Using high-power LEDs in harsh environments
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are becoming common as energy efficient light sources. Their long life, small footprint and low energy consumption show great promise in many applications including those that relate to harsh environments. However, in designing an efficient light source, a mathematical model is required. The development of such a mathematical model was identified as a priority task by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2010 for general lighting. In this paper, we report an experiment involving two high-power white LED models which were stressed with different currents and junction temperatures. It shows the large variation between different models and stress conditions that takes place in the degradation process. This is part of an effort to develop a tool for the simulation of LED degradation for harsh environment lighting conditions.