then it must be high frequency, many people has the ability to see LED blinks if frequency is not high enough. Funny N. New Bedford, MA http://www.AuElectronics.selfip.com ----- Original Message ---- From: Bill van Dijk To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 6:51:23 PM Subject: RE: [EE]:: White LED lifetime issues. Russel, Interesting. I'm curious, you propose at the end that: > Needless to say, to have any chance of achieving rated > lifetimes LEDs need to be driven in a constant current mode A common thing to do is a PWM drive. This is often hailed as a way to extend life with very little loss of light. In some cases the even suggest you can over drive them slightly and not cause harm. Views? Bill van Dijk > -----Original Message----- > From: piclist-bounces@MIT.EDU [mailto:piclist-bounces@MIT.EDU] On Behalf > Of Apptech > Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 5:22 AM > To: PIC List > Subject: [EE]:: White LED lifetime issues. > > Papers pertinent to white LED lifetimes. > > It's worth noting that the "100,000 hour LED lifetime" often > quoted for LED products is usually grossly untrue. > > Another useful point to note is that lifetime will be > decreased at constant current as junction temperature rises > OR at constant junction temperature as current rises. So > both a low current and low Tj are desirable for best > lifetimes. > It's also worth noting that encapsulation material can make > a vast difference to lifetimes. All epoxies are far from > equal in such applications and silicones (no great surprise) > tend to be superior due both to their superior UV handling > (due to Si-O-Si bonds being higher energy than epoxy C-C), > higher temperature ratings and gentler action on bond wires > etc due to their softer and more flexible nature. > > Needless to say, to have any chance of achieving rated > lifetimes LEDs need to be driven in a constant current mode > at rated current or less. The common mass market practice of > hard paralleling multiple LEDs is an invitaiton to vastly > unbalanced performance and very early failures. > > > Russell > > _______________________ > > Superb slideshow on white LED lifetime issues > UKNC Jan 2007. > > http://www.uknc.org/papers/Jan07/Humphreys.pdf > > Excellent lumileds paper on "Understanding Power LED > lifetime analysis". > The dread Waloddi Weibull takes a bow. > > http://www.lumileds.com/pdfs/WP12.pdf > > Good general LED lifetime and related intro > Low technical level. > > http://www.ledsales.com.au/cart.php?page=led_faqs > > Philips ra ra but in passing useful news article on lifetime > prediction tools > > > http://www.eetimes.com/press_releases/bizwire/showPressRelease.jhtml?artic > leID=603418&CompanyId=2 > > TOC for a LED manufacturing technologies report. > Full version will cost you $US4990 or more. > TOC alone has some value. > > > http://www.electronics.ca/reports/technology/led_manufacturing.html > > Already date but still useful 2004 intro to "How white LEDs > work". > > http://www.compoundsemi.com/documents/articles/news/4706.html > > > > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.10/1240 - Release Date: > 1/23/2008 5:47 PM -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist