Press information
Thin-film technology now comes to infrared emitter diodes:
Top performance up to 700 mW/sr
Osram Opto Semiconductors is now using thin-film technology not only for LEDs, for which it is now a well established technology, but also for infrared components. Because of the exceptional efficiency with which light is emitted from a thin-film chip, it is possible to produce an 850 nm infrared emitter diode (IRED) that even in its first generation and for a normal chip size achieves an overall output of 50 mW for a forward current of 100 mA.
Thin-film chips emit virtually all of the light generated internally through the top of the chip. They have only a thin light-generating layer that is so close to the surface that almost no light can escape at the side. This means that the radiated output increases in direct proportion to the size of the chip. At Electronica, Osram will be presenting the prototype of a chip enlarged by about nine times that produces an output in dc operation in excess of 400 mW at 1 A. In radial components the light can also be tightly focused through a lens, leading to extremely high radiant intensities. For small angles (about 3°) values up to 700 mW/sr are possible, even with the small chip.
The wavelength of the new IREDs from Osram Opto Semiconductors is 850 nm and therefore closer to visible light (400 to 780 nm) than that of conventional IREDs which emit light with a wavelength of 880 nm. They are therefore particularly suitable for modern CMOS and CCD cameras because these cameras are also sensitive to the borderline IR range and can therefore detect a wider wavelength spectrum than the human eye. The 850 nm IRED is ideal for illuminating scenes that cannot be seen by the human eye but which can be recorded with these cameras. They can be used in the automobile sector, for example, for night vision systems which increase road safety at night. This invisible light is also used for safety and security-related monitoring purposes. These include invisible illumination of car interiors for the presence and position-related control of airbags, video-aided monitoring of car parks and the measurement of traffic volume and speed. IREDs are available in various packages, but mainly in SMT packages.
Thin-film technology now comes to infrared emitter diodes:
Top performance up to 700 mW/sr
The infrared emitter diode with a wavelength of 850 nm is based on a thin-film chip and achieves impressive levels of radiated power.
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OSRAM
Marion Reichl
Tel: +49-941-850-1693
Fax: +49-941-850-4441693
Email: marion.reichl@osram-os.com