Cree Demonstrates 131 Lumens per Watt White LED


DURHAM, NC, JUNE 20, 2006 - Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE), a market leader in LED solid-state lighting components, today announced LED efficacy test results that set a new benchmark for the LED industry. Cree reported results of 131 lumens per watt white LED efficacy, confirmed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Tests were performed using prototype white LEDs with Cree EZBright(TM) LED chips operating at 20 mA and a correlated color temperature of 6027 K. "This is the highest level of efficacy that has been publicly reported for a white LED and raises the bar for the LED industry," said Scott Schwab, Cree general manager, LED chips. "This result once again demonstrates Cree's leadership in LED technology and provides a glimpse into the future as to why we believe LED-based lighting products could not only save energy, but also change the way people use light."

"Technical advancements at the component level are critical to growing the emerging
white LED lighting space. Cree's results speak to the exciting developments underway that will enable new white light applications and subsequently facilitate market adoption," stated Fritz Morgan, chief technology officer for Color Kinetics, a leading innovator of LED lighting systems and technologies.

Lumens-per-watt is the standard used by the lighting industry to measure the conversion of electrical energy to light. As a reference, conventional incandescent light bulbs are typically in the 10 to 20 lumens per watt range, while compact fluorescent lamps range from 50 to 60 lumens per watt.

About Cree, Inc.

Cree is a market-leading innovator and manufacturer of semiconductors and devices that enhance the value of solid-state lighting, power and communications products by significantly increasing their energy performance and efficiency. Key to Cree's market advantage is its world-class materials expertise in silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) for chips and packaged devices that can handle more power in a smaller space while producing less heat than other available technologies, materials and products.

Cree drives its increased performance technology into multiple applications including exciting alternatives in brighter and more tunable light for general illumination, backlighting for more vivid displays, optimized power management for high-current switch-mode power supplies and variable speed motors, and more effective wireless infrastructure for data and voice communications. Cree customers range from innovative lighting-fixture makers to defense-related federal agencies.

Cree's product families include blue and green LED chips, lighting LEDs, LED backlighting solutions, power-switching devices and radio-frequency/wireless devices. For additional product specifications please refer to www.cree.com.

Contact: Deb Lovig
Marketing Communications Manager
Deb_Lovig@cree.com
Ph: (919) 287-7505
Fax: (919) 313-5615

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