"At 1000mA, Luxeon K2 delivers more than twice the light output than can be produced at 350mA while maintaining the lifetime, quality and robustness of the device," noted David Eastley, Luxeon K2 product manager. "This paves the way for an explosion in the quantity and variety of LED luminaires."
Until the release of Luxeon K2, high power LEDs typically could be driven at no more than 350mA without significantly reducing the effective life of the emitter. Many LED applications require significantly more light output than is possible at that drive current, and even incremental gains in light output and efficacy at this level are not enough to meet the growing demands of lighting designers for brighter LED products.
Philips Lumileds recognised the need for a higher drive current through ongoing discussions with the lighting community. Lighting designers clearly communicated the need for more light, reduced cost per lumen, more thermal flexibility, and the ability to incorporate the same LED in a range of applications to minimise manufacturing costs. These needs could only be accomplished by increasing the drive current.
To do that, Philips Lumileds engineers focused on improving the LED die and packaging technologies required to manage the additional heat. These improvements, delivered in the Luxeon K2 LED, translate into increased design flexibility. Lighting designers can now get more light from fewer devices, minimise their heat-sink requirements, and optimise their system for the exact amount of light required for the application.
"The impact of increasing drive currents from 350mA to 1000mA and higher is as significant to the market as the shift six years ago from 20mA LEDs to the first Luxeon I LEDs that operate at 350mA," Eastley noted. "This will significantly expand the market and create new opportunities for high power LEDs in real lighting applications."
(Chris Henry)
