are luxeon HD and LD lenses hollow?

[Leeoniya]

i know that 5mm and 3mm lenses are solid and i've always thought that luxeon domes were filled as well for indestructability, but i'm starting to have my doubts having seen 2 badly mangled TW0Js that were posted. i don't see how thats possible...to have physical shards of lens and have it look like one of those chocolate oranges you smash and all the little chocolate slices neatly fall apart.

Thanks,
Leon

 

[Crux]

[ QUOTE ]
Leeoniya said:
... like one of those chocolate oranges you smash ...

[/ QUOTE ]

Good analogy! Yes they are a dome filled with some kind of gel that has the same index of refraction as the dome. The design is quite interesting.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

The gel under the LED's dome is a silicone compound; that much I'm absolutely, positively, 100% certain of.

 

[HarryN]

Yes, it is a silicone material, proprietary to Lumileds, with at least two very important features - exceptional resistance to yellowing, and the only LED encapsulant (that I know of) actually rated for (-40 C).

 

[Leeoniya]

silicone is know for temperature resistance, so it makes sense, and i'm sure it also insulates the heat from die from being transfered to the lens, which makes it okay to touch even when running a decent amount of time.

 

[TORCH_BOY]

Silicone Gel, I had a chance to break one apart.