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Lumen Maintenance

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 1

Lumen Maintenance Definition

Definition: change in light output of a light source over operational


life, relative to initially measured light output
Lxx = time to xx% of original light output
L70 = time to 70% of original light output
L50 = time to 50% of original light output

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg.
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2 2

50,000 Hours Is

Trivia Point: 50,000 hours is:

137
68.5
34.2
22.8
17.1
11.4
5.7
Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

Years at 1 hour/day
Years at 2 hours/day
Years at 4 hours/day
Years at 6 hours/day
Years at 8 hours/day
Years at 12 hours/day
Years at 24 hours/day
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LED Lumen Maintenance History


<1990

LEDs were used as indicators.


Lifetime did not matter too much.

1990s

LEDs used for traffic signals and exit signs.


First basic studies on LED lifetime performed.

2001

Lumileds (Philips) introduces first High Power LED.


Lifetime testing gets more serious.

2004

LRC/ASSIST publishes first work on the topic.


Basic science understood.

2006

LRC/ASSIST publishes ASSIST recommends test


procedure for lifetime testing of
High Power LEDs, which becomes the
basis for IESNA LM-80-2008 standard

2007

Philips Lumileds publishes white paper,


extending the knowledge of the
industry on the topic (IF)

2008
2009

IES LM-80-2008 is published

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

Cree publishes reliability white paper (TAIR)


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LED Lumen Maintenance Critical Parameters


1. TAIR

Ambient Air Temperature

2. TJ

Junction Temperature

3. TSP / TC / TS
Solder-Point Temperature /
Case Temperature

4. IF

Forward Current /
Drive Current

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 5

Cree Lumen Maintenance Model

Degradation in first 5,000 hours is mostly due to degradation in


the silicone encapsulant.
After 5,000 hours, this mechanism drops out and the slower chip
degradation dominates.
Good quality LEDs in well-designed fixtures will last for decades
under normal use and operating conditions.
Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 6

L70 Lifetime Prediction IF = 350 mA

How Do You
Know They
Last >50,000
Hours?

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 7

L70 Lifetime Prediction TAIR = 45C

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 8

L70 Lifetime Prediction TAIR = 55C

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 9

L70 Lifetime Prediction IF = 700 mA

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 10

L70 Lifetime Prediction IF = 700 mA

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 11

L70 Lifetime Prediction IF = 1000 mA

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 12

40,000 Hour / 4.5 Year XLamp Long-Term Data

Lowambient
temp (25C)
testing is LEDs
a good
surrogate
for at all.
At lower
air temperature,
hardly
depreciate
the LED chip depreciation 1-2% @ TJ = 65C

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg.
pg.1313

System Lifetime is What Counts


System Lifetime is What Creates Value
Heat Sink: Linchpin of the entire system.
If this is poorly designed, all the other
components can be compromised
Driver: Much improvement on
rel and performance especially
with the large suppliers.

LED Lamps: Practically never


fail; depreciate very slowly in a
well-designed system
Optical Components: Can
(rarely) yellow over time and
lose light; system design choice

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 14

Binning

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 15

What is LED binning?


Used to define similar groups of parts by performance characteristics
Not unlike other industries that bin based on performance, ie:
microprocessor
Cree XLamp LED binning based on two parameters:
Flux (total light output)
Chromaticity (white), Dominant wavelength (color)
Even fluorescent tubes are binned by chromaticity
daylight, warm white, etc.

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 16

Two Main Types of Binning


Chromaticity or Color Binning
Some defined Box in the
white area on or near the
Black Body Locus (White LEDs)
Dominant Wavelength (Color
LEDs)

Brightness or Flux Binning


Minimum luminous flux or
radiant Flux
Bin sizes (flux range)
varies by supplier
Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 17

Brightness or Flux Binning


Flux = total light emitted in all directions
Measured using an integrating sphere

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 18

Luminous Flux Binning

LEDs are tested & sorted into luminous flux bins


Performance binning is very standard in the semiconductor
industry (e.g., CPUs), but confusing to the lighting industry where
performance is very standardized

Flux:
102.3 lm

Driver
350 mA

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 19

Chromaticity Binning

CCy: 0.35
CCx: 0.32

Driver
350 mA

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 20

Design & Specification Strategies


Strategy #1

Insist on the tightest bin


available
Pay the highest price
possible

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

Strategy #2

Understand light, binning,


and your application needs
Do the mixing yourself in
your fixture if the
application will allow it
Save money
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Design & Specification Strategies


Strategy #3

Let Cree do the mixing for


you...EasyWhite
Consistent color
No complicated mixing recipes
Reduced inventory
Ease of manufacturing
Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 22

EasyWhite

Copyright 2009 Cree, Inc.

pg. 23

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