TopLED Black Series LEDs improve readability in high ambient light conditions

The TopLED Black Series with lens from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors is a range of medium-power LEDs mounted in an industry standard package but in matte black material. The black package offers significantly higher contrast with lower reflectivity than comparable white-package devices without compromising overall luminous intensity. The TopLED Black Series is ideal for display applications where contrast is key for improved legibility, especially in high ambient light conditions. The new TopLED Black Series with lens from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors is the first TopLED in a black package that can achieve a typical luminous intensity of 1.9 cd (at 20 mA) and is to date the only LED in a black package that provides the same luminous intensity as a comparable LED in a white package. Target applications include information displays for traffic and public transportation systems and price changing displays such as fuel price totem pole signs. The new TopLED Black Series with lens offers high contrast and good legibility in all lighting conditions. Its black package ensures there is hardly any reflection from incident light. Displays equipped with black-body LEDs are therefore razor sharp even in strong sunlight. The 60° beam angle of these LEDs has been optimized for display applications, so the light is focused for excellent distance legibility. They are ideal as a replacement for conventional through-hole radial light emitting diodes. The TopLED Black Series will be available initially in red and yellow. They are equipped with a thin-film chip that guarantees high luminous efficiency in the black package. As “surface emitters”, thin-film LEDs emit almost all their internally generated light from their surface. The new LEDs are SMT components suitable for automatic handling, and they provide high placement tolerances for highly uniform light dispersion.