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01/03/2005
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With more and more car-makers turning to light emitting diodes (LEDs) for exterior lighting applications, the market is getting keener, and the technology more robust.
It is now around a decade since LEDs first began appearing in central, high-mounted brake lamps. Now the car-makers and Tier One innovators are increasingly specifying them for all rear vehicle applications — direction indicators, back lights, brake lights, fog and reversing lights. And front light applications are within the range of the latest LED developments.
Three companies with new LED offerings have come our attention in time for this issue.
Lumileds, the Agilent Technologies and Philips Lighting joint venture, has announced an expansion of its Luxeon high-power LED family with new emitters that it says will set new performance standards for light output, temperature tolerance, surface mount capability, moisture resistance, and lumen maintenance.
The first products will be available during the summer in seven colours and, according to the company will, offer a performance in white of 65 to 130 lumens (350mA at 65 lumens). A maximum junction temperature of 185ºC — a 50ºC increase — will reduce heat sink requirements, deliver more light at comparable ambient conditions, expand the use in higher temperature conditions and allow for higher current operation. All this should simplify designs and reduce system costs.
New alignment features and datum reference points will help precision assembly for automotive applications where tight positioning tolerance is critical. And a JEDEC moisture sensitivity level of 2a will allow for four weeks of unsealed factory floor life prior to pre-conditioning. (A level 4 rating, by comparison, leaves only a 72-hour production window once the product is removed from its sealed packaging.)
The new emitters will complement existing Luxeon products, giving manufacturers a choice of high-power Luxeon LEDs with assorted output capabilities, colours, configurations and radiation patterns.
Forge Europa, meanwhile, has been granted exclusive rights in a number of territories by Cree Lighting of the USA to distribute new XLamp LEDs (pictured). These are being specifically targeted at emerging lighting applications.
Cree is well known for its pioneering work in the development and manufacture of the semiconductor materials that enable bright blue, green and white LEDs to be made. Now it is offering a family of packaged high power LEDs that are surface-mountable.
Two standard footprints are initially being offered—the 350mA 7090 series (7mm x 9mm) in eight colour options including white, and the 125mA 4550 series (4.5mm x 5mm), currently available in vivid blue green and red. The 7090 series are said to deliver up to 100 lumens in white and 40-60 lumens in blue and green.
XLamp LEDs are designed for IR SMT-type reflow solder, have low thermal impedance for simplified design and long life and have an integrated lens for easy integration with secondary optics.
Dubilier is introducing new standard devices in red, yellow, orange, blue and green (above), and in 3mm and 5mm diameters, with radial leads. Surface mount chip LEDs in industry standard 0603 and 0805 sizes are also offered and the company says all products are keenly priced. Ultra high brightness units provide up to 8000Mcd light output. Full details are available online at www.dubilier.co.uk.
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Author
Roger Bishop
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Copyright European Automotive Design.
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