LED and Opto-Electronics

Following an intensive, two-year research programme with the Optoelectronics Research Centre at Southampton University, one of the world's leading organisations on the subject, CIL became market leaders in custom LED arrays. These designs produce in a high package density design and thus increasing their suitability for industrial applications. This brought together ORC's experience in optical design and laboratory facilities and our in-depth knowledge of thermal structures and microelectronics assembly capability.

LED performance is increasing dramatically each year with higher light output covering a broader range of wavelengths. Despite this improvement in performance and the fact that LEDs are being used increasingly to replace incandescent lamps in many applications the problem facing designers is a balance of basic physics of increasing light output while dealing with the heat generated. Although LED's are three times as efficient as other light sources, only 15% to 20% of the energy is generated as light with the remainder being unwanted heat.

The solution to this problem required a highly developed capability in bare semiconductor assembly and in-depth knowledge of thermal management: skills and experience that CIL already possessed. High power LED arrays that produce a high level of light output are becoming available commercially but the issue of thermal management still drastically restricts their application. An LED die typically measures between 0.3mm and 1mm square.  Using modern production techniques, it is possible to mount the smallest of them at a density of 200 die/cm².  While this format creates high light output the real issue to be tackled is to maintain a low operating temperature of the die by effective thermal management.

After 5 years of work in this field of bare die based designs CIL has now built upon this expertise and gone on to become a Future Lighting Solutions Integration Member for Phillip's LUMILED's.

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