Osrm Opto Semiconductors R&D lab says that the red LED, which emits at a wavelength of 609 nm, has an electro-optical efficiency of 61%. At a typical operating current of 350 mA, the LED's luminous efficacy is still an impressive 168 lm/W. The company points out that even at this higher current the LED has more than 50 percent electro-optical efficiency.Osram says its new red high-power LED promises a further improvement in the quality of light with lower power consumption, especially in warm white.

The company notes that such advances in technology and performance for red LEDs can go into LED lighting systems in general lighting, automotive, and projection. Osram notes that higher efficiency means more light from the same amount of electricity, which in turn means lower power consumption for a particular application. For this reason, fewer chips are needed to produce the same brightness level, an light sources can be made smaller while still producing the same brightness.

Dr. Martin Behringer from the LED development team at OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, said, “The results of this project can be extended to all the wavelengths in InGaAlP chip technology so we anticipate a boost in efficiency in these light colors – even at 660 nm which is the wavelength needed for plant lighting for example. Probably we will be introducing the results of this development project across the entire wavelength spectrum into production in about a year’s time.”