eNewsletter

January 2008

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. has released a series of high-intensity yellow, amber and white power SMD LEDs in the CLCC-6 flat ceramic package to offer low thermal resistance of 40 K/W or 60 K/W and high optical power from 2,800 mcd to 9,000 mcd for thermal-sensitive applications.

With an ultra-low profile of only 0.9 mm, the CLCC-6 flat ceramic package of the VLMK62, VLMY62 and VLMW62 devices allows the additional current drive for a maximum light output while maintaining a high service life of up to 50,000 hours, making them well suited light sources in applications where thermal management is a key consideration.

The new LEDs are optimized for backlighting and illumination in automotive and transport, consumer and general applications. Typical end products include handheld mobile devices, such as mobile phones and PDAs; traffic lights; advertising displays; bicycle lamps; household appliances, such as washer, driers, and refrigerators; and exterior automotive lighting, such as turn and brake lights.

All devices in the series offer a 60° half-intensity angle and are compatible with IR-reflow solder processes, in accordance with CECC 00802 and J-STD-020C. Preconditioned according to JEDEC Level 4a standards, the CLCC-6 flat package is lead (Pb)-free and RoHS-compliant. The LEDs are automotive qualified AEC-Q101.


Samples and production quantities of the new VLMx62 series of high-intensity power SMD LEDs are available now, with lead times of six weeks for larger orders. Pricing for US delivery is $0.60/piece for the amber and yellow LEDs, and $0.90/piece for the white LEDs.

Catalyst Launches Alternative to Industry-Standard ’604 LED Driver with Improved Average Efficiency

Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc. has launched its newest Quad-Mode fractional charge pump LED driver, the CAT3604V, a four-channel LED driver, which provides an alternative to the industry-standard ’604 with similar functionality and the added benefits of Catalyst’s Quad-Mode switching architecture, including improved average efficiency.

Quad-Mode technology delivers the high efficiency levels normally associated with inductor-based LED drivers, while eliminating the associated high-profile inductors and unwanted EMI. Most charge pump LED drivers today offer three modes of operation corresponding to the ratio of the output voltage to the input voltage: 1x, 1.5x and 2x. The Quad-Mode architecture of the CAT3604V adds a fourth mode of operation, 1.33x, to deliver the higher average efficiency, without the need for the additional capacitor required by all existing four-mode charge pumps. The 1.33x fractional operating mode also reduces the input switching currents seen at the battery, minimizing the overall supply noise – a critical parameter in portable devices such as cell phones.

The CAT3604V is a four-channel charge pump with a PWM dimming interface and channel diagnostics, which include automatic detection for both short and open LED channel conditions to ensure the device maintains the highest efficiency level in all operating modes.

The CAT3604V joins the CAT3636 six-channel, CAT3644 four-channel and CAT3643 three-channel, 1-wire EZDim products in Catalyst’s Quad-Mode family of LED drivers.

The CAT3604V LED driver is priced at $0.48 each in 10,000 piece quantities. Samples and evaluation boards are also available. Projected lead-time for production quantities is currently 6 to 8 weeks ARO.

High-Voltage, 3-Channel, High-Brightness LED Drivers Allow Independent Channel PWM Dimming and LED Current Adjustment

Maxim Integrated Products has introduced the MAX16824/MAX16825 3-channel, HB LED drivers with a 6.5 V to 28 V input-voltage range. These devices feature three 36 V-rated, open-drain, constant-current sink outputs capable of delivering up to 150 mA to three separate strings of HB LEDs. For optimal design flexibility, these ICs allow independent LED current setting of each channel. To implement this functionality, the MAX16824 provides three PWM dimming inputs to independently control the brightness of each string of LEDs and switch each string on or off. Conversely, the MAX16825 features a 3-bit transparent latch, a 3-bit shift register and a 2 Mbps, 4-wire serial interface. The serial interface allows all output channels to be controlled through an external microcontroller; it also enables multiple MAX16825 drivers to be cascaded and operated together. These flexible LED drivers are well suited for a wide range of applications including industrial, architectural and decorative lighting; indoor/outdoor LED video displays; automotive interior lighting; and LCD backlighting.

The MAX16824/MAX16825 integrate a pass element with a low dropout voltage, thus eliminating the need for an external power transistor. Providing ±5 percent accuracy LED current control, each of the three pass elements ensures excellent brightness matching while reducing the size, complexity, and cost of the total driver solution.

The MAX16824/MAX16825 provide an additional 5V regulated output with 4 mA output current capability and thermal shutdown in the event of overheating. Both devices are available in a thermally enhanced, 4 mm by 4 mm, 16-pin TSSOP package with exposed pad. Prices start at $0.91 (1,000-up, FOB USA).

austriamicrosystems Launches World's First High Precision LED Drivers with Optimal Support for Latest Local Dimming LCD Backlight Technology

austriamicrosystems, a designer and manufacturer of high performance analog ICs for communications, industrial, medical and automotive applications, has extended its high brightness LED driver portfolio with the AS3693 and AS3694, especially designed to support LED-based LCD backlighting applications.

The new LED drivers AS3693 and AS3694 feature optimized synchronization and timing technologies avoiding costly and suboptimal designs based on standard LED drivers. They are well suited to fit the latest trend in LCD backlighting which is to synchronize the LCD backlight with the TV picture. So-called local dimming enables only the required segments of the backlight to be on, making bright spots in the TV picture appear really bright and dark parts completely black. This technology allows OEMs to achieve exceptional contrast ratios as well as energy savings.

The new AS3693 and AS3694 LED drivers also offer a driver accuracy of +/-0.5 percent, which guarantees exact brightness and color matching and is ahead of any competitor device currently available on the market. AS3693 offers 16 high brightness LED output channels; AS3694 provides 12 channels and three additional DC/DC converters. The brightness and timing of each output can be controlled individually via SPI or I2C. Local dimming is supported by independent PWM generators with programmable delay, period and duty cycle, resulting in optimized TV pictures that are totally flicker-free.

The AS3693 and AS3694 high precision LED current sources have a wide voltage compliance range of 50 V supporting the deployment of long LED strings. In addition, an integrated dedicated power supply control technology enables thermal and energy efficient design. The supply voltage for the AS3693 and AS3694 is derived from the LED supply voltage via the build-in shunt regulator. Both devices offer safety features for thermal control as well as open and short LED detection.

“Our innovative AS3693/94 LED drivers are gaining acceptance among major LCD panel and LCD TV manufacturers with very positive feedback from OEMs after initial tests,” said Markus Luidolt, marketing manager Backlighting at austriamicrosystems. “austriamicrosystems’ high precision LED drivers fit 100 percent with the latest LCD backlight technologies like local dimming– no matter if RGB or white LEDs.”

Allegro Microsystems, Inc. Releases a New Constant Current LED Driver IC

Allegro has released a new, high-brightness, adjustable constant current LED driver to complement its existing portfolio of display driver ICs. Targeted at the automotive lighting market, this LED driver is also an excellent fit in industrial and consumer LED applications. This new device is designed to operate over the typical automotive battery and temperature ranges. The input voltage range is specified down to 6 V and will operate up to a maximum of 40 V. The linear constant current output can be adjusted to deliver up to 350 mA in a typical application. An Enable input is used to enable the LED drive and can also be driven with a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) input for dimming of the LED brightness. To help minimize EMI, the slew rate of the output current is controlled during switching. In addition, the Enable pin will cause the IC to enter into a low quiescent sleep mode if held low. Typical applications for Allegro’s A6260 include: automotive interior lighting such as map lights and dome lights and exterior lighting such as rear indicator and brake lights and rear combination lighting. Industrial and consumer high intensity LED lighting applications will also benefit from the A6260’s feature set.

Several automotive-grade protections are featured in the integrated circuit. The IC is fully protected against shorts to ground or shorts to battery. This new IC also includes a thermal shut-down circuit (TSD) which disables the IC if the junction temperature reaches 165°C. Allegro’s A6260 has integrated reverse battery protection eliminating the need for an external reverse battery diode.

The A6260 also includes a temperature monitor circuit. This circuit monitors the chip temperature and will cause the output current to reduce in a fold-back fashion. The temperature threshold at which the fold-back begins can be adjusted by choosing an appropriate resistor on the THTH pin. This feature will allow the LED driver to dynamically protect itself during any over-voltage transients on VIN (such as load-dump or double battery). If the IC is mounted on an appropriate substrate and located near the LED, this feature can also be used to help protect the LED against over-temperature conditions.

Allegro’s new LED driver is available in an 8-lead thermally enhanced SOIC package and has a 12-week lead–time to market. It is priced at $0.85 in quantities of 1,000.

Bergquist Releases New Gap Filler 1500

The Bergquist Company has released its latest liquid gap filling solution, Gap Filler 1500 (Two-Part). Gap Filler 1500 is a silicone based, two-component, room or elevated temperature cured product. As dispensed, this material is ultra-conforming and is well suited for filling unique and intricate air voids and gaps. As cured, Gap Filler 1500 is a soft, thermally conductive, form-in-place elastomer that is dry to the touch and will not pump-out from the interface.

Gap Filler 1500 exhibits an improved thermal performance (1.8W/m-K) and a high level of slump resistance. Gap Filler 1500 is specifically designed with high shear thinning characteristics to support optimized control during dispensing. Shear thinning is an inherent characteristic that allows the material to readily flow when subjected to a load (i.e. during dispensing), but hold its shape once the load is removed. The dispensed material stays in place and holds its shape on the part until force is applied to displace the material and wet-out the interface. With its optimized flow characteristics, Gap Filler 1500 offers a faster throughput with less pressure required from dispensing equipment. Reduced pressure lowers the risk of material and machinery breakdown. The two-part composition facilitates efficient dispensing and clean assembly with no cure by-products. Gap Filler 1500’s easy dispensability allows for precise positioning in half the time as compared to one-part materials.

This material is suited for thermally conductive vibration dampening in applications that include automotive electronics, computers and peripherals, telecommunications and placement between any heat-generating semiconductor and a heat sink. Gap Filler 1500 is suitable for manual or automated dispensing and can be screened or stenciled onto an application. Standard container size offerings are 50 cc and 400 cc cartridges and 1,200 cc and 10 gallon kits. Gap Filler 1500 is available with the option of 7 or 10 mil spacer beads and is customizable upon special request.

Dialight Offers 48 Volt Version of its LED Flashing Red Beacon

Ocean Optics Fiber Optic Spectrometers Chosen for LED Sorting Systems

With bulbs moving through their sorters at a rate of approximately 8,000 pieces per hour, speed was another important factor for Huge Winners in selecting a spectrometer. Ocean Optics’ USB4000 measures and processes individual LED spectral data within 10 to 50 milliseconds. Spectral data is quickly digitized and processed by computer for dominant and peak value wavelength, CIE color and irradiance (lumens). Based on these results, the sorter then transports each individual bulb to the appropriate collection bin for storage. Even under rigorous 18-hour work days, the USB4000 maintains consistent speed and accuracy.

The USB4000 Spectrometer selected by Huge Winners is distinguished by enhanced electronics: 16-bit A/D resolution for auto nulling (an enhanced electrical dark-signal correction); EEPROM storage of calibration coefficients for simple spectrometer start-up; 8 programmable GPIO signals for controlling peripheral devices; and an electronic shutter for spectrometer integration times as fast as 3.8 microseconds – a feature that prevents detector saturation. In addition, the USB4000 has signal-to-noise of 300:1, sensitivity of 130 photons/count at 400 nm, and optical resolution (FWHM) ranging from 0.3-10.0 nm.

New High-Power LED MR16 Bulbs

LEDtronics has introduced an addition to its line of drop-in replacement MR16-styled LED bulbs, high-powered 3 watt LED MR16 bulbs. These 3 watt MR16 LED bulbs have two advantages over other MR16 LED bulbs. First, they are engineered to handle the variations in voltages that may accompany “noisy” or “dirty” AC or DC power supplies, eliminating potential burnout from incoming voltage that is higher than the lamp’s capacity. Second, the 3 watt MR16 bulbs eliminate the need to stock a variety of LED MR16 bulbs to coordinate with different voltages that power supplies of 12 volt AC/DC to 24 volt DC may present, simplifying procurement and inventory procedures.

High-powered 3 watt LED MR16 bulbs (series number MR16-3W) have the following characteristics; bi-pin bases just like standard incandescent MR16 bulbs, and light outputs of 102.9 lumens using 2.6 watts with 12 volts DC, 120.6 lumens using 3.7 watts with 12 volts AC, and 140.7 lumens using only 3.8 watts with 24 volts DC. The bulb features three high-power LEDs and is offered in Cool White (6,500 K) and Warm White (3,000 K) color temperatures. Both Warm and Cool Whites are offered in 61° beam angles. With factory approval, MR16-3W bulbs may be ordered in other LED colors, voltages and beam angles. MR16-3W bulbs carry a three-year limited warranty.

The price of an MR16-3W LED bulb is $47.04 each. Discounts are available for large quantity orders. Availability is stock to 4 to 6 weeks for special requirements.

Transparent White OLED from Osram Opto Achieves High Level of Performance

Osram Opto Semiconductors has developed a transparent white OLED tile with improved performance. Under laboratory conditions, the OLED prototype has achieved a luminous efficiency of more than 20 lm/W at a brightness of 1000 cd/m². This opens up possible applications such as partitions that are almost invisible by day and can provide a pleasant diffused light at night.

The large-scale prototype of the transparent white OLED tile with color coordinates 0.396/0.404 (CIEx/y main emissive side ) lights up an area of nearly 90 cm². The OLED is transparent whether it is powered on or off, and its transparency is currently rated at 55 percent. As the product is further developed, this value is expected to reach 75 percent.

The performance results were achieved as part of the project known as OPAL 2008. This research effort is the initiative of the Germany Ministry for Education and Research dedicated to studying organic light emitting diodes for illumination applications.

The relative strengths of the beams in the two hemispheres of the OLED tile can be adjusted within a wide range. This means, for example, that a surface light source installed in furniture or on a canopy can be configured so that light shines only in the required direction.

Grote’s Three New MRAP Interior LED Lamps

When delivery of new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs) to Iraq became Pentagon priority one, Grote Industries was ready with three, new, tactical LED interior lamps, designed, tested and in the case of one groundbreaking new lamp, manufactured and ready to ship.

The vehicle safety systems and performance lighting leader is the only US lighting company to have already met a completely new Pentagon specification for blue/white combination interior lighting. Grote's solution is a single, LED lamp that automatically switches from standard service white light to tactical mode blue light, the moment the vehicle's door opens.

Grote also is supplying similar white/red LED lighting in another single, interior dome lamp for MRAPs made by leading military tactical vehicle manufacturers. By innovating new technology LEDs, Grote was able to integrate both light functions into a single lamp system. The result is a lamp that saves interior space, lowers initial manufacturing acquisition and repair costs, minimizes inventory requirements and simplifies maintenance.

Both tactical illumination modes, red and blue, are employed to make personnel less visible upon exiting the interior of a vehicle, as well as complement the effectiveness of night vision equipment.

The lamp's only replacement part is a hardened lens, easily replaced in the field by simply removing a pair of screws. Drawing 90 percent fewer amps than dimmer, more fragile incandescent lamps, the shock and vibration-resistant LED alternative preserves more power for other vehicle functions. The LED lamps also are rated to last 10 times longer (approximately 50,000 hours) than existing incandescent lamps.

Finally, like Grote's Retrofit LED Kit for HMMWVs (High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles), the new MRAP tactical interior lamps electronic circuit design has eliminated the threat of detectable lamp electromagnetic interference (EMI), a telltale signal an enemy can detect and use to locate personnel and equipment.

"Grote Industries is the only company to offer a single lamp combination, interior LED solution, as well as one that eliminates detectable lamp EMI. Grote was also the first to market a white/blue combination lighting product required in the field by the Pentagon,"said Matthew Drake, manager, military products. "And we're continuing to develop new Performance LED Military Products that help personnel function more safely and effectively in the field.

As an example of its continuing development efforts, Grote has also unveiled, a new LED map light with an intense, state-of-the-art diode that makes it fully 50 percent brighter than any comparable lamp available. The lamp's dual voltage operation (14 volts or 28 volts) makes it compatible with a variety of systems. Rated for the long haul, Grote's new LED map lamp can last for up to 50,000 hours.

Featuring standard military connectors and fasteners, the lamp's electronics are fully cushioned, insulated and protected from vibration and moisture, with Grote's specially formulated, high-tech potting. Like the other tactical interior lamps, the LED map light is engineered to be battle-ready, by eliminating detectable lamp EMI.

New NanoMarkets Report Predicts $15.8 Billion Organic Electronics Materials Market in 2015

The market for organic electronics materials will be worth $4.9 billion in 2012 surging to $15.8 billion in 2015, according to a new report from NanoMarkets. The report, Organic Harvest: Opportunities in Organic Electronic Materials is the next in a series that analyzes the market for the semiconductors, conductors, dielectrics and substrates that will be used in the growing organic electronics industry. Details about the report can be found at www.nanomarkets.net. The firm has also released a blog entry that provides additional commentaries from the report at www.nanotopblog.com.  

Organic Harvest: Opportunities in Organic Electronic Materials provides a complete analysis of the new opportunities to sell materials to the organic electronics industry. It discusses and quantifies the markets for semiconductors, conductors, dielectrics and (glass, plastic and paper) substrates that will be used by the industry over the next eight years in various applications including display backplanes, organic photovoltaics, OLEDs, sensors, smartcards, and games and toys. The report includes detailed eight-year forecasts of organic electrics markets broken out by applications and device type as well as strategic profiles of 20 leading firms active in this market.

The latest Strategy Analytics study on LED markets, from its Automotive Electronics and Gallium Arsenide practices, focuses on LED demand from the automotive sector. Automotive LED Market Demand: Exterior Lighting Driving Major Growth Opportunity forecasts the expanding use of LEDs into automotive LCD backlighting and exteriors lighting, most recently in fully LED-based front headlights. Major LED vendors, including Nichia, Osram and Lumileds are currently working with automotive partners to gain a major share of a market that will be worth $1 billion by 2014.

Vehicle lighting and driver information applications will drive the highest growth rates due to their use of higher priced High Brightness, LEDs in exterior lighting assemblies and LCD display backlighting.

“Interior LED applications will continue to account for the majority of automotive LED volume demand,” said Chris Webber, VP Global Automotive Practice. “Regulatory barriers for the use of LEDs in front headlamps are in the process of being removed, which will lead to more LEDs for high and low beam headlight applications. At Strategy Analytics we believe however, that early implementation will be cost-limited and that it will be another two years before demand from exterior applications overtakes traditional lighting markets.”

“Questions still remain regarding costs associated directly with LED device manufacturing, as well as the additional application costs of complex heat dissipating assemblies and electronic control,” said Asif Anwar, director of the Strategy Analytics GaAs service. “This will hinder high brightness LED deployment in low-margin volume vehicle segments.”  

Lumecon and Relume Technologies, an innovator in LED solid-state lighting engines and fixtures, won a contract with The City of Ann Arbor, MI, to supply more than 1,000 LED light retrofits for the city's conversion to 100 percent LED light for its downtown streets. The Relume LED retrofit engine is based on performance leading Cree XLamp LEDs. The contract was awarded by The City of Ann Arbor following a 25-fixture evaluation that showed a 50 percent energy savings and 3.8-year payback on initial investment.

"Lumecon and Relume worked closely with Ann Arbor officials for 24 months to perfect this LED retrofit to the city's existing globe streetlights. This solution allows Ann Arbor to realize the significant energy and maintenance cost savings and utilize the beautiful globe street light structures already in place," said Mike Bergren, City of Ann Arbor assistant field operations manager. "Each LED fixture draws only 56 watts and is projected to last 10 years. They will replace bulbs that use more than 120 watts of power and last two years. With savings like this any city can choose LEDs over traditional light sources."

"We are very excited that Ann Arbor has chosen Lumecon / Relume to provide LED light engines for all the downtown streetlights. Relume LED lighting is quickly proving to be the most cost-effective, longest-lasting lighting solution available today," said Bob Hahn, general manager of Lumecon. " Ann Arbor has always been on the leading edge of conservation and this LED project is a giant leap forward towards saving energy and reducing the cities carbon foot print."

Full implementation of LEDs is projected to cut Ann Arbor's public lighting energy use in half and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2,425 tons of CO2 annually, the equivalent of taking 400 cars off the road for a year. Detroit Edison, Ann Arbor's local utility provider, will meter the new LED streetlights with the intent to gather sufficient information to develop new LED-based tariffs.

Osram Research Team Wins German Future Prize for LED Lighting Technology

For outstanding research work on innovative lighting technologies, Dr. Klaus Streubel and Dr. Stefan Illek from Osram Opto Semiconductors, together with Dr. Andreas Bräuer from the Fraunhofer Institute for Optics and Precision Engineering in Jena, were awarded last year’s prize for technology and innovation from the President of Germany. The German Future Prize for 2007 was awarded specifically for thin-film chip technology and its application in the Ostar family of LEDs.

Thin-film technology is the key to producing LED chips of extremely high brightness and also enables them to be packed tightly together to create a large illuminating surface. High-efficiency LEDs from Osram that are based on this innovative technology will open up new applications ranging from mini projectors and rear projection televisions to night vision systems in vehicles and general room lighting. LEDs can already be used, for example, in the headlights and taillights of automobiles, providing excellent visibility and giving automobile manufacturers enormous freedom to create new designs.

For the 2007 German Future Prize awarded by the German President Horst Köhler, the judges were looking not only for exceptional technical, engineering and scientific achievements, but also for practical applications, marketability and job creation. “We are proud of the fact that our creativity and determination will speed up the triumphal march of LED lighting,” said Dr. Klaus Streubel, the spokesman for the winning team.

The technical innovation of the Ostar LED is the combination of different technologies, namely a new production process for high-power chips, a perfectly matched package platform and special optics developed in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Optics and Precision Engineering. “With these technologies we have achieved a particularly high luminance for LEDs in all colors and also for infrared light – this is a truly groundbreaking innovation,” said Dr. Klaus Streubel.

1/22 - 1/24
Photonics West 2008
San Diego, CA

January

1/22 - 1/24
Photonics West 2008
San Diego, CA

1/28 - 1/31
Intelligent Transport Lighting
Frankfurt, Germany

LED Packaging 2008
April 15-17, 2008
Penang Malaysia

IntertechPira’s 3rd annual conference devoted exclusively to packaging for LEDs, LED Packaging 2008, will be held April 15-17 in Penang Malaysia. Featuring two preconference workshops on April 15 and two full days of invited talks on April 16 and 17, LED Packaging will draw industry leaders from around the globe to discuss the latest innovations and the way forward in this rapidly evolving LED industry. Topics to be covered include LED chip design and fabrication, thermal management, LED modules and light engines, mounting and assembly, an analysis of important LED end use markets, and much more. With 125 anticipated delegates and 15 exhibitors LED Packaging 2008 is a must attend for anybody with a stake in this industry.

Click Here for more info

EDS - Where the Electronics Industry Connects
May 5-8, 2008
Las Vegas, NV

EDS -- Where the Electronics Industry Connects—May 5-8, 2008, Paris/Bally’s Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada  www.edsconnects.com

EDS is North America’s premier venue for business-to-business meetings and networking for the electronics distribution industry. More than 5,000 key representatives from the three major areas of the industry—distribution, manufacturing and professional field sales—attend EDS.  It’s where the “who’s who” in electronics come to build business, including  more international participants than any comparable event in North America. 
EDS is sponsored by industry leaders the Electronic Components, Assemblies and Materials Association (ECA), the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) and the National Electronic Distributors Association (NEDA).  EDS facilitates sales and marketing partnerships in the global electronics distribution industry. Convened annually since 1937, EDS provides conferences, educational programs, planning sessions, networking opportunities, and a show floor for exhibitors. Complete details and registration information is available at www.edsconnects.com or by calling (312) 648-1140.

Display Week 2008: The SID International Symposium, Seminar, and Exhibition
May 18-23, 2008
Los Angeles, California, USA

Now in its 46th year, Display Week is the premier international gathering of scientists, engineers,manufacturers and users in the electronic-display industry. Its 550-plus booths and 500-plus technical presentations attract approximately 8,000 attendees.
The event provides access to a wide range of technology and applications, including: high-definition flat-panel displays using both emissive and liquid-crystal technology; the latest in OLED displays and large-area projection-display systems; image processing, systems software and display processor hardware; human factors and applied vision; and exciting new applications such as multimedia and the electronic cinema.
www.sid2008.org