News Release：Pioneer and Rohm Agree on Blue-Violet Semiconductor LaserTechnology Development Partnership

Tokyo, Japan, November 8, 1999 --- Pioneer Corporation (President: Ito Kaneo/ location: Tokyo, Japan) and Rohm Co., Ltd. (President: Kenichiro Sato/ location: Kyoto, Japan) today announced a partnership agreement to develop the GaN-based blue-violet semiconductor laser for the next generation optical disc technology.

Pioneer Corporation has been aggressively working on its optical disc (OP) business, starting with the Laser Disc format and others. The company has a high reputation on its DVD-Video players and recently announced DVD-Audio/Video compatible players that will reproduce the full potentials of the new-generation audio format. Pioneer also exhibited its DVD-RW recorder to create a sensation at the 1999 Japan Electronics Show.

In the near future, it is expected that multi-channel digital broadcasting and digital hi-vision broadcasting will be transmitted in full scale, and the number of digital hi-vision related media packages would be increasingly introduced to the market. At the same time, there is a strong need for the development of an ideal home server system, which is capable of recording and reproducing a full two-hours of high definition signal information. In such a system, a new OP disc system having a large recording capacity that surpasses that of the current DVD format will be required.

In order to fulfil these needs for the high-capacity and high-density signal data storage, Pioneer has been working on a new recording/playback method for the ideal OP disc system and OP disc manufacturing method. R&D activities have been also conducted on other related subjects, such as signal process methods and data coding. Since 1992, at its Corporate R&D Laboratories, under the guidance of Dr. Akasaki of Meijo University, Pioneer has been developing a laser light source having a shorter wavelength, which is an indispensable device in order to realize the next generation high density OP disc system.

By developing the reactor in crystal growth apparatus all on its own, Pioneer has made it practical to grow a high quality GaN-based semiconductor thin film. The company also succeeded in bearing a pulse oscillation under room temperature circumstances in June 1998. Since then, Pioneer made progress in lowering the threshold current and operation voltage, and as a result, succeeded in producing a continuous wave (CW) oscillation in 1999 by improving the micro-fabrication process and optimizing the structure.

Pioneer's blue-violet semiconductor laser is more practical for mass production as its fabrication process is based on the crystal growth technique which ensure the uniformity of the crystal films on the whole substrate. This process was realized by conducting crystal growth in a low-pressure reactor. Furthermore, other advantages of Pioneer's laser were brought to reality by its original treatment for p-type conduction method, and the method of laser facet formation.

On the other hand, Rohm Co., Ltd. was the first company to succeed in conducting mass production of semiconductor lasers by using the highly controllable MBE(Molecular Beam Epitaxy) method. Rohm Co. also succeeded in developing a SAM laser, which forms an ideal laser structure. Since then, Rohm has been devoted in the development of various optical application products having rich functions for CD, CD-ROM, OP Discs, laser beam printers, and Optical LAN uses.

In 1997, Rohm established the world's largest mass production line for red semiconductor lasers, and manufactures lasers superior in high temperature characteristics. The company has a high reputation with its outstanding manufacturing technologies, and is currently known to be the world's No. 1 company in that field.

Furthermore, Rohm has developed basic technologies of the blue LED with its original structure and also completed its product development. The company is also researching in the development of the blue semiconductor laser using materials other than GaN.

This partnership agreement is to forward the development of GaN-based blue-violet semiconductor laser much more efficiently. By combining each company's technological knowledge, Pioneer and Rohm will make further improvement in crystal growth technology, device production process and optimization of the device structure and will obtain a practical output level and life length. Both companies are aiming at merchandizing the blue-violet semiconductor laser within two years.