What is the next LED development?

[moldyoldy]

Many manufacturers of flashlights have been updating their product lineup with the XM-L LED. The XM-L has a noticeably higher output than previous LEDs. Cree seems to be holding the price lower to saturate the higher-priced market or to penetrate down into lower-cost lights. However, XM-L also a tendency towards a slight yellowish/greenish tint at low power or in the corona of a higher-level output. XM-L also tends to be floody and to require a larger reflector to better focus the output.

Looking to the future, what LED developments are waiting in the wings, maybe getting close to production? What to expect for output, tint control, etc? I would almost assume a higher output, but how? More quad dies?

 

[yifu]

Cree came up with a 208 lumens/watt prototype LED just last year http://www.cree.com/press/press_detail.asp?i=1265232091259
That would be a 50 lumens/watt free upgrade over the the T6 bins. So my guess is that they would release that first. However, you need to realise that high power LEDs consists of only a small portion of the actual market for LEDs, Cree's (and any other LED manufacturer) main moneypot remains, and will always remain the backlighting/indicator LEDs like the RazerThin/UltraThin series. Just imagine, every mobile phone/TV/monitor/computer has LEDs for backlighting, that is a huge market, and will be the main focus.

 

[yellow]

The XM-L has a noticeably higher output than previous LEDs.
XM-L also tends to be floody and to require a larger reflector to better focus the output.

not really!
At the same power - max power for single-die led - the difference is "just" something like 330 lm to 300 lm.
Also the XM-L does not tend to be floody, it is floody with its bigger emitter plate.

When used in the same setup - which is common - the tighter beam from an XP-G is visibly brighter, no wonder as it covers only about 1/3 of the area than when XM-L would be used.
So when one is searching for a longer runtime light, the XM-L is not better than the XP-G.
To get the same "perceived" brightness, the XM-L has to be run with higher current, so less runtime.

Of course it adds the 2 advantages of
1. wider beam - when this is a want and
2. one can always ramp it up to high

as to tint change and such: :thinking:
no idea

 

[rickypanecatyl]

So what's going on right now with the XRE's/XPE's? I heard something, somewhere and can't remember that they are now being driven harder (up to 2.0 amps?) and at R5 bins? Is that correct?

Oh and what is the difference between an XRE and XPE? Are they both 1mm square?

 

[Norm]

Moved to LED - Norm

 

[yliu]

what is the difference between an XRE and XPE? Are they both 1mm square?

They are the exact same die, except the XPE has a smaller housing/dome, than the XRE.

 

[rickypanecatyl]

Thanks Yliu! Are they both moving up in the bins or is it just the XPE that is seeing some break thrus?

 

[JacobJones]

And the XR-E has a narrower beam angle making it better for use with lenses.

Unfortunatley they aren't putting the higher binned dies in the XR-E, only the XP-E.

 

[rickypanecatyl]

Thanks for the info Jacob - and I just saw your sig line. Had no idea Churchhill had opinions on tints!

 

[JacobJones]

Your welcome.
I put the word tint in, Winnie's comment was good but the "tint" was needed to make it more apropriate for this forum.

 

[seven11]

I think in the near future, you'll see more empahsis on light recycling to boost led performance. Especially in the throw category.