Nov 4 2008
Intematix Corp., a leading innovator in phosphors, LED components and solid state lighting modules, has added an amber-color LED family to its growing line of packaged device solutions. Its new amber-color product line leverages Intematix' patented phosphor technologies in combination with InGaN blue LED chips to create the breakthrough product family. Blue-excited amber LEDs offer substantial increases in efficiency and temperature stability compared to traditional AlInGaP-based amber LED technologies. Follow-on blue-excited color LED families are also under development.
The new LED line is being rolled out as a complete product family, including 1-watt power chip-on-ceramic and chip-on-ceramic-array devices, as well as 5mm and 3mm through-hole packaged lamps. All boast an impressive efficiency range and are backed by Intematix’ extensive patent portfolio. The 1-watt blue-excited amber power LEDs offer 56-lumen output (typical) at 350mA drive current. The 1-watt power packages are targeted towards applications ranging from public safety and emergency lighting, to entertainment/stage and architectural lighting applications. The power LEDs and LED arrays are available now for sampling with full production volume slated for Q1 2009.
The 5mm LEDs are rated at a typical luminous output of 10,000mcd (millicandela) when driven at 20mA with 20-degree optics, and are offered in a range of color bins from 585nm to 592.5nm. Select bins are available with performance ratings up to 21,000mcd at the same 20mA. The 3mm LEDs, equipped with 30-degree optics, are rated at 5000mcd (typical) at 20mA with select bins available up to 9300mcd and a range of color bins from 585nm to 595nm. The 5mm and 3mm LEDs are available in production volumes now.
The 5mm and 3mm LEDs are targeted towards traffic signaling, transportation and direct view signage applications, including the LED billboards frequently appearing on buildings and along roadways. For these types of exterior applications, AlInGaP-based LEDs have proven to be a challenge for the industry as their performance fluctuates with temperature. When used in exterior advertising-type applications, for example, traditional amber LEDs tend to dim as the day gets warmer and brighten as the night cools, which is a problem. LED-based signs and traffic indicators should do exactly the opposite, which is to brighten in the daytime and dim at night to maintain balance with the ambient light in order to enhance visibility and maintain public safety.
Intematix Director of Marketing, Dr. Ilkan Cokgor, commented, “By combining Intematix' high-quality phosphor technology with reliable and stable blue InGaN LED chips, we have been able to overcome key challenges that have plagued designers who use traditional AlInGaP amber devices. The blue-excited amber phosphor solution allows us to offer tight color and luminosity bins with very substantial increases in the overall efficacy. With a 56 lumen typical output, our 1-watt amber LEDs are demonstrating 70% more efficiency than AlInGaP amber chips operating in nominal environments.”
“In higher heat environments or where thermal management is a challenge, the blue-excited amber LED line maintains a lumen-level more comparable to high-output blue LEDs,“ continued Dr. Cokgor. “In those more rigorous environments, AlInGaP LEDs can experience performance degradations of up to 50% of their initial intensities, suggesting more than a 2.5 times increase in efficiency from the selection of Intematix’ blue-excited amber line. These performance benefits extend across Intematix’ complete amber-color LED line.”