LASIC project (2.59 MDKK, 2018.07-2020.06) is supported by Independent Research Fund Denmark (No. 8022-00294B).
Project description:
Solid state lighting based on LEDs is emerging as the most efficient alternative to the traditional fluorescent or incandescent lamps. However, the brightness of LED-based white light sources is limited by the droop effect, triggering explorations in the laser-driven white lighting because lasers have even higher efficiency at high power operations without droop effect in addition to the compact size and small spot size. The use of lasers allows high power density on the wavelength conversion material. However, it is still a challenge to achieve a stable phosphor that does not degraded, particularly with high power excitation. It is also to be noted that phosphors are based on rare-earth elements which could be a cost-limiting factor in the future. Silicon carbide has excellent attributes to overcome some of the challenges such as high thermal conductivity, high breakdown voltage and radiation resistance.
In this project, this new type of wavelength conversion material i.e. fluorescent silicon carbide (f-SiC) is explored as a laser-driven white light source, aiming to provide a better solution than the commercial phosphor solutions in terms of brightness, thermal conductivity, and lifetime. The physics of radiative recombination mechanisms and carrier dynamics, and other related optoelectronic aspects are investigated to optimize the conversion efficiency and emission color quality.
Project participants:
- DTU Fotonik, Technical University of Denmark