Osram’s latest-generation Topled low-power LED shrinks package 20-fold while boosting brightness by 3.6x

After its Topled became the first surface-mountable LED more than 25 years ago, Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH of Regensburg, Germany has now launched the latest generation, the Topled E1608, with a package smaller than its predecessor models by a factor of 20. Despite this miniaturization, the low-power LED is bright, reliable and robust, says the firm, offering greater options and design flexibility, particularly for car interior applications.

The new Topled E1608 LEDs are based on the latest chip technologies such as ThinGaN as well as thin film and sapphire. In combination with the latest high-efficiency converters, the new low-power LEDs are 3.6 times brighter than preceding Topled models (at a normal operating current of 20mA). For example, the converted pure-green version achieves what is claimed to be an unprecedented 780mcd at 10mA.

For the package, Osram uses tried and tested pre-mold technology, but reduced in size to 1.6mm x 0.8mm for the E1608, compared with the standard 3.2mm x 2.8mm Topled. At 0.6mm, the E1608’s height is also considerably less than the previous 1.9mm. Due to the new package dimensions, the E1608 can now be used for more compact customer systems.

“The new Topled E1608 LEDs are some of the smallest LEDs in their class, offering reliability, a wide selection of colors and impressive performance values,” claims Michael Godwin, Osram Opto’s director of World Wide Interior Automotive Products. “In addition, they are suitable for all customer requirements – whether the application is toward the top or bottom of the brightness range,” he adds. “We anticipate they will become firmly established in the market and may eventually define a new industry standard. These robust LEDs are suitable particularly for the automotive sector for applications such as displays, ambient lighting and backlighting of switches and instruments.”

Osram’s next-generation Topled will be available in numerous colors – from yellow and orange to super red, white, pure green and true green. The current market launch of six Topled E1608 products is the start of a whole series of new versions in this product family. In the course of 2017 more new versions will be successively launched.