Rigel, Nichia's new LED

[NewBie]

Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

http://www.nichia.co.jp/product/led-smd-powerled.html

We are happy to announce our new product : NFSW036(Rigel).
Features
i)Luminous Intensity : 5.5 cd*(Typ. at IF=150mA)
ii)Luminous Flux : 15 lm*(Typ. at IF=150mA)
Our new product expands the range of use. Light source for cell-phone camera lighting, indicator and so on. "Rigel" is for lead-free soldering application.
*The value is just for reference.

http://www.nichia.co.jp/index_eng.html

 

[Photonian]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

Someone ought to inform Nichia that a lot of design engineers won't use products for companies where you have to "sign-up" just to get information. None of the engineers here at my company will anyway so no Nichia components in our products...

 

[idleprocess]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

Might as well inform Lumileds, since they have a similar setup.

 

[NewBie]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

Where do you work Photonian, seems like your guys acceptable selection of high power LEDs is starting to get *really* thin...

 

[Stainless]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

[ QUOTE ]
Photonian said:
Someone ought to inform Nichia that a lot of design engineers won't use products for companies where you have to "sign-up" just to get information. None of the engineers here at my company will anyway so no Nichia components in our products...

[/ QUOTE ]

Many companies have never gotten my personal business because of such practices. It seems to be a case of the marketing people killing the goose before it gets a chance to lay a golden egg. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif

 

[NewBie]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

Nichia Jupiter NCCW023 is also released.

This is the one that has an ashpherical lens built into itself, instead of the half dome. This makes for a "decent" beam without any reflector or additional optics. Look on page 11 of the .pdf for the shape of the lens, and be sure to check out the radiation pattern shown on page 10, bottom right, under directivity.

3.8Vf * 350mA = 1.33 Watts

Rank Jd 51-72 lumens. Average Lumens for this rank would be 61.5.

61.5 lm /1.33 Watts = 46.24 lm/W

Here are some shots of the Nichia Jupiter NCCW023, against a Luxeon TWOK high dome, and an un-named LED. All are wired in series, so exactly the same current is going through each. All are very well heatsinked on large copper. I got all the LEDs last year, this photo is a side-by-side I did back in March.

The LEDs are lighting up a piece of cardboard, that is at an angle, to show the beam pattern of the LEDs.

Larger photo:
http://www.molalla.net/~leeper/compar2.jpg

Here is the link to the site:

http://www.nichia.co.jp/product/led-smd-powerled.html

click on the part number to get the datasheet.

The shortcut for it is here, if you already registered:

http://www.nichia.co.jp/specification/powerled/NCCL023.pdf

Also note the new package encapsulant is silicone, note 6, page 7. (no more epoxy degredation mechanism)

Make note of the copper base, basically a D-PAK package, just like the high power MOSFETs, to remove heat.

 

[BillBill]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

Sorry for rambling/speculating /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif :

I wonder why we are not concentrating on the potential of the Rigel LED /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif but instead harping about their registration system (I took the hassle of getting registered). While it lacks some power the luxeons have, the Rigel is in the footprint of a 3mm Led, giving much more compactness.

Anyways, the specs indicate its only 3.5 mm (1/8in) with a thickness of less than one millimeter. If a manufacturer can take advantage of the wide lambertian radiation pattern (the specsheet indicate a even pattern much like a high dome) to use with a reflector, we may see some interesting lights. Heck, Pelican can probably shoehorn one of these half watt LED's into a MityLite 2AA with recoil (LED firing back into reflector). After all, the Luxeons are SMD components, and so is the Rigel.

However, it may be difficult to handle these tiny SMD components and it may take a while for these to become incorporated into mass produced flashlights and other gadgets /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif . According to the specsheet, the contacts are on the bottom opposite edges of the LED, probably causing problems with mounting because the base isn't electrically neutral as a result /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif. Something this size with a half watt of power may need significant heatsinking capability. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

Despite all these problems I believe the Rigel has potential to be put into flashlights with its small size and good brightness (fifteen lumens). I hope that they have a cool, crisp white color /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif too. It may require for a company with the automation capacity as Maglite to efficiently solder these tricky things in flashlights. Even though it is outclassed by its bigger brother Jupiter, the rigel would, if implemented in a efficient flashlight, produce 2D incandescent light output while consuming far less power /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

I know that I'm making barely educated speculation without knowing the cost, availability, etc. of this LED. However, the concept of a .6 Watt LED in such a small package is indeed cool /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

 

[OddOne]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

I've actually been waiting for a decent-output SMD LED. That WILL be the direction high-power LEDs will inevitably have to go, and will open up all sorts of amusing possibilities.

The only problems will be thermal considerations and optics design, both of which can be dealt with if you're creative (like the folks here just so happen to be!).

oO

 

[Doug S]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

Regarding the Rigel: I find the datasheet a bit lacking since it doesn't give a value for Rjc, the junction to case thermal resistance. It is also unfortunate that flux is neither a specified parameter nor binned. I do find interesting that they have separate graphical data for how the color X-Y coordinates vary with drive current and temperature. Too bad they didn't reference data to Tj rather than to Ta so that the two different effects were clearly documented.
Using the 15 lm figure from the press release and the typical Vf of 4V at 150mA from the datasheet gives a lm/W of 25 which is fairly respectable. Note that this is at a Ta=25C with a [implied] 110C Rja test condition. This is not quite comparable to the Lumileds datasheet flux which is give at a Tj=25C.
Handling/soldering/storage parameters appear to be more restrictive that that of Lumileds.

Anyone have first hand experience with these? They look interesting.

 

[jtr1962]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

There may not be a flux specified in the data sheet but it's easy enough to calculate given the spatial distribution of luminous intensity. Interestingly, the higher binned Rigels start at 6.5 cd luminous intensity, which gives a flux of ~22 lm, and an efficiency of 36 to 37 lm/W going by typical Vf values. This compares well to the better binned Luxeons. No mention of lifetime, however. If they're using the same epoxy encapsulants as the 5mm it won't be anywhere near the 50,000 hours of the Luxeons.

The Jupiter seems potentially even better in that they have the best bin (rank Jd) with a range of 51 to 72 lumens @ I=350 mA. Going by the worst possible Vf of 4.3V, this gives an efficiency range of 34 to 48 lm/W. Not too shabby, although I'm still eagerly awaiting production of the 60+ lm/W product which Nichia announced in a press release last year. I also wonder what percentage actually make it to Jd rank.

I'll be more excited if these are reasonably priced compared to Luxeons. I'd like to see pricing of under $2 each in quantity but that probably won't happen. Even Nichia's 5mm whites tend to be overpriced ($1 to $2 each vs. $0.25 from HK suppliers).

 

[PhotonBoy]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

I've registered a username and received a password; I've added them to the site at http://www.bugmenot.com

You can go there to get passwords for other sites too that bug you for needless usernames and passwords. If you're running Mozilla FireFox, you can download a very small extension that adds bugmenot to your right-click menu. Recommended.

 

[Doug S]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

[ QUOTE ]
jtr1962 said:
The Jupiter seems potentially even better in that they have the best bin (rank Jd) with a range of 51 to 72 lumens @ I=350 mA.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's *much* easier to define a bin than to produce a product. I wonder if any of the production achieves this bin.

 

[Niko]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

Does anyone know of a place where you can buy Nichia Jupiter's besides direct from Nichia? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

 

[NewBie]

Re: Rigel, Nichia\'s new LED

[ QUOTE ]
jtr1962 said:
If they're using the same epoxy encapsulants as the 5mm it won't be anywhere near the 50,000 hours of the Luxeons.


[/ QUOTE ]

Ripped off the datasheet:

Materials:

Package: Ceramics
Encapsulating Resin: Silicone Resin
Electrodes: Ag plating

 

[WIJLY]

I have a flashlight 1x AA, that uses the new Rigel LED and i am impressed to the max . . i would like to refer you to my thread as later today i will be making photos and comparisons and posting my results on this thread

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=136589

i will show you a photograph of Surefire G2 (p61+p60) , Generic 3W luxeon (x1 cr123) , Gerber infinity ultra, and my new Rigel light the "Silverpoint ST101 Auro I LED Torch" then i will show you beam pictures of all close range (1M) and longer range across my kitchen. This Silverpoint ST101 Auro I LED Torch has an awesome beam comparable to my 3W luxeon, and i would describe the visual comparison of my generic 3W and this rigel as follows. The rigel is like a P60, and the 3w is like the P61 . . . the 3W has nice spill and lights a bigger area up mostly, but the rigel has about the same throw and beam brightness the same, but its slightly tighter beam as with the P60. Truely awe striking flashlight on 1AA trumps my 3w i terms of usefulness and battery consumption. Packaging says 6 hours (1.5 hours high output)

Please refer to my thread where i will be posting pictures so you can really get a feel for the rigel LED :)

 

[chesterqw]

i do not know if you notice but this thread ended 08-05-2004(two zero zero four)

you kicked up a old thread...

but hey... this thread is quite useful in telling us what happen in cpf when rigel come out.