Forum: LEDs |
Developers at OSRAM Opto Semiconductors have succeeded in increasing the efficiency of red thin-film LEDs by 30% - a new record. This boost in efficiency is opening up new LED applications in general illumination, in projection and in the industrial sector.
The record efficiency for an LED of 119 lm/W at an operating current of 350 mA (136 lm/W at 70mA) has been achieved by the latest generation of a red 1 mm² thin-film chip (InGaAlP). The chip is accommodated in a Golden Dragon Plus package and emits at a wavelength of 615 nm (l dominant). At present there is no LED with higher efficiency at this wavelength. Its efficiency has been measured at 44% (49% at 70mA), and even exceeds 50% for a wavelength of 642 nm.
"This will benefit all applications that use high-efficiency red, particularly projection applications. We expect to start equipping LED products with the new thin-film chips in about a year's time," said Dr. Wolfgang Schmid, who is responsible for developing this chip technology at OSRAM Opto Semiconductors.