Next generation of LEDs?

[sphynx_000]

When I first joined CPF cree lights seamed to be all the rage. I was a very significant improvement over luxeon, twice the efficiency or whatever.

Think there will be new leds is the near future that rivial the current top of the line stuff, such as cree did when they were first available?

 

[NCT1]

I sure hope so!

 

[Connor]

Think there will be new leds is the near future that rivial the current top of the line stuff, such as cree did when they were first available?

Unfortunately not. The development of new LEDs has been stopped worldwide as of yesterday. You came back too late.

:devil::devil::devil:

 

[ama230]

The next generation of leds will be a variation of using different components.

Like there is the LEC, which stands for light emitting capacitor and does not require a certain voltage to light the phosphor.

There is going to be more options for sure which will push innovation as with cree coming up with a successor of the xp-g.

Also Nichia is the one leading the pack and then a close follow with cree(hooray for usa).

Cant wait to see whats next.:twothumbs

Interesting thread!

 

[EZO]

Also Nichia is the one leading the pack and then a close follow with cree(hooray for usa).
Cant wait to see whats next.

Only 3 days after this post LEDs Magazine ran an article about Nichia's announcement regarding their R&D on "What's next".

Nichia claims record efficacy for 1A operation

 

[Bright_Light]

An LED based on just one of Nichia's 1x1-mm die delivered 183 lm/W at 350 mA and 130 lm/W at 1A.

That's the same size than an XRE Q5, right?

 

[kzb]

The capacity for improvement is not so large now though. Stepping up from incandescent to LED is an efficiency improvement say 15 to 60%, so about 4 times the efficiency in one step.

There's only about 40% left to go before 100% efficiency, so I can't see there being another large efficiency step-change like there was changing over from incans to LED.

The only hope now for a big step change is energy storage density, ie batteries cells or whatever that vastly improve on what we have now.

 

[EZO]

Sometimes it's hard to see around the corner and the advances we will see in the future may come from unexpected places. It may be that LED technology will be similar to what we have now but ancillary technologies will dramatically enhance their capabilities. One of the most interesting is the development and introduction of Quantum Dots. Currently they are being incorporated into interior lighting, next generation display panel technology, and photo sensors because of their superior CRI abilities and greater efficiencies but it's not hard to imagine this and other technologies making their way into flashlights. It may not necessarily mean brighter flashlights (but probably will) but it could mean better quality of light, cooler run temperatures and dramatically improved run times for a given power source.

Quantum Dots Enhance LED Lighting

Then there is nandenting, another new development. Here's an article posted today (September 8th 2010)

LEDs are getting better, much better

And this:

Improving LED Lighting

Another recent interesting development is graphite foam technology for temperature management and increased life for LEDs.

There are other nanotech LED improvements happening too.

Seems like these developments are coming fast and furious.

 

[EZO]

nanodenting

Oops! I wanted to fix a typo - nanodenting not nandenting but I hit quote accidentally instead of edit. Sorry folks, it's been a long day.

 

[saabluster]

First off this is clearly the wrong forum to be posting this in.

Also Nichia is the one leading the pack and then a close follow with cree(hooray for usa).

There is no clear winner between the two right now. It depends on what market segment you are looking at.

The capacity for improvement is not so large now though.

There is still huge capacity for improvement. Not necessarily in the efficiency but as we get closer and closer to "100%" the small incremental improvements will mean that a given LED can be pushed far far harder. Current phosphor is going to become a problem as the flux density reaches really high levels.

 

[EZO]

First off this is clearly the wrong forum to be posting this in.

Yeah, I was wondering that when I saw this thread but since a moderator hadn't moved it........

 

[EZO]

Here's another interesting example of recently introduced next generation LED technology.

"Illumitex, an LED-manufacturing company based in Austin, TX, launched its first product line earlier this month. (April 2010) The startup's first LEDs are designed for general-purpose lighting and emit a uniform, narrow beam of white light that is almost two times brighter than any white LED on the market." (Not 100% sure if this claim can be supported yet, but that's what they say.)

Illumitex Inc's products could have unique applications specific to flashlights.

"Illumitex LEDs offer one advantage completely unique to its package design: the beam angle--that is, the angle at which light emerges from the package--can be tailored from 10° to 90° with limited light loss."

Read the whole article at MIT's Technology Review Magazine.

 

[kzb]

Saabluster, you canna beat the laws of physics If we are already at 60% efficiency conversion of energy to light, the maximum possible improvement is 66.7% or a factor of 1.67. Not even that will be achieved in practice. When we changed to LEDs from classic light bulbs we got a factor of 4 in one step change.

 

[Moonshadow]

From the datasheet for the ITX-125:

Over 125 lumens in a 9 x 17 mm package

So I don't think we'll be seeing one of these in an AAA light any time soon !

From the MIT review:

could deliver 500 lumens for only 7 watts.

So about 70 Lumens per Watt - about half that of an R5 XP-G.

These seem more oriented to domestic lighting than flashlight applications, but could be interesting to watch as the technology matures. I particularly like the idea of streetlights that only shine the light where it's needed, with minimal spillover.

 

[RepProdigious]

Saabluster, you canna beat the laws of physics If we are already at 60% efficiency conversion of energy to light, the maximum possible improvement is 66.7% or a factor of 1.67. Not even that will be achieved in practice. When we changed to LEDs from classic light bulbs we got a factor of 4 in one step change.

Nobody said anything about twice the efficiency... Twice the brightness is possible easy.

 

[EZO]

Moonshadow, I agree with your basic observation here but this is a very young company looking for new markets in a very competitive environment. If their technology proves sound we could eventually see their LEDs emerge in different form factors geared towards other applications. Also, depending on the actual performance of their units (and whatever else comes down the pike from other firms) we could eventually see different flashlight form factors emerge too, perhaps new bezel, reflector and lens designs (fractal reflectors, anyone?). The notion that an LED design can allow for the control of emerging light from 10 to 90 degrees at an alleged twice the brightness with limited light loss really excites the imagination when it comes to the possibilities for precise control of throw and spill in flashlight design. (Perhaps Saabluster may have some thoughts on this?) Hey, the incandescent light bulb has been with us since the early part of the 19th century. It's seen many incremental technological improvements but is more or less the same thing Edison gave us 1879 (and others before him). Solid state lighting is ostensibly still in its infancy so who knows what we will see in the years to come. It's fun to speculate and see all the activity in this very energized industry.

"The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades"- (Timbuk3 1986)

 

[MrMojo]

Interesting thread

Thanks for posting the links EZO, those were some good reads.

 

[saabluster]

Saabluster, you canna beat the laws of physics If we are already at 60% efficiency conversion of energy to light, the maximum possible improvement is 66.7% or a factor of 1.67. Not even that will be achieved in practice. When we changed to LEDs from classic light bulbs we got a factor of 4 in one step change.

Never said anything about beating the laws of physics. Read it again.

 

[EZO]

Interesting thread

Thanks for posting the links EZO, those were some good reads.

You are welcome...and welcome to CPF!

 

[CaNo]

Interesting thread

Thanks for posting the links EZO, those were some good reads.

:welcome: