13 September 2012

SemiLEDs’ S35 LED passes LM-80 test via Integrated Service Technology

LED chip and component maker SemiLEDs Corp of Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan says that, in cooperation with Hsinchu-based lab services firm Integrated System Technology Inc (IST), its S35 product line has completed the requirements of the stringent 6000 hour lumen maintenance test (LM-80) and that the results showed an extrapolated lifetime of up to 50,000 hours.

SemiLEDs claims that its S35 series is the first product to pass the third-party LM-80 test in Taiwan since IST received accreditation from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Results for further products, including the newly launched C35 family, will follow. SemiLEDs claims to be one of the few packaging firms in the Asian market to have passed the test on a certified third-party basis.

“LED components are sensitive to heat, and most failures in lighting fixtures involve thermal mistreatment,” says Kevin Tsui, VP of IST’s Reliability Engineering Department. “Therefore, verifying the degradation at various temperatures is very critical,” he adds.

Tsui further explains that LM-80 is required by US Energy Star and involves the collection of data based on three different case temperatures for at least 6000 hours. The lumen maintenance requirement is also defined. The test provides standardized quality assurance and quality certification for lighting fixture manufacturers and LED manufacturers, respectively.

SemiLEDs’ CEO Trung Doan states that the S35 and P2 warm- and cool-white LEDs (with color temperatures of 5700K and 3000K, respectively) were the firm’s first series to go through the 6000 hour tests at both 350 and 700mA currents. The test results from IST showed that lumen maintenance is 98.75% and 97.81% for 55°C and 85°C, respectively, for the 3000K emitter at 700mA drive current, far above the LM-80 requirements of 91.8% for domestic indoor applications and 94.1% for domestic outdoor and commercial usage.

SemiLEDs further explains that providing high-quality components to lighting fixture manufacturers is key to enabling quicker penetration of LEDs into the lighting market.

The S35 is SemiLEDs’ first series of emitters with a 35mm x 35mm footprint using a silicon housing material. The firm launched the C35 – the second generation of its 35mm x 35mm emitters – in June. The C35 incorporates SemiLEDs EV LED chip and a ceramic base. The thermal resistance complements SemiLEDs’ vertical chip on metal alloy substrate technology. Besides thermal management, SemiLEDs has also implemented its latest innovation in phosphor technology (‘Color Precision’ binning) to it C35 product family, allowing customers to be in control of their CCT distribution. The firm says that, with the new technology, consistent color can be produced within a single 7-step, 4-step or 2-step MacAdam Ellipse centered in ANSI-defined standard color spaces.

“Being a certified test lab, IST showed its professionalism and provided all the necessary assistance for us to verify our performance,” says Doan. “We look forward to further cooperation for new products in the pipeline.”
IST’s chief operating officer Jandel Lin notes that its LM-80 lab started up at the end of 2011 and has already been commissioned by more than 20 manufacturers to conduct the test. SemiLEDs’ S35 is first to pass the test at IST’s lab, and the results should significantly increase SemiLEDs’ marketing competitiveness in terms of quality, he reckons.

IST’s chief financial officer Selina Lin says that, at the beginning of this month, IST signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Intertek HK as the reporting body, and that it aims to continue strengthening its LED certification platform.

Tags: SemiLEDs LEDs

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