Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced digital component solutions, today introduced the LM301B EVO, a new mid-power LED package that has been designed to set the pace in light efficacy and color quality for indoor and industrial applications.

Global regulations and standards for lighting, once centered on light efficacy, are becoming more comprehensive to include strict criteria for energy efficiency and color quality. The European Union’s energy labels for light sources (Energy-related Products Directive; ErP) have been revised to become more stringent, and the Design Lights Consortium (DLC) — a non-profit organization for lighting standards in the U.S. and Canada — has added an index for color quality while requiring the same high efficacy level.

The LM301B EVO helps to meet the rigorous lighting standards on both energy efficiency and color quality. Built upon Samsung’s proprietary flip-chip design, the LED package features the industry’s highest efficacy of 235 lumens per watt (lm/W), by applying a new reflective material inside the packaging mold and improving phosphor conversion efficiency. Samsung also fine-tuned the red spectrum in the LED’s phosphor mix to enable superior color quality, especially with the red hues which are usually more difficult to render accurately.

“Our new LM301B EVO offers an unrivaled mix of light efficacy and color rendering that aligns nicely with the changing landscape of LED lighting standards,” said Un Soo Kim, senior vice president of the LED Business Team at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung will continue to provide value-added LED light sources through technological innovation, as we push hard to exceed energy standards across the globe.”

When using the package, luminaire manufacturers can create lamps that qualify for the ErP Directive’s Grade A certification and meet the DLC’s latest V5.1 Premium requirements while achieving industry-leading efficacy.

Based on the industry-standard 3030 platform, the LM301B EVO can be easily integrated into existing and newly designed fixtures for general and premium luminaires.

The LM301B EVO is now in production and available in color temperatures ranging from 2,700K to 6,500K. To facilitate adoption into existing markets, the package will also be available in two lighting modules — the Q-series EVO optimized for indoor lighting at offices and schools, and the H inFlux EVO for high–ceiling applications including factories and warehouses.

“This breakthrough in photon efficacy will go a long way in helping indoor farm owners to maximize plant growth and quality, as well as their profits,” said Un Soo Kim, senior vice president of LED Business Team at Samsung Electronics. “We are committed to continue innovating white LED solutions optimized for healthier plant production as we solidify our leadership in the horticulture lighting industry.”

As a result of this industry-leading photon efficacy, lighting manufacturers can use 30 percent fewer packages in each luminaire to achieve the same efficacy level as the previous version of the LM301H, allowing for smaller and lighter lamp designs as well as lowered manufacturing costs. In addition, by using the same number of packages, the light efficiency of a luminaire can be improved by at least four percent, enabling indoor farms to reduce their energy use.

Samsung is able to achieve this advancement in photon efficacy by optimizing the chip’s light-emitting layer to convert electrical energy into photons with greater efficiency, while an improvement in chip structure minimizes light loss, delivering more light to plants.

Furthermore, thanks to Samsung’s advanced flip-chip design, the LM301H requires no wire bonding, which helps extend the packages’ performance and reliability. Titanium dioxide around the chip also ensures higher durability when exposed to agricultural chemicals.

To promote even more balanced plant growth, the white LM301H packages encompass a broader spectrum of light from blue and green to red, enhancing immunity from plant disease and providing greater nutritional value.

Samsung expects to begin mass producing the new LM301H packages at the end of this month and will be showcasing them at LIGHTFAIR International 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 21 to 23.

LM301H Specification:

* Vertical farming is the practice of growing crops in stacked layers to optimize the use of space. It typically takes place in controlled indoor environments.

** Photon efficacy (PE) indicates the light efficacy level for photosynthesis in plants and is measured in micromoles per joule (μmol/J). Efficacy is the measure of how well a light source produces visible light.

*** Photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) indicates the total amount of photons in the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) range – a spectral range between 400 and 700nm – that can enhance plant photosynthesis and is measured in micromoles per second (μmol/s).