Historical perspective on the physics of artificial lighting

We describe the evolution of lighting technologies used throughout the ages, and how the need for improvements was such that any new technology giving better and cheaper lighting was immediately implemented. Thus, every revolution in energy sources – gas, petrol electricity – was first put to large-scale use in lighting. We describe in some detail several “ancient” techniques of scientific interest, along with their physical limitations. Electroluminescence – the phenomenon by which LEDs directly convert electricity into light – was long thought to only be of use for indicators or flat panel displays supposed to replace the bulky cathode-ray tubes. The more recent uses of LEDs were mainly for street traffic lights, car indicators, small phone displays, followed by backlighting of TV screens. LED lamps for general lighting only emerged recently as the dominant application of LEDs thanks to dramatic decrease in cost, and continuous improvements of color quality and energy conversion efficiency.     

面向半导体照明的光学

以发光二极管(LED)为核心的半导体照明光源成为世界公认的第三代照明光源.通常基于蓝光LED抽运黄色荧光粉产生白光的方案,因荧光粉的斯托克斯位移和宽光谱,其具有产业化价值的发光效率上升范围受到极大限制.另外,传统封装LED因其朗伯型发光分布和超高亮度会造成严重的眩光以及光分布难以满足照明应用要求从而导致光污染、光浪费,...     

Comparison between blue lasers and light‐emitting diodes for future solid‐state lighting

Solid‐state lighting (SSL) is now the most efficient source of high color quality white light ever created. Nevertheless, the blue InGaN light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) that are the light engine of SSL still have significant performance limitations. Foremost among these is the decrease in efficiency at high input current densities widely known as “efficiency droop.” Efficiency droop limits input power densities, contrary to the desire to produce more photons per unit LED chip area and to make SSL more affordable. Pending a solution to efficiency droop, an alternative device could be a blue laser diode (LD). LDs, operated in stimulated emission, can have high efficiencies at much higher input power densities than LEDs can. In this article, LEDs and LDs for future SSL are explored by comparing: their current state‐of‐the‐art input‐power‐density‐dependent power‐conversion efficiencies; potential improvements both in their peak power‐conversion efficiencies and in the input power densities at which those efficiencies peak; and their economics for practical SSL.     

利用单层密排的纳米球提高发光二极管的出光效率

在发光二极管(LED)的透明电极层上制作单层六角密排的聚苯乙烯(polystyrene, PS) 纳米球, 研究提高GaN基蓝光LED的出光效率. 采用自组装的方法在透明电极铟锡氧化物层上制备了直径分别约为250, 300, 450, 600和950 nm的PS纳米球, 并且开展了电致发光的研究. 结果表明, 在LED的透明电极层上附有PS纳米球能有效地提高LED的出光效率; 当PS纳米球的直径与出射光的波长比较接近时, LED的出光效率最优. 与参考样品相比, 在20 mA和150 mA工作电流下, 附有PS纳米球的样品的发光效率分别增加1.34倍和1.25倍. 三维时域有限差分方法计算表明, 该出光增强主要归因于附有PS纳米球的LED结构可以增大LED结构的光输出临界角, 从而提高LED的出光效率. 因此, 这是一种低成本的实现高效率LED的方法.     

LED advances accelerate universal access to electric lighting

A rapid increase in the performance and quality of white LED light sources has changed the dynamics of electricity access in the last 10 years, reaching tens of millions of people with electric light who previously had no viable alternatives to fuel-based lighting, which is dangerous and expensive. Eliminating fuel-based lighting is a key public health, safety, social equality, and environmental opportunity that is now achievable. Technology advances in LEDs, other super-efficient appliances, solar photovoltaic generation, advanced batteries, and coordinating information technology systems have combined to significantly expand the reach of off-grid energy systems. With support and effort, it is plausible that small “pico-solar” and “solar home” systems could serve over a billion people within a generation, providing basic but highly valued services. Continued progress can be achieved with attention to continued improvements in technology, supporting a growing range of new businesses and enterprises in energy access markets, and synergy with broader human development effort around access to clean water, financial inclusion, and fair access to resources.     

MOCVD生长InGaN/GaN MQW紫光LED

利用LP－MOCVD系统生长了InGaN/GaN MQW紫光LED外延片，双晶X射线衍射测试获得了2级卫星峰，室温光致发光谱的峰值波长为399.5nm，FWHM为15.5nm，波长均匀性良好。制成的LED管芯，正向电流20mA时，工作电压在4V以下。     

结温与热阻制约大功率LED发展

LED结温高低直接影响到LED出光效率、器件寿命、可靠性、发射波长等。保持LED结温往允许的范围内,是大功率LED芯片制备、器件封装和器件应用等每个环节都必须重点研究的关键因素,尤其是LED器件封装和器件应用设计必须着重解决的核心问题。首先介绍pn结结温对LED器什性能的影响,接着分析大功率LED结温与器件热阻的关系．基于对器件热阻的分析,得出了结温与热阻已经制约大功率LED进一步向更大功率发展的结论,并提出了如下两个观点：1．要在保持低成本和自然散热方式下提高LED器件的功率,根本的出路是提高光转换效率;2．在日前没有提高光转换效率的情况下,发展超过5W的大功率器件对工程应肘没有实质意义。     

A Systematic Exploration of InGaN/GaN Quantum Well-Based Light Emitting Diodes on Semipolar Orientations

Optics and Spectroscopy - Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on group III-nitride semiconductors (GaN, AlN, and InN) are crucial elements for solid-state lighting and visible light communication...     

Optical characteristics of LGP depending on the scattering pattern orientation for flat-type LED lighting

In flat-type light-emitting-diode (LED) lighting systems, a planar light is formed using a luminance source positioned on the side of the system and light guide panel (LGP) or reflecting plates. Thus, such systems are favorable for their thinness, which allows a relatively small number of LEDs to be used. However, the application of a high-power LED light to a large-area lighting system yields Lambertian luminaires; therefore, a point or a discomfort glare is produced, which generally causes degradation of the luminance efficiency and uniformity. In this study, we solved the problems of luminance non-uniformity and inefficiency by adjusting the orientation of an applied LGP scattered pattern and removing the remaining glare. Through computer simulation, optical characteristics that increase the efficiency even in the case of low-output LEDs were found. Specifically, a scattered pattern vertically oriented relative to the direction of the incident light improves the luminance uniformity at the side of the system, while a scattered pattern oriented parallel to the direction of the incident light plays the role of a waveguide. We implemented a flat-type LED lighting system by fabricating a large-area LGP based on the computer-simulation results and using an extremely sensitive laser. The optical characteristics observed using the laser-processed LGP were identical to those obtained in the computer simulation. Therefore, for large-area flat-type LED lighting systems, we confirmed that adjusting the orientation of the LGP scattered pattern can increase the luminance efficiency and uniformity.     

海面波浪坡度场光学测量装置的光源设计(英文)

在海面波浪坡度场光学测量系统中,光源是一个非常重要的照明元件。合理的设计和选用光源,是保证系统精度和布局的重要因素之一。比较传统光源短弧氙灯的明显优势,如低能耗,寿命长,更好的安全性和稳定性等,本文提出了采用LED作为本系统光源的设想,确定了所需LED个数和LED阵列方式,并经过计算和光学软件模拟,验证了本设想的可行性。     

LED光环境及服装色彩对消费者行为影响分析

LED光源具有高显色性、高发光效率、寿命长、节能环保等优秀的性能,目前很多服装店已经采用LED进行照明。但服装店在选择照明方式上出现很多问题,比如灯光不能再现服装的真实原貌,消费者的氛围感知不强,消费者购买欲望差。以可调LED光源为基础,针对服装店室内照明场合,分别采用普通照明方式、重点照明方式、局部照明方式和混合照明方式,设计了四种不同物理参量的光环境,借助心理物理实验的语意差别量表法,使用了36组词对组成了主观评价问卷调查表,采用22名观察者模拟消费者（11名男性和11名女性）,对相应的四种照明环境的五种颜色服装（黑色、蓝色的男装以及白色、红色和黄色的女装）进行喜好度、吸引度、舒适度和色彩真实度的主观评价。运用差异系数检验了主观评价数据的稳定性与准确性,确定了数据真实有效。采用主成分分析方法,评估了相应的照明方式效果,得到了评价服装店照明环境氛围的基本维度为活泼性（liveness）、舒适度（coziness）和商业性（commercial）,通过单因素方差分析方法进一步判断得到活泼性为服装店最重要的基本维度。另外,分析了在四种LED照明光环境下, 服装颜色对观察者颜色感知的影响。研究结果表明：在服装店中,普通照明方式由于与传统光源的照明效果相似,消费者的各项评价指标普遍较低,因此普通照明方式不应在服装店中单独使用;对于黑色、蓝色的男装和红色的女装,混合照明方式比其他照明方式更适合,产生的照明效果更能吸引消费者的注意;对于黄色的女装,采用局部照明方式的效果更受消费者喜爱,但是消费者对照明环境采用局部照明方式下的蓝色男装的评价指标很低,所以对于服装店的蓝色服装应该避开使用局部照明方式;对于白色的女装,利用重点照明方式,更能吸引消费者的注意。     

瓦级大功率InGaN蓝光LED的光色电特性

封装并测量了瓦级大功率InGaN蓝色发光二极管(LED)在不同正向电流I_F驱动下的光通量、电功率、发光效率、发射光谱和色品坐标等参数的变化。研究表明, 光通量与电功率随I_F的增大呈亚线性增加,而发光效率η则下降。当I_F从50 mA一直增大到450 mA左右时,发射光谱的峰值波长λ_p随I_F的增加发生蓝移,蓝移现象可能与InGaN蓝光LED芯片在较大电流时能带被拉平以及In成分的作用有关。当I_F大于500 mA或800 mA后,λ_p又发生红移,红移现象可能与大电流注入下InGaN蓝光LED芯片产生的热效应以及电子-空穴对辐射复合有关。此外,光谱的半峰全宽(FWHM)产生宽化现象,色坐标x和y值也发生变化。     

LED lighting efficacy: Status and directions

A monumental shift from conventional lighting technologies (incandescent, fluorescent, high intensity discharge) to LED lighting is currently transpiring. The primary driver for this shift has been energy efficiency and associated cost savings. LED lighting is now more efficacious than any of the conventional lighting technologies with room to still improve. Near term, phosphor-converted LED packages have the potential for efficacy improvement between 160 lm/W (now) to 255 lm/W. Longer term, color-mixed LED packages have the potential for efficacy levels conceivably as high as 330 lm/W, though reaching these performance levels requires breakthroughs in green and amber LED efficiency. LED package efficacy sets the upper limit to luminaire efficacy, with the luminaire containing its own efficacy loss channels. In this paper, based on analyses performed through the U.S. Department of Energy Solid State Lighting Program, various LED and luminaire loss channels are elucidated, and critical areas for improvement identified. Beyond massive energy savings, LED technology enables a host of new applications and added value not possible or economical with previous lighting technologies. These include connected lighting, lighting tailored for human physiological responses, horticultural lighting, and ecologically conscious lighting. None of these new applications would be viable if not for the high efficacies that have been achieved, and are themselves just the beginning of what LED lighting can do.     

Design of optocoupler for synthesizing four color spectra

LEDs with the advantage of high luminous efficacy and long life time show the potential of replacing traditional luminaire. Most commercial white LED light sources use blue or ultraviolet chip coated with emitting phosphor, but the sensitivity and instability of such phosphors has become a big issue. The typical RGB-LED by using individual chips has the problem of spatial separation and insufficient spectral overlap which leads to low CRI. This study suggests a novel and high-efficiency design of fiber optical optocoupler to synthesize four colors emitted by separate LEDs to provide the ideal light sources by adjusting the individual LEDs separately. By choosing different colored light to be synthesized, this optocoupler can be used as light sources which can be highly controlled to offer the best lighting conditions. Compared with other widely used commercial LED sources, this new design of light sources can be used in special experiments which require multi-spectral light.     

Status of GaN-based green light-emitting diodes

GaN-based blue light emitting diodes(LEDs) have undergone great development in recent years,but the improvement of green LEDs is still in progress.Currently,the external quantum efficiency(EQE) of GaN-based green LEDs is typically30%,which is much lower than that of top-level blue LEDs.The current challenge with regard to GaN-based green LEDs is to grow a high quality In GaN quantum well(QW) with low strain.Many techniques of improving efficiency are discussed,such as inserting Al GaN between the QW and the barrier,employing prestrained layers beneath the QW and growing semipolar QW.The recent progress of GaN-based green LEDs on Si substrate is also reported:high efficiency,high power green LEDs on Si substrate with 45.2% IQE at 35 A/cm2,and the relevant techniques are detailed.     

InGaN蓝光与CdTe纳米晶基白光LED

报道了倒装焊InGaN蓝光LED与黄光CdTe纳米晶的复合结构。利用蓝光作为CdTe纳米晶的激发源,通过光的下转换机制,将部分蓝光转化为黄光,复合发射出白光。室温下正向驱动电流为10mA时,发光色品坐标为x=0.29,y=0.30。实验表明,该复合结构白光LED的一大优点在于,复合光的色品坐标几乎不随正向驱动电流大小变化,颜色稳定。     

Photoluminescence studies of red-emitting NaEu(WO4)2 as a near-UV or blue convertible phosphor

Sodium europium double tungstate [NaEu(WO₄)₂] phosphor was prepared by the solid-state reaction method. Its crystal structure, photoluminescence properties and thermal quenching characteristics were investigated aiming at the potential application in the field of white light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The influences of Sm doping on the photoluminescence properties of this phosphor were also studied. It is found that this phosphor can be effectively excited by 394 or 464 nm light, which nicely match the output wavelengths of near-ultraviolet (UV) or blue LED chips. Under 394 or 464 nm light excitation, this phosphor exhibits stronger emission intensity than the Y₂O₂S:Eu³⁺ or Eu²⁺-activated sulfide phosphor. The introduction of Sm³⁺ ions can broaden the excitation peaks at 394 and 464 nm of the NaEu(WO₄)₂ phosphor and significantly enhance its relative luminance under 400 and 460 nm LEDs excitation. Furthermore, the relative luminance of NaEu(WO₄)₂ phosphor shows a superior thermal stability compared with the commercially used sulfide or oxysulfide phosphor, and make it a promising red phosphor for solid-state lighting devices based on near-UV or blue LED chips.     

LED阵列光源的舞台灯变焦透镜系统

 针对国内大功率LED阵列光源舞台灯具在光束角度不可变和光能利用效率低等问题,提出利用透镜组变焦原理来设计阵列光源变焦透镜系统。基于透镜组变焦原理设计了单颗LED光源的变焦透镜组,高级光学系统分析模拟软件ASAP的计算结果显示：调焦范围为0~10 mm时,出光角度（1/10峰值角）的变化范围为18.5°~38.7°,光能利用效率在调焦距离为10 mm时达到78%以上。在此基础上,将单颗LED光源的变焦透镜组扩展为Red、Green、Blue各12颗共36颗LED的变焦透镜系统,进一步分析36颗LED阵列光源在不同排布方式下的出光角度及混色效果。ASAP计算结果显示：在调焦范围与单颗LED相同的情况下,LED阵列光源变焦透镜系统的出光角度（1/10峰值角）的变化范围为21°~38.6°,且3种颜色LED交叉排列的混色效果较好。由LED阵列的计算结果可知,与国内现有的大功率LED舞台灯具相比,在出光角度的变化范围和光能利用效率方面都得到了提高。     

温度和电流对白光LED发光效率的影响

对大功率白光LED发光效率进行了研究,得出温度和电流对LED发光效率的影响:随着温度的升高,势阱中辐射复合几率降低,从而降低了发光效率;电流的升高,使更多的非平衡载流子穿过势垒,降低了发光效率。LED工作时,过高的工作温度或者过大的工作电流都会产生明显的光衰:如果LED工作温度超过芯片的承载温度,这将会使LED的发光效率快速降低,产生明显的光衰,并且对LED造成永久性破坏;如果LED的工作电流超过芯片的饱和电流,也会使LED发光效率快速降低,产生明显的光衰。并且LED所能承载的温度与饱和电流有一定关系,散热良好的装置可以使LED工作温度相对降低些,饱和电流也可以更大,LED也就可以在相对较大的电流下工作。     

白光LED荧光粉涂敷工艺及光学性质

在20mA电流下,对自行设计的白光LED进行测试,发现荧光粉远离芯片封装方法与传统封装方法相比,流明效率提高了20.3%。效率的提高主要是因为减小了LED芯片对荧光粉散射的吸收。同时测得随着正向电流的增加,色坐标x,y的值逐渐减小,色温升高,而光通量呈非线性增加,流明效率逐渐下降。