You can get some of the same effect by simply looking straight into a reflector "with the light off" and you will see the die.
A good reflector shows all of the die providing your eyeball is within the path of the projected pattern.
I think I see what your saying but isn't what we are really talking about here is now many electrons are getting emitted?
The hotter the surface, the more are being released to get projected forward right?
Only problem is..... I would think the total number of electrons going forward is dependent upon "temp per square mm"....
Higher the temp... the more electrons you get from that single mm of area of space.
If the area of MM of the SR90 is close to 9 times, then if the surface temp was the exact same... it would stand to reason the SR90 has 9X the lumens projecting forward... but since its slightly cooler there is a difference..
I think the discussion is that the difference in less temp per sq MM the SR90 has in no way detracts from the nine times more surface area!
Even if the SR90 was half the temp of the other LED.... that would mean it only has to be double the size to make up for the difference right?... but its not.. its 9X bigger?
I don't know if we are dealing it exponents here.. but regardless of what LED you use, you have to capture all the light with the reflector or aspheric lens you use or it negates this whole discussion.
Projected light through an spherical lens is somehow much more efficient and polarized different than after it has to bounce and bend off of a reflector.
So when are we gonna make a DEFT with the SST90?
Talk about a light cannon! I"m sure the lens would have to be bigger.. but who cares!