Osram adds quantum dots to make LEDs more efficient
New conversion technology delivers high efficacy, even at high colour rendering indexes
Light emitted by quantum dots depends on the size of the particles. When blue LED light hits QD particles roughly 3nm, they produce green light, while particles around 7nm emit red light. This tuneable light conversion technology is now being used for the first time in the Osconiq S 3030 QD mid-power LED from Osram Opto Semiconductors.
The technology comes from Pacific Light Technologies (PLT) - an optical nano material company that Osram acquired a year ago. Osram says the PLT QD technology is enabling it to begin to close the efficacy gap that exists between CRI 80 and CRI 90 LEDs today.
Osram's new mid-power LED Osconiq S 3030 QD was specially developed for area lighting and downlight applications and will empower customers to realise luminaires with high efficacy and excellent colour rendering.
When manufacturing conventional white LEDs, the main objectives are efficacy and product quality. Considering both at the same time poses a particular challenge, especially with very high colour rendering indexes (CRI), where developers with conventional converter technology have at times, reached their limits. QDs can solve this problem. The great advantage of using these nanoparticles is that the existing LED manufacturing processes remain the same. QDs are simply used instead of conventional phosphors when the converter material is applied.
The new Osconiq S 3030 includes a specially developed QD phosphor solution that enables CRI 90 to achieve an outstanding efficacy value of 173 lm/W at 3000 K – a best-in-class value for 0.2 W high-performance LEDs. The compact dimensions of 3.0 mm x 3.0 mm and the low thermal resistance enable simple system design. The Osconiq S 3030 QD is also available in various colour temperatures from 2,700 to 6,500 K.
Another unique feature of the PLT QD technology is that the Quantum Dots are encapsulated to protect them from moisture and other external influences that pose the greatest risk to the functionality of a LED. The special encapsulation technology allows the QDs to reliably master the demanding conditions of on-chip operation within the LED component.
