A tiny new light-emitting diode (LED) power source could
serve as an alternative in applications ranging from automotive interiors to
architectural fixtures to television backlights.
The device,
measuring a scant 3.5 x 3.5 x 1.2 mm, could carve out a special niche for
itself in hybrid vehicles and electric cars, where packaging is tight and power
budgets are tighter, its manufacturer says.
"Due to its
small size, you can put just one or two of them in an appliance and there's
still plenty of light," says Rodney Bailey, vice president of optoelectronic components
for TT electronics OPTEK Technology,
maker of the new power source. "It's attractive for electric hybrids because
those vehicles need to use the bare minimum of current."
Known as
the OVS5MxBCR4 Series LED package, the new product dissipates a half a Watt of
power, but is approximately half the size of other half-Watt power sources.
Moreover, its low power-draw means it needs no thermal management, Optek
engineers say.
"There's
not enough power coming out of it to merit thermal management," Bailey says.
Optek is
positioning the device in a "sweet spot" between 1W packages - which draw
twice as much power and need thermal management – and very small devices that
don't offer sufficient light intensity for many interior applications. The
company says the device is already been designed into several forthcoming
hybrid electric vehicle programs for interior lighting applications. There, the
low power requirements are making it an attractive alternative to incandescent
bulbs, which can draw as much as 6A. In contrast, the OVS5MxBCR4 Series LED
package uses about one-tenth of that. The use of the device in such
applications is consistent with a trend
toward growing use of LEDs in the auto industry.
Optek says power dissipation for the device at 150 mA is 0.48W for white, warm white
and blue LEDs, 0.51W for a green deice and 0.33W for red, amber and yellow
packages. Luminous flux for white, warm white, blue and green LEDs is 25, 25, 6
and 25 lm, respectively.
Applications
include automotive interiors and exteriors, architectural indoor and outdoor
lighting, mobile appliances and display backlighting, especially in
televisions.
"It should
be popular in applications where they need good light but don't want to do the
heat sinking," Bailey says.
Tweet This
9 
