University of Dundee to lead project to improve LEDs

The University of Dundee is to lead a European-wide research project aiming to transform the way the world is lit. Researchers are working on a new generation of white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that would be much more efficient than existing light bulbs. Currently, LED lights are only about 25% efficient and the researchers are hoping to improve that to 50-60%.

General lighting: largest market for LEDs

General lighting has become the largest market for packaged LEDs globally for the first time according to new data presented at the recent Strategies in Light (SIL) Conference in Santa Clara, California. Ella Shum, director of the LED practice at Strategies Unlimited, announced that solid state lighting now accounts for $3.1 billion of packaged LED sales. The overall market for LEDs (including the markets for backlighting mobile phones, monitors, signage and automotive) stands at $13.7 billion.

Paris metro halves energy use with LED lighting from Philips

Royal Philips Electronics announced it has been awarded a multi-year contract in partnership with French professional lighting company Step to light up the subway system in Paris with energy-efficient LED lighting solutions. The switch to LED will reduce the energy needed to light up the Paris metro and suburban RER stations by more than 50%, while improving the light quality at the same time. The contract was awarded by Parisian transport company Groupe RATP for more than 85% of the lighting in metro and RER stations in the French capital.
The tender is to replace the 250,000 light points in RATP’s 302 metro stations and 66 RER stations with energy-efficient LED lighting.
RATP aims to reduce its energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 15% from 2004 until 2020.  Energy-saving LED lighting from Philips and Step helps meet those objectives. The amount of electricity that the RATP's stations currently consume represents roughly 12% of its total energy consumption.
With 12 million passengers travelling in and around Paris every day, RATP is the world's 5th largest urban transport operator. The multimodal network that it operates in the city center and suburbs, which is made up of 14 metro lines, two RER lines (A and B), three tram lines, 350 bus routes and direct links to two of the city's airports, is one of the biggest in the world.

All-Terrain Generator Lights With FRC LEDs

In addition to high-output halogens, LENTRY Scene Lighting Systems are now available with FRC LEDs for departments that need versatility, portability, bright light, and extra power. These LEDs offer 20,000 lumens of spot and flood light at once, and very white light quite close to natural sunlight. They are 120V, only 2 amp and 240W, so one LENTRY Unit can power up to five of the telescoping LEDs at once and still have power to give, depending on the generator chosen. LEDs are solid state, with no bulbs to burn out or replace. Being low profile and rugged, with heat resistant handles, instant-on at full intensity, and rated for 50,000 hours (that’s 5.7 years continuous use), this scene light will serve you well for decades.

New Cree KR Series LED Downlights Continue to Obsolete Fluorescent Lighting

Cree, Inc. extends the KR Series LED downlight portfolio delivering greatly improved performance at pricing to match incumbent fluorescent downlights. With new lumen packages of up to 2650 delivered lumens, the KR Series replaces 18 to 42 watt fluorescents.
Cree is further expanding the range of LED downlight applications by introducing the KR4 downlight which features an impressive, high lumen 4-inch aperture, with options similar to the 6-inch KR6 downlight. With new standard 0 to 10V dimming, sloped ceiling and wall wash trim options the KR Series downlights provide attractive aesthetic appeal for numerous commercial and retail applications.
“The KR Series LED downlights are ideal for new construction applications,” said Greg Merritt, vice president, lighting. “And with the increased range of LED options now available at price parity to fluorescent lighting incumbents, I see no reason to ever specify a CFL downlight.”
Built with Cree TrueWhite Technology, the KR Series downlight family is available in a wide range of color temperatures (2700K, 3000K, 3500K and a new 4000K), all with industry-leading 90+ CRI, enabling beautiful, efficient lighting. To help facilitate utility rebates, the KR Series is currently in the qualification process for earning the ENERGY STAR.

One Swedish Made Light Enlarging Lamp

Simple is an understatement when it comes to the Vinge, a fine piece of lamp from Swedish design firm Note Design Studio. Stripped down to its essentials, the fixture puts out a beautifully soft light as a result of its massive white dome. And if the quality of light weren't enough for you, the wing around the base spins 180 degrees letting you fine tune the light output to the exact mood you prefer for the moment.

An Adorable Lamp

Our relationship to modern lighting is evolving at a rapid pace. Smart tech and all those itty-bitty LEDs are rendering the concept of a traditional fixture--one with a shade, a base, and an on/off switch--all but completely unnecessary. But like any other kind of furnishings, the actual, real-life presence of a lamp is something that can help truly personalize a room. Reykjavik-born, NYC-based designer Hlynur Atlason brought a playful physicality back to the field with Yorky, his first collaboration with the globally minded Los Angeles brand Artecnica.

Simple Lighting Company Explores Versatility of LEDs

As Russell Lipscombe of Office of Light speaks to Lighting.co.uk about the versatility needed to provide a successful lighting campaign for their Victoria’s Secret campaign, the specialists at Simple Lighting co. have explored what makes LEDs so suitable for such a number of uses.
Lipscombe explains that the main task in hand was ensuring that the lighting of its UK flagship be as alluring as the brand itself. In order to achieve this it was necessary to reduce the intensity of light in certain areas as well as being able to deal with different contrasts and reflections. He recalls how light had to be carefully controlled using lenses and reflectors to prevent it bouncing around any high gloss surfaces.
Always researching the latest industry updates and developments, the team at Simple Lighting co. were interested to hear how such a specific set of criteria were met. Often confronted with customers searching for a similar solution to their own home lighting objectives, a representative from the firm explains what makes LED lights so versatile.
Established in 2009, Simple Lighting Company aims to provide high quality lighting at some of the most competitive prices on the web. The company has grown considerably in recent years and supplies over 4000 products, specialising in LED lighting, LED tape, LED strip lights as well as indoor and outdoor lighting. Simple Lighting Company considers customer service its priority, regularly adding new products to the website.

Larson Electronics Introduces Low Profile Explosion Proof Fluorescent Light with Four Lamps

Larson Electronics has announced the introduction of a four lamp explosion proof fluorescent light designed to provide high output from a more compact fixture size. Measuring only two feet long and constructed for low profile mounting, the EPL-24-96 Low Profile Explosion Proof Fluorescent Light provides high output and hazardous location compliance in a compact and unobtrusive fixture design.
The EPL-24-96 low profile explosion proof fluorescent light fixture from Larson Electronics provides operators in hazardous locations with a more compact lighting solution that produces high output yet requires less space for installation. Approved for use in areas designated as Class 1 Division 1 and Class 1 Division 2 locations, this 2 foot long, four bulb fluorescent light fixture produces 8,000 lumens of quality light output with a 4100k color temperature.
This explosion proof fluorescent light is approved for paint booth lighting use as well, and with its four standard T5HO lamps providing excellent output and good color rendering qualities, it provides the light quality needed for maintaining the quality of finishes and coating applied within the spray booth. The EPL-24-96 is designed for low profile mounting and measures only four feet long, making it a good choice for operators who want a less obtrusive fixture that still provides high output and even coverage. Low profile fixture designs are particularly popular with paint booth operators due to their ability to be more easily mounted within recesses or sealed off from the room. This fixture also features copper free aluminum construction for light weight and durability, Pyrex lamp tubes, high gloss aluminum reflector assemblies, and screw on end covers that make relamping easier and more secure than with typical “knock off” end covers. Larson Electronics also offers different lamp options to allow operators to tailor the fixtures’ light output to their particular needs, although operators should check to verify how lamp options may affect paint booth and classification suitability when specifying optional lamp choices.
The ballast in this fluorescent light fixture is sealed and is designed to allow operation with a universal range of voltages including 120V-60hz, 220V-50hz, 240V-60hz, and 277V-60hz. This explosion proof light is also UL 844, 924, UL 1598 Marine Type, and UL 595 Outdoor Marine Type approved, making it well suited to offshore and marine based applications such as oil rig or marina use. The fixture carries a T6 temperature rating and has a maximum case temperature of 90C, is California Title 24 Compliant, and ideal for any industrial or commercial application where even coverage and high output is required and flammable vapors and gases may be encountered.

iWatt Flickerless SSL LED Driver is Optimized for Commercial Lighting

iWatt Inc., a provider of digital-centric power management integrated circuits (ICs),debuted a digital AC/DC LED driver platform designed to address cost, performance and operating life in commercial and wireless solid state lighting (SSL) systems. The first device in this new platform, the iW3630 is a two-stage, Flickerless LED driver with output power up to 45W and is believed to be the first SSL LED driver with a built-in 0V to 10V dimming interface for commercial lighting ballasts. It also supports a PWM digital dimming interface for wireless SSL applications.
The highly integrated design of the iW3630 enables a 30% to 40% savings in bill of materials (BOM) cost compared to competitive solutions in 0V to 10V applications and, unlike alternative solutions, it maintains an extremely high power factor (PF) even at loads down to 20% of full load. It also offers a low total harmonic distortion (THD) of < 15%, to meet stringent global energy regulations, along with a built-in over-temperature protection (OTP) and derating function to improve the predictability and reliability of system operating life.
The iW3630 achieves a 30% to 40% savings in BOM cost by integrating a number of design features. A built-in isolation transformer driver works directly with 0V to 10V dimming systems, eliminating the need for additional driver circuitry components and costly microcontrollers, while the PWM digital interface simplifies integration into wireless lighting systems.
In both commercial and wireless applications, the built-in over-temperature protection and derating function means there is no need for additional components to control heat. Plus, iWatt’s patented PrimAccurate™ primary-side control technology eliminates the need for a secondary-side regulator and optical feedback isolator, while EZ-EMI® technology simplifies EMI filtering to further minimize the external component count. This combination of on-board functions results in a typical BOM of less than 70 components using the iW3630 compared to often more than 100 components needed using conventional SSL LED drivers. It also reduces the overall solution size and improves reliability.

Cree Sets New R&D Performance Record with 276 Lumen-Per-Watt Power LED

Cree, Inc. introduces a 276 lumen-per-watt white R&D power LED. This significant milestone exceeds Cree’s previous R&D industry record of 254 lumens per watt and demonstrates Cree’s continued commitment to innovate and accelerate the adoption of LED lighting. Cree’s innovative SC Technology Platform, available today in Cree XLamp LEDs, enables this record-breaking R&D result. The SC³ Technology Platform features advancements in LED chip architecture and phosphor and boasts a new package design to deliver the most advanced LED components in the industry. Cree reports that the LED efficacy was measured at 276 lumens per watt, at a correlated color temperature of 4401 K and 350 mA.

LED lighting: Why exactly is it the lighting of the future?

LEDs are a semiconducting light source, and are used in a variety of devices such as indicator lamps and stand-by lights. The technology was introduced in practical components in the early 1960s and consisted of low-intensity multi-coloured lights. Modern versions however are very bright, and are available across the ultraviolet, visible and infrared wavelengths.
When it comes to product manufacturing, there are many advantages and disadvantages to using LED bulbs. Most notably they are very small, and can emit coloured light without using coloured filters. Their on/off time is quick too, and LEDs that are used in mobile phones or communication devices can have even quicker response times.

Simple Lighting Company Responds to Blackpool Tower LED Switchover

As Blackpool Tower celebrates the completion of its 2 year LED replacement, the lighting specialists at Simple Lighting co. reflect on the success of the project. It has been reported in the Blackpool Gazette that the lights were switched on the evening of Tuesday 12th February and will remain lighted over Valentine’s Day before returning when the illuminations are switched on in November. 100,000old pygmy bulbs on the Tower’s legs were replaced with more efficient LED lights. The overall structure now contains 5,508 LED lights.
The team at Simple Lighting co. regularly receive news of money saving LED projects. This story in particular caught their interest and a representative from the firm shares their thoughts on how the transition could make significant savings.
Simple Lighting co. offer an extensive range of LED tape lights and strip lighting and regularly update their collection.

Soraa Receives Lighting Award from U.S. Department of Energy

Soraa, the world’s leader in the development of GaN on GaN LED technology, announced today that it received an award from the U.S. Department of Energy for its outstanding work in the development of high-efficiency m-plane LEDs grown on low-defect density bulk GaN substrates. The company demonstrated a very high peak internal quantum efficiency (IQE of 88%), low efficiency droop (10% from 10Acm-2 to 100A.cm-2) and perfect wavelength stability (up to 200A.com-2) at a wavelength of 450nm LEDs.
“Research and development of LEDs on bulk GaN substrates is one of the critical approaches to the technological development of Solid State Lighting—a sentiment recently echoed by the National Academy of Sciences. We are pleased to recognize Soraa's pioneering work in this area," said Jim Brodrick, Manager of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solid State Lighting Program.
“We are honored to receive an award from the U.S. Department of Energy and it is a further testament to deep technological expertise that has made us the world’s leader in the development of GaN on GaN LEDs on all planes,” said Mike Krames, CTO of Soraa.
Soraa’s GaN on GaN LEDs handle more current and emit substantially more light (about ten times) per area of LED wafer material than the conventional approach of depositing GaN layers on cheaper foreign substrates like sapphire, silicon carbide or silicon. The company’s GaN-on-GaN technology leverages the advantages of the native substrate, including lower crystal defect densities (by more than a thousand times), which allow reliable operation at very high current densities, the same principle that enabled Blu-ray laser diodes. In addition to improved crystal quality, the native substrate advantages of optical transparency and high electrical and thermal conductivity provide for a very robust, simple LED design for maximum performance. Another advantage of the GaN-on-GaN approach is the flexible choice of crystal growth plane, which has demonstrated advantages in high peak internal quantum efficiency and low-droop LED performance.

Lumen LEDs for Exterior and Interior Auto Light Sources

According to Lumen, their operations have a minimal carbon footprint on the planet. CARiD, in its turn, stands for high-quality products that are environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Besides, the company always strives to provide excellent customer service. So, the collaboration with Lumen is a double benefit for CARiD's customers because they buy tested and true products and get them in no time flat.
Lumen LEDs allow enthusiastic drivers to customize their exterior and interior lighting as well as simply replace the old bulbs. At CARiD.com, there is a wide range of Lumen LEDs for daytime running lights, tail lights, brake lights, fog lights, and even license plate lights. As for the interior lighting, Lumen offers LED bulbs for dome lights, glove compartment lights, trunk compartment lights, under hood lights, etc. Lumen also supplies LED bulbs for backlit instrument clusters, radio controls, ignition switches, and the like. CARiD.com offers Lumen LEDs in several degrees of color temperatures: from 3,000 K to over 7,000 K. It means that they are available in white, amber hue, red, blue, and green.
Compared to standard incandescent bulbs, LEDs produce a brighter light and reach their full intensity approximately 0.2 seconds faster. Lumen LEDs have plug-and-play connectors with the vehicle's electrical system, therefore they automatically activate/deactivate, and dim their light intensity. Another advantage, when it comes to LEDs, is their long service life. Finally, Lumen LEDs are quite easy to install and they are damage-resistant.

High-Performance Cree LED Lighting Transforms Famous Petty’s Garage

Nicknamed “The King” of NASCAR, Richard Petty has endorsed Cree LED lighting after enthusiastically transforming his 100,000 square-foot garage with state-of-the-art LED fixtures by Cree, Inc.. More than 700 Cree LED luminaires now illuminate the Petty’s Garage complex, which specializes in the restoration of high-performance vehicles, stock cars, drag racers and Petty signature cars.
Partnering with Greenleaf Energy Solutions, Petty’s Garage installed Cree’s industry-leading LED lighting, featuring Cree TrueWhite Technology. According to Greenleaf Energy Solutions, when compared with the previous fluorescents, the installation reduces lighting energy usage more than 50 percent and decreases the number of light fixtures needed by 10 percent.
“We know that Cree produces the best LED technology in the world,” said Stephen Moffitt, energy consultant, Greenleaf Energy Solutions. “Cree was the clear choice for Petty’s Garage.”
Cree CR24 LED troffers were installed in the main production facility with LR24 LED troffers and CS18 LED linear luminaires featured throughout the complex. The next stage of the installation will bring Cree Edge security and floodlights and LEDway streetlights to the property.

Super Bright LEDs unveils Red LED safety flare

Super Bright LEDs unveiled its rechargeable Red LED safety flare. The waterproof flare is designed to replace traditional incendiary flares as an essential piece of equipment for police, firefighters, EMTs, rescue first responders and members of emergency response teams, according to the company.
The 4.25" orange disk emits 360° of super-bright red light that is visible at night from more than a mile away. It offers a durable, polymer and polycarbonate housing and has a built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery that runs for up to 100 hours depending on the pattern. Additional features include a magnet for vehicle mounting, last-mode memory retention and nine-flash patterns, including U.S. Coast Guard approved SOS.
The Red LED safety flares are sold as individual units or as a six-pack in a hard plastic carrying case. Both include a USB charger/power cable with cigarette lighter adapter and 100-240VAC charger/power supply

The sweetest lamp

Designer Alexander Lervik is pleased to present Lumière au Chocolate, his latest project in the Lervik 100 collection, which he is presenting at this very moment in his current home of Stockholm, Sweden (the opening is tonight, February 4th, from 6–10PM at Galleri Kleerup). Produced by Scandinavian LED specialists SAAS Instruments, the uncanny chocolate ark belies a latent luminosity:

Larson Electronics releases generator powered LED Light Tower with Pneumatic Mast

Larson Electronics has announced the release of a generator powered pneumatic light tower designed to provide up to 8 hours of standalone illumination that is easily transported and deployed. The WAL-ML-4X150LED-3G LED Light Tower features an onboard generator, seven to twenty five foot height adjustable pneumatic mast, and four high output LED lamps producing enough light to effectively illuminate up to an acre of workspace or event area.
The Larson Electronics WAL-ML-4X150LED-3G LED light tower offers operators the ability to easily illuminate up to an acre of area without the need for external power sources. This LED lighting system features an extendible pneumatic mast with wheeled base, an onboard 3000VA generator that will run for 8 hours on a tank of fuel, and four high power LED light heads producing a combined total of 59,160 lumens of light output. The tower assembly is constructed of an aluminum mast and powder coated steel frame to provide corrosion resistance and high strength and is fitted with a pair of heavy duty wheels for easy relocation of the tower from one area to another. The light tower can be adjusted between seven to twenty five feet in height for maximum coverage and features pneumatic operation rather than manual winches for easy deployment. Instead of having to use a hand crank to winch the tower up to its full height, pneumatic operation allows the operator to quickly and easily extend the tower with compressed air. The LED lights on this unit feature thick aluminum housings, IP68 rated waterproof construction, unbreakable polycarbonate lenses, and CREE XLamp XPG LEDs for the highest output and reliability possible. The lamps are mounted to a removable bracket attached to the top of the tower boom, allowing operators to remove the entire lamp assembly for easier and safer transport. Each lamp is independently adjustable to allow the operators to adjust the fixtures for the maximum effective coverage possible. The WAL-ML-4X150LED-3G LED light tower is fully portable and is ideal for construction sites and event lighting applications. Operators can load up to six of these units in the back of a full size pickup and distribute them as needed, without the need for towing assemblies or complete disassembly.
“With the WAL-ML we are taking advantage of the quiet efficiency of the Generac generator to power 600 watts of high output LED lighting,” said Rob Bresnahan with LarsonElectronics.com. “Ultimately, this makes for a low cost, lightweight light plant that can transported in quantity to multiple locations with a single vehicle. You can only tow a single conventional light tower with a standard pickup truck and it can be costly to use a flatbed to transport multiple diesel generator drive light towers. However, operators can get similar light output in a smaller form factor and carry several of them in a standard work truck.”
Larson Electronics offers a wide selection of LED work lights, LED light towers, explosion proof LED lights, intrinsically safe LEDs and LED work lights. The entire Larson Electronics line of industrial grade lighting equipment can be viewed by visiting them on the web at Larsonelectronics.com. You can also call 1-800-369-6671 to learn more about all of Larson Electronics lighting products or call 1-214-616-6180 for international inquires.

Smart LED desk lamp is sensitive to your moods

The Satechi Smart LED Desk Lamp tries to fit as much functionality in as it can. It charges smartphones and has a built-in timer to power it off. It's also very touchy-feely. It's controlled through a touch panel and has different lighting modes to fit your mood. The lamp can be dimmed in increments, or you can choose one of four presets. Reading mode features a midrange color temperature to be easy on your eyes.

Micro-LED LiFi: Where every light source in the world is also TV

Researchers at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland has begun the task of bringing high-speed, ubiquitous, LiFi technology to market. If Martin Dawson and Harald Haas have their way, any illuminated device — your TV, your bedside lamp, a road sign, a train or airport timetable — might soon double up as a wireless LiFi hotspot.

America Saves Money Giving Veterans A Job At Vet LEDs

American business and governments on all levels can help create jobs for our returning warriors by letting those who have served our country simply change your old lighting to high quality, energy efficient LED lamps and fixtures, many of those products quote “Made in America.” America’s veterans have a new mission – relamp America!
How many veterans does it take to change a light bulb? Just one. How many veterans does it take to change all of America’s 18 billion lights? 500,000 veterans!
American business and governments on all levels can help create jobs for our returning warriors by letting those who have served our country simply change your old lighting to high quality, energy efficient LED lamps and fixtures, many of those products “Made in America”. America’s veterans have a new mission – relamp America!
Taft Durst Inc., a Delray Beach, Florida-based company that does business as Vet LEDs, today announced the formal launch of the Veterans Lighting Initiative. The Initiative can and will help solve multiple issues and problems in our country today and literally everyone can agree that it is in everyone’s interest to do so.
The CEO of Vet LEDs, Randy M. Durst, a Vietnam veteran, created the concept after reading the news article about the difficulty veterans were having getting good jobs in the economic climate we face today. “It occurred to me that hiring veterans to install LED lighting was a no-brainer.” Over the course of the next two years, hundreds of thousands of our military servicemen and women will be returning to a very uncertain future as a transition back into civilian life. The Veterans Lighting Initiative will create thousands of good paying jobs for those veterans and their families.
“I looked at the pace at which our businesses and governments have been retrofitting our infrastructure with new energy-efficient lighting products and wondered why it wasn’t happening faster” said Randy. “In the marketplace, new technology is sometimes slow to be embraced. The state of LED technology has now matured to the point LEDs are more than ready for primetime. Considering the huge savings generated by LEDs, this should be a priority for businesses and government. It’s not rocket science. We are talking about changing a light bulb. We should be doing this. We need to do this. It should be a high priority national initiative.”
When asked about the chances for success, Randy said “I think it’s a slam dunk! The Initiative will create thousands of jobs for America’s veterans. That means fewer people unemployed and more people paying taxes! It also reduces lighting energy cost by 60 to 90% for America’s businesses and government. Those are big numbers. That means businesses will be more profitable. That means government won’t be borrowing as much. It also means a reduction on dependence of foreign oil. That has national security implications. It means opening new factories and manufacturing “Made in America” LED products to meet demand. It means utility companies won’t have to build as many new power plants. I have yet to find a single reason anyone would say no.”
What about the high cost of LED products? Randy was quick to add that the higher cost of an LED lamp puts off many people. “It seems to be a knee-jerk reaction to the thought of spending $15-$50 for light bulb. One customer in Boston flatly stated that he would never buy a $45 LED light. I showed him the numbers. When you factor in incentives that many utility companies are offering today, the ROI was less than 60 days. Needless to say, he bought the lamps.”
“Yes, it is cheaper in the short term to buy a CFL but it is more expensive to operate than the LED. Today we can replace a 100W incandescent lamp with a 26W CFL or a 10W LED. If the company is using them more than six hours a day, then it makes sense to use the LED. The savings generated by the lower wattage more than makes up for the higher cost. And don’t even get me started on the mercury in the lamps or the real cost of trying to recycle. Sadly many people don’t take the time to recycle as they should and simply throw them out, into our landfills.”
Vet LEDs offers customers a variety of services, principal among them is the Energy Savings Performance Program, which is very important for many businesses today that don’t have the cash available for the purchase of the LED lamps or fixtures. “Let the lamps pay for themselves” Vet LEDs tells their customers. When 100W lamp is replaced with a 10W LED lamp, there is 90W of savings. Take 45W of savings to pay for the lamps over time, and the customer is immediately realizes 45W of savings. “That’s real money in their pockets” smiled Randy. “No upfront cost, and they create jobs for vets. That’s a win-win!”
As if that wasn’t enough, Vet LEDs offers to donate $1 for every lamp and $5 for every fixture installed to a veterans organization of the customer’s choice. “The customers love this. Many of them already support veterans organizations and this lets them to do even more, all to the benefit of our veterans.”

Fluorescent molecules offer another route to efficient organic LEDs

The promise of organic LEDs comes in part from their flexibility, both figurative and literal. Organic chemical space is vast, and molecules can be designed to emit in any part of the visible spectrum. The colors can be combined to give good quality white light, or they can be used on their own in electronic displays that are thin, lightweight, and even transparent and pliable. But not every organic molecule makes for a good OLED. The electrically generated excitations have random spins, so excited-state molecules are about three times as likely to end up in a spin triplet state, from which phosphorescence is quantum mechanically forbidden and thus unobservably slow, as in a spin singlet state that readily fluoresces. Quantum efficiency is thus capped at an impractically low 25%.

The ABCs Of HIDs & LEDs

It is a fact of four-wheeling that things don’t always go as planned. Sometimes we have to set up camp in the dark. Other times a trail fix has us blasting down a dirt road at night to catch up with the rest of the group. Fortunately there is a staggering array of off-road lighting options on the market to fit any need or budget, and we are here to help you make sense of it all. To start, know that lights fall into three basic categories: halogen, high-intensity discharge (HID), and light-emitting diodes (LED).