 2002 for development of laser diodes suitable for volume production.

Sony said it is also ready to ship sample 405-nm lasers produced at its Shiraishi laser diode production base in Miyagi Prefecture. However, Sony will initially supply diodes only to the members of Blu-ray group, according to a Sony spokesman.

Samples available in November include a pulsed-drive 120-mW diode for recording applications and a continuous-drive 20-mW version for player applications. Volume production beginning next spring will ramp up to a capacity of several 100,000 units per month by the end of 2005.

Nichia said it expects demand for low-power laser diodes used in player applications to grow rapidly, with low-power devices accounting for about half of its 2006 shipments.