Variation of thermal resistance with input current and ambient temperature in low-power SMD LED

Purpose Thermal behavior of light-emitting diode (LED) device under different operating conditions must be known to enhance its reliability and efficiency in various applications. The purpose of this study is to report the influence of input current and ambient temperature on thermal resistance of InGaAlP low-power surface-mount device (SMD) LED. Design/methodology/approach Thermal parameters of the LED were measured using thermal transient measurement via Thermal Transient Tester (T3Ster). The experimental results were validated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. Findings As input current increases from 50 to 90 mA at 25°C, the relative increase in LED package (ΔRthJS) and total thermal resistance (ΔRthJA) is about 10 and 4 per cent, respectively. In addition, at 50 mA and ambient temperature from 25 to 65°C, the ΔRthJS and ΔRthJA are roughly 28 and 22 per cent, respectively. A good agreement between simulation and experiment results of junction temperature. Originality/value Most of previous studies have focused on thermal management of high-power LEDs. There were no studies on thermal analysis of low-power SMD LED so far. This work will help in predicting the thermal performance of low-power LEDs in solid-state lighting applications.