application brief AB204 replaces AN11494 Thermal Management Considerations for SuperFlux LEDs Thermal management is critical in the design of LED signal lamps because temperature affects LED performance and reliability. The following section details the effects of temperature on LEDs. In addition, thermal measurement techniques of LED signal lamps and recommended design practices for proper thermal management are covered. Table of Contents Importance of Thermal Management for High-Power LED Assemblies Temperature Induced Effects on LED Light Output Change in Dominant Wavelength (Color) as a Function Of Junction Temperature TemperatureInduced Failures of LEDs Thermal Modeling of LED Assemblies Thermal Resistance of LED Automotive Signal Lamps JunctiontoAmbient Thermal Resistance Measurement Procedure JunctiontoAmbient Thermal Resistance Measurement Estimating JunctiontoAmbient Thermal Resistance Evaluating Junction Temperature and Forward Current Light Output and Forward Current Derating Example Cases Recommended Design Practices for Proper Thermal Management PCB Design Maximum Metallization LED Spacing Lamp Housing Design and Mounting of the LED Array Circuit Design Current Control Power Dissipation “Switching” Power Supplies Ambient Temperature Compensation Appendix 4A Alternate JunctiontoAmbient Thermal Resistance Measurement Procedure 2 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 10 10 10 11 11 12 12 Importance of Thermal Management for HighPower LED Assemblies Temperature Induced Effects on LED Light Output The junction temperature of the LED affects the Typical temperature coefficients for various high device’s luminous flux, the color of the device, brightness LEDs are listed in Table 4.1. and its forward voltage. Junction temperature can be affected by the ambient temperature The degradation of flux as a function of and by selfheating due to electrical power increasing temperature for a typical redorange, dissipation. absorbingsubstrate (AS) or transparent substrate (TS) AlInGaP LED is shown in Figure The equation for luminous flux as a function of 4.1. Note, luminous flux has been normalized at temperature (°C) is given below: 25°C. ΦV (T2) = Φ V (T1)e –k∆Tj This graph shows the profound affect that temperatures within the normal operating Where: guidelines can have on luminous flux. As shown, ΦV (T1)= luminous flux at junction temperature T1 ΦV (T2)= luminous flux at junction temperature T2 an increase in the junction temperature of 75°C can cause the level of luminous flux to be k = temperature coefficient reduced to onehalf of its room temperature ∆Tj = change in junction temperature (T2 T1). value. From this, it is clear that temperature effects on luminous flux must be accounted for in the design of a LED assembly. Table 4.1 Temperature Coefficient for High-Brightness LED Materials. LED Material Type Temperature Coefficient, k AS AlInGap, Red-Orange AS AlInGap, Amber TS AlInGap, Red-Orange TS AlInGap, Amber 9.52 1.11 9.52 9.52 x x x x 10-3 10-2 10-3 10-2 Figure 4.1 Luminous flux versus ambient temperature for a typical red-orange AS/TS AlInGap LED when operated at a constant current. Change in Dominant Wave-length (Color) as a Function of Junction Temperature The junction temperature of LEDs also affects A rule that is easy to remember is the dominant their dominant wavelength, or perceived color. wavelength will increase one nanometer for every 10°C rise in junction temperature. In most The equation for dominant wavelength, λd , as designs of red automotive signal lamps, this a function of temperature is: change in color is not important because the allowed color range is very large (approximately 90 nm). However, for some amber automotive Where: signal lamps, this color shift can be a concern λd (T1)= dominant wavelength at junction and should be accounted for where the allowed temperature T1 color ranges are small (approximately 5 to 10 nm λd (T2)= dominant wavelength at junction depending on the regional specifications). temperature T2 Temperature-Induced Failures of LEDs LEDs are typically encapsulated in an optically epoxy encapsulant to expand and contract more clear epoxy resin. At a certain elevated during temperature changes. This causes more temperature, known as the glass transition displacement of the wire bond within the LED temperature, Tg, these epoxy resins transform package, resulting in a premature wearout and from a rigid, glasslike solid to a rubbery breakage of the wire. Wire bond breakage results material. A dramatic change in the coefficient of in an open failure. thermal expansion (CTE) is generally associated with the Tg. The Tg is calculated as the midpoint of the temperature range at which this change in CTE occurs, see Figure 4.2. To avoid catastrophic failure of LED packages, the junction temperature, Tj , should always be kept below the Tg of the epoxy encapsulant. Lumileds specifies a maximum junction temperature, Tj (max) , which is below the Tg of the Figure 4.2 Expansion-Temperature relationship for clear, epoxy, LED encapsulants. epoxy encapsulant used. For SuperFlux LEDs, Tj (max) = 125 °C. If the Tj (max) is exceeded, the CTE of the epoxy encapsulant will permanently and dramatically change. A higher CTE causes the 3 Thermal Modeling of LED Assemblies Thermal Resistance of LED Automotive Signal Lamps Thermal resistance is associated with the Assuming all the electrical power is dissipated in conduction of heat, just as electrical resistance the form of heat (approximately 5to10% of the is associated with the conduction of electricity. power is dissipated optically), the equation for Defining resistance as the ratio of driving junctiontopin thermal resistance (Rθjp) of an LED potential to the corresponding transfer rate, can be written in the form of the equation below: thermal resistance for conduction can be defined as shown in the equation below: _ Where: P = the total electrical power into the LED (If * Vf) Where: Rθ = thermal resistance between two points For LED lamp assemblies, the equation for ∆T = temperature difference between those junctiontoambient thermal resistance, Rθja, of an individual LED within the assembly can two points be written as: qX = rate of heat transfer between those two points The thermal resistance of an LED signal lamp Where Tj = ∆Tj + Ta . (junctiontoambient thermal resistance, or Rθja ) is made up of two primary components: the As can be seen from this equation, in order to thermal resistance of the LED package determine Rθja of an LED within a lamp assembly, (junctiontopin thermal resistance, or Rθjp ) and the rise in junction temperature, and the electrical the thermal resistance of the lamp housing (pin power into the device must be determined. The electrical power into the LED under test can toambient thermal resistance, or Rθpa ). These easily be determined by multiplying its forward two components of thermal resistance are in a current and forward voltage. The rise in junction series configuration, therefore: Rθjp + (LED emitter) Rθpa (lamp housing) = temperature can be determined by measuring Rθja the change in forward voltage of the LED under test. (LED signal lamp) This is shown graphically in Figure 4.3. 4 Figure 4.3 Graphic representation of the components of thermal resistance. Junction-to-Ambient Thermal Resistance Measurement Procedure A simple method for measuring the Rθja of a lamp Step 4: Assemble the modified PCB into the lamp housing assembly is possible by assuming the Rθjp of the device such that the thermocouple wires are extending under test (DUT) is of a typical value. By making this outside the lamp. assumption, only the pin-to-ambient thermal resistance, Step 5: Energize the entire lamp assembly at the design Rθpa , needs to be measured to calculate the Rθja of the lamp (Rθja = Rθjp + Rθpa). This simplified procedure for voltage for a minimum of 30 minutes. This will allow measuring Rθja is described below: the lamp assembly to thermally stabilize. Step 6: Measure the pin temperature of the DUT along with Step 1: Assume the Rθjp of the LED emitter is that shown the ambient temperature in the room. in the data sheet (typical Rθja for HPWA-xx00 = 155 °C/W, and for HPWT-xx00 = 125 °C/W). Step 7: Calculate the Rθpa of the lamp assembly using the following equation: Step 2: Pick one LED within the assembly to be used as Tp - Ta the DUT. The hottest LED in the assembly should Rθpa = be chosen, for example an LED in the middle of the assembly and next to a resistor. P Where the power, P, into the DUT is calculated by multiplying the heating/design current by its Step 3: Solder a small thermocouple (approximately 0.25 corresponding forward voltage. mm in diameter) onto one of the cathode leads of the DUT near the top surface of the PCB. Large Step 8: Calculate the Rθja of the lamp assembly by adding thermocouples, which can alter the thermal the Rθjp of the emitter from Step 1 to Rθpa from properties of the DUT, should be avoided. Step 7. Junction-to-Ambient Thermal Resistance Measurement These sections give detailed instructions on not available. An alternate method for measuring how to perform thermal resistance thermal resistance is provided in Appendix 4A. measurements on LED assemblies. The first This method monitors the change in forward method described in the box above, Junction voltage of the LED to determine the change in toAmbient Thermal Resistance Measurement junction temperature and thermal resistance. Procedure, allows for simple measurements to This method requires an elaborate test setup and be made on lamp assemblies without an precise measurements. This technique is elaborate test setup. The second method commonly used by Lumileds Lighting. presented, Estimating JunctiontoAmbient Thermal Resistance, eliminates the need for Lumileds will evaluate the thermal resistance of measured thermal resistance. This type of LED assemblies and signal lamps upon request. estimation is ideal for early evaluations, where Please contact your local applications engineer an actual prototype and/or test equipment is for information. 5 Table 4.2 Typical Rθja Values for the Classes of LED Lamp Assemblies Typical Rθja (°C/W) LED Lamp Classification Class Class Class Class 1 2 3 4 325 400 500 650 Estimating Junction-to-Ambient Thermal Resistance Class 3: Multiple rows, or an x-y arrangement, of LEDs with The procedures described in Junction-to-Ambient Thermal Resistance Measurement Procedure are accurate the current-limiting resistors/ drive circuitry located methods for determining the Rθja of an LED within a off of the PCB, either in the wire harness assembly plastic lamp assembly. However, in some cases, the time or on a separate PCB. and/or equipment may not be available to perform such Class 4: Multiple rows, or an x-y arrangement, of LEDs with testing. In these cases, an educated estimate may be the best method available. Lumileds has developed some the current-limiting resistors/ drive circuitry located basic classifications of LED lamp assemblies and on the same PCB as the LEDs. This is the most corresponding Rθja estimates. Below is an explanation common situation for LED rear combination lamp of the different classes, and the Rθja estimates. applications. Table 4.2: lists the typical Rθja values for each class of LED Class 1: Single row of LEDs with the current-limiting resistors/drive circuitry located off of the PCB, lamp assembly listed above. These are only either in the wire harness assembly or on a estimates and should not be used for detailed, separate PCB. worst-case analyses. Class 2: Single row of LEDs with the current-limiting resistors/drive circuitry located on the same PCB as the LEDs. This is the most common situation for LED CHMSL assemblies. Evaluation Junction Temperature and Forward Current The primary concern when evaluating the Tj = (Rθ ja. P LED) + Ta thermal characteristics of an LED assembly Tj = (Rθ ja. If LED . Vf LED) + Ta is to ensure that the junction temperature of the LEDs is kept below the specified maximum Typical values for Ta(max) are shown in Table 4.3. value (125 °C for SuperFlux LEDs). There are three factors which determine junction To determine the worstcase, highest junction temperature: 1) ambient temperature, 2) Rθ ja, temperature, this equation becomes: and 3) power into the LED. Below is a sample Tj max = (Rθ ja. P LED max ) + Ta max junction temperature calculation, which Tjmax = (Rθ ja. If max . Vf max ) + Ta max illustrates how these three factors interact: Tjmax ≤ 125°C 6 Lumileds plots these curves for different values referred to as the derating curves. The derating of Rθ ja along with their intersection with the curves for HPWTxx00 devices, are shown in maximum drive current of 70 mA, and their Figure 4.4. Derating curves for HPWAxx00 intersection with the maximum ambient devices are provided in the SuperFlux LED temperature of 100 °C and includes this graph Technical Data Sheet. Refer to sidebar Derating in all LED data sheets. This graph is typically Example Cases for further explanation. Light Output and Forward Current The relationship between light output and decrease as forward current is increased. For forward current for different thermal resistances assemblies with high Rθ ja, a great deal of heating is shown in Figure 4.5. For LED assemblies with occurs resulting in high junction temperatures. low thermal resistances (Rθ ja = 200 °C/W), the In these cases, the effects of increasing junction relative flux increases almost proportionally to temperature can offset the effects of increasing the forward current. However, for LED forward current. Proper thermal management assemblies with high thermal resistances and drive current selection is critical to (Rθ ja = 600 °C/W), the relative flux can actually maximizing the performance of LEDs. Derating Example Cases Case 1—Class 1 LED CHMSL From Table 4.2 the thermal resistance can be estimated Consider an LED CHMSL application using 12 HPWT as Rθja = 650 °C/W. Using Figure 4.4, the maximum MH00 LEDs in a row, with a current limiting resistor in the allowable forward current through each LED is 30 mA at wire connector. The auto manufacturer has specified a Ta(max) = 75 °C. maximum ambient temperature of 75 °C. As can be seen from these simplified sample cases, the From Table 4.2 the thermal resistance can be estimated Rθja has a major impact on junction temperature, and thus as Rθja = 325 °C/W. Using Figure 4.4, the maximum maximum allowable forward current. The different allowable forward current through each LED is 55 mA applications using the same LED have a difference in at Ta (max) = 75 °C. maximum forward current of nearly 2:1. Case 2—Class 4 LED Rear Combination Lamp (RCL) A more detailed determination of maximum forward current is Consider an LED RCL application using 36 HPWTMH00 presented in Application Brief 203 Electrical Design LEDs in a 6x6 pattern, with the drive circuitry on the same Considerations for SuperFlux LEDs. PCB as the LEDs. The auto manufacturer has specified a maximum ambient temperature of 75 °C. 7 Recommended Design Practices for Proper Thermal Management PCB Design Proper PCB design can reduce the Rθ ja of a cathode leads of the LEDs are ideal. Very little LED lamp assembly, and thus reduce the heat is conducted through the anode leads of junction temperature of the LEDs. Listed below the LED, so additional metallization surrounding are some recommended practices for the these leads does not help. design of LED PCBs. Maximum Metallization Conventional PCB design involves connecting various points on the board with traces of sufficient width to handle the current load. This process is usually visualized as adding traces to a blank PCB. For LED PCBs, this process should be reversed—visualized as removing metal only where needed to form the electrical circuit. Large metal pads surrounding the Figure 4.4 Graph of HPWT-xxOO Derating Curves. Table 4.3 Typical Ta (max) Values for Automotive Signal Lamps Typical Ta (max) (°C) Application Exterior-mounted signal lamp Interior-mounted CHMSL Interior, head-liner mounted CHMSL Figure 4.5 Relative Luminous Flux vs. Forward Current. 70 80 90 Figure 4.6 LED CHMSL PCB with proper metallization and component placement. 8 The resistors should be located in a remote minimized to prevent resistors from heating portion of the PCB (away from the LEDs), on a adjacent LEDs. This can be accomplished by separate PCB, or in the wire harness if possible. thinning down these traces, or by having If this is not possible, the resistors should be metallized areas contacting the LEDs and distributed evenly along the PCB to distribute resistors only contact the anode leads of the the heat generated. In addition, the traces from LED. A portion of an LED CHMSL PCB depicting resistors to metallized areas surrounding the design concepts discussed is shown in cathode leads on the LEDs should be Figure 4.6. LED Spacing Most of the electrical power in an LED is optical constraints will allow. Most CHMSL dissipated as heat. Tighter LED spacing applications use only a single row of LEDs at provides a smaller area for heat dissipation, spacing greater than 15 mm which is ideal, as resulting in higher PCB temperatures and thus opposed to many amber turn signal applications higher junction temperatures. The LEDs should which use a tightly spaced (less than 10 mm) xy be spaced as far apart as packaging and array of LEDs. Lamp Housing Design and Mounting of the LED Array LED lamp housings should be designed to PCB along its top and bottom edges to slots in provide a conductive path from the backside of the side of the lamp housing. Again, the area for the PCB to the lamp housing. This is typically conduction into the lamp housing is reduced to accomplished by mounting the backside of the the contact areas of the slots, which reduces the PCB directly to the lamp housing such that they effectiveness of conduction. are contacting one another across the entire length of the PCB. This mounting scheme can If the PCB is mounted in such a way that be improved by applying a thermally conductive conduction to the lamp housing is not effective pad between the PCB and the lamp housing. (trapped air is a very poor conductor of heat), The thermally conductive pad conforms to the then allowances for convective cooling should be features on the backside of the PCB and made. The most common technique to take provides a larger contact area for conduction. advantage of natural convection is to put holes in the top and bottom side of the lamp housing to Often the PCB is mounted to the lamp housing allow for vertical air flow over the PCB. However, on top of raised bosses. In this case, the area where the lamp housing must be sealed for for conduction into the lamp housing is reduced environmental reasons, this type of approach is to the contact area on the top side of the impractical. bosses, greatly reducing its effectiveness. Another common configuration mounts the 9 Circuit Design Circuit design can help control the junction temperature of the LEDs in two important ways: 1) minimize fluctuations in the drive current (power input), and 2) dissipate a minimum amount of heat, or dissipate heat in such a way as to minimize its effect on the LEDs. Figure 4.7 Schematic of a current control circuit for LED automotive lamp applications. Current Control An ideal drive circuit will provide the same current to the LEDs even as ambient temperatures and battery voltages vary. Inexpensive, simple current control circuits can be designed to accomplish this task. A schematic of such a circuit is shown in Figure 4.7. Current control circuits are often too expensive Figure 4.8 LED forward current vs. battery voltage for circuits of two, three, four and five LEDs in series with a current limiting resistor. and unnecessary for LED CHMSL applications. The most common LED CHMSL drive circuit consists of a current limiting resistor(s) and a Power Dissipation silicon diode for reverse voltage protection in If the LED drive circuit is in a remote location series with the LEDs. In this circuit design, relative to the LEDs (in the wire harness or on a the input current into the LEDs varies as the separate PCB), then the power dissipated by the battery voltage changes. The current control drive circuit does not affect the junction characteristics of this type of circuit improve temperature of the LEDs. Drive circuit heating as larger resistor/s are used with fewer LEDs is a concern when the drive circuit is on the same in series. However, circuits with fewer LEDs in PCB as the LEDs. Drive circuit power dissipation, series will have greater heat generation in the and thus heat generation is inversely proportional drive circuit. Figure 4.8 graphs the forward to the number of LEDs in series. Circuits with current provided to the LEDs vs. the input fewer LEDs in series will have greater heat battery voltage for resistor circuits with three, generation in the drive circuit. four, and five LEDs in series. For most automotive applications in which the For more information on picking the optimum battery voltage is approximately 13 V, Lumileds design current, and LED drive circuit for your recommends configuring four LEDs in series. Four application, please reference Application Brief LEDs in series is a good compromise between 203 Electrical Design Considerations for forward current control, heat generation, and SuperFlux LEDs. minimum turnon voltage for the LED array. 10 Ambient Temperature Compensation Drive circuitry can be designed which compensates for increasing ambient temperature by decreasing the forward current to the LED array. This allows the lamp designer to drive the LED array at a higher forward current by reducing the amount of current derating. Figure 4.9 LED driver module for automotive lighting applications. Temperature compensation is achieved by incorporating temperature sensitive components “Switching” Power Supplies into the drive circuitry, such as positive Current sources, which operate efficiently over a temperature coefficient (PTC) resistors. An wide range on input voltages, can be designed example of the resistance vs. temperature using pulsewidth modulation (PWM) circuitry. characteristics of a PTC resistor is shown in Such circuits have the advantage of low heat Figure 4.10. dissipation, and large input voltage compliance. This type of power supply is traditionally used in applications where electrical efficiency and heat dissipation are of critical importance, such as a laptop computer. Due to their widespread adoption in other applications, the cost of components has decreased, and their availability has increased, making this an interesting alternative for driving LED arrays. A block diagram of a simple switching current source is shown in Figure 4.9. Figure 4.10 Resistance-Temperature curve for PTC resistor. The PWM module varies the pulse width based on the input and feedback voltages. The feedback voltage is proportional to the current It can be seen that the resistance of such a device through the LED array, where voltage is radically increases when the body temperature of measured directly above a small fixed the PTC resistor reaches the switching resistance connected to ground. The filter temperature. By designing a drive circuit such that circuitry is used to smooth out the output the switching temperature occurs at a voltage of the PWM / transistor switch. With temperature less than Ta(max), full current derating minor modifications, this type of circuit can be is not necessary. used to drive multiple LED arrays and a variety of drive circuits. Consider the case in which the switching temperature of the PTC resistor is achieved at an 11 ambient temperature of 50 °C at the maximum input voltage. The forward current at Ta < 50 °C is 55 mA, and due to the increase in resistance the forward current at Ta > 50 °C is 30 mA. In such a case, the maximum junction temperature will be achieved at 50 °C, therefore, 50 °C can be used as Ta(max) in the Figure 4.11 Current control circuit using temperature compensation. current derating calculations. An example of a current control circuit using temperature compensation is shown in Figure 4.11. Appendix 4A Alternate Junction-to-Ambient Thermal Resistance Measurement Procedure Step 1: Pick one LED within the assembly wires to one cathode lead and to one anode lead to be used as the DUT. The hottest LED in the of an LED, which is of the same type as the DUT. assembly should be chosen, for example an Next solder the other end of these wires directly LED in the middle of the assembly and next to to the PCB in such a way as to have this dummy a resistor. LED take the place of the DUT in the circuit. Step 2: Electrically isolate the DUT from the rest Step 5: Assemble the modified PCB into the lamp of the circuit by cutting the appropriate Copper housing such that the dummy LED and the DUT traces on the printed circuit board (PCB). wires are extending outside the lamp. Step 3: Solder long thin wires onto one cathode Step 6: Measure the initial Vf of the DUT at a very lead and one anode lead of the DUT. These low test current. This test current should be low wires should be long enough to extend outside enough such that it causes a minimum amount the lamp housing once it is reassembled of heating (1 mA is recommended). because they will be used to apply the heating current and to measure the ∆Vf of the DUT. Step 7: Energize the entire lamp assembly at the design voltage, and DUT at the design current for Step 4: Complete the original circuit of the PCB the individual LEDs for a minimum of 30 minutes. assembly by attaching a dummy LED onto the This will allow the lamp assembly to thermally PCB to take the place of the isolated DUT. This stabilize. can be accomplished by soldering long, thin 12 Step 8: Measure the Vf of the DUT at the Step 11: Calculate the power, P, into the DUT by heating current (Vf heating). multiplying the heating/design current by its Step 9: Turn off all power to the lamp, and corresponding Vf heating as determined in Step 8. immediately (≤ 10 ms) remeasure the Vf of the DUT at the test current selected in 6). Step 12: Calculate Rθ ja using the values of ∆Tj and P calculated in Steps 10 and 11. Lumileds can Step 10: Calculate the ∆Tj of the DUT by provide the Rθ ja measurements of LED lamp dividing the ∆ Vf (∆Vf = Vf (Step 6) Vf (Step 9)) by assemblies as described above as a service to its the appropriate factor in Table 4.3. LED customers. Table 4.3 Ratios of the change in forward voltage vs. the change in junction temperature for high-brightness led materials LED Material Type ∆ Vf /∆ Tj ( mV / °C) AS AlInGap TS AlInGap -2.0 -2.0 13 Company Information Lumileds is a worldclass supplier of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) producing billions of LEDs annually. Lumileds is a fully integrated supplier, producing core LED material in all three base colors (Red, Green, Blue) and White. Lumileds has R&D development centers in San Jose, California and Best, The Netherlands. Production capabilities in San Jose, California and Malaysia. Lumileds is pioneering the highflux LED technology and bridging the gap between solid state LED technology and the lighting world. Lumileds is absolutely dedicated to bringing the best and brightest LED technology to enable new applications and markets in the Lighting world. LUMILEDS www.luxeon.com www.lumileds.com For technical assistance or the location of your nearest Lumileds sales office, call: 2002 Lumileds Lighting. All rights reserved. Lumileds Lighting is a joint venture between Agilent Technologies and Philips Lighting. Luxeon is a trademark of Lumileds Lighting, LLC. Product specifications are subject to change without notice. Publication No. AB204 (Sept2002) 14 Worldwide: +1 408-435-6044 US Toll free: 877-298-9455 Europe: +31 499 339 439 Asia: +65 6248 4759 Fax: 408-435-6855 Email us at [email protected] Lumileds Lighting, LLC 370 West Trimble Road San Jose, CA 95131