High power light-emitting diode junction temperature determination from current-voltage characteristics.

Optical and electrical characteristics of power light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are strongly dependent on the diode junction temperature. However, direct junction temperature determination is not possible and alternative methods must be developed. Current-voltage characteristics of commercial high power LEDs have been measured at six different temperatures ranging between 295 and 400 K. Modeling these characteristics, including variation in the bandgap with temperature, revealed a linear temperature dependence of the forward voltage if the drive current is chosen within a rather limited current range. Theoretically, the voltage intercept can be deduced from the bulk semiconductor bandgap. However, accurate junction temperature determination is only possible if at least two calibration measurements at a particular drive current are performed. The method described in this paper can be applied to calculate the thermal resistance from the junction to any other reference point for any particular LED configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]