Lighting Applications

Mouser Electronics is a worldwide market leader in the catalog distribution sales of semiconductor light source devices known as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and their associated lighting components which are used to support the newest and most advanced LED based designs.

LEDs are actually a type of integrated circuit (IC). When a light-emitting diode is forward-biased (switched on), electrons are able to recombine with electron holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons. This effect is called electroluminence and the color of the light (corresponding to the energy of the photon) is determined by the energy gap of the semiconductor.

LEDs have been commonly used as indicator light sources and are successfully penetrating into a wide gamut of general lighting applications. LEDs produce radiation within either the ultraviolet, visible, or near-infrared wavelength spectrum.

LEDs are packaged in small sizes and find applications where traditional lighting sources would not fit. LEDs may consume lower power, provide longer lifetime, be more robust and are able to be switched On/Off at very high rates of speed.

Customers may select from individual LED Components classified as high power (> 0.25 watts) or from traditional, low-current, low power LEDs. A full line of Integrated LED products is available to assist the design engineer in reducing time-to-market and assembly costs.

LEDs are differentiated by their color/wavelength measured in units of nanometers (nm) or their color corrected temperature (CCT) measured in units of Kelvin (K). Click on the ANSI C78.377-2008¹ White LED Selection bucket or the appropriate Color Selection bucket that most closely represents the products in which you are interested.

1: http://www.nema.org/stds/ANSI-ANSLG-C78-377.cfm

View all High Power LEDs

View all Indication LEDs

View all Engines/Modules

View all Light Bulbs/Retrofit

View all Strips, Flexible

View all Fixtures

2700K
(2600-2900K)

3000K
(2900-3200K)

3500K
(3200-3700K)

4000K
(3700-4250K)

4500K
(4250-4750K)

5000K
(4750-5300K)

5700K
(5300-6000K)

6500K
(>6000K)

Violet/UV
360-430nm

Blue
430-495nm

Green
495-570nm

Yellow
560-580nm

Amber/Orange
580-620nm

Red
610-740nm

Infrared
700-1500nm

Multi-Color
LEDs

High Power LEDs are defined as individual components that are greater than 0.20 watts (Voltage, nominal * Current, nominal). High Power LEDs have exploded in number over the last decade as new semiconductor technologies have allowed higher power densities to be obtained.

High Power LEDs are generally smaller in package size and find applications where traditional lighting sources will not fit. In addition, LEDs may consume lower power, provide longer lifetime, be more robust, and are able to be switched On/Off at very high rates of speed.

High Power LEDs are targeted for a diverse set of applications. Click on Applications above to see some of the specific areas. The fastest growing area is general lighting and illumination. LEDs are expected to take over from traditional lighting sources over the next several years.

LEDs are differentiated by their color/wavelength measured in units of nanometers (nm) or their color corrected temperature (CCT) measured in units of Kelvin (K). Click on the ANSI C78.377-2008¹ White LED Selection bucket or the appropriate Color Selection bucket that most closely represents the products in which you are interested.

1: http://www.nema.org/stds/ANSI-ANSLG-C78-377.cfm

While not traditionally a part of LED Lighting, Mouser carries a broad selection of LEDs for indication. LED indication products and solutions facilitate machine to human communication. Indication refers to the use of a light source that is to be viewed directly as a self-luminous object, such as in signs, signals, and indicator lights on electronic equipment. LED Indication also includes everything from mounting hardware to LED Drivers and light pipes, as well as other useful replacement parts.

View all Indication LEDs

2700K
(2600-2900K)

3000K
(2900-3200K)

3500K
(3200-3700K)

4000K
(3700-4250K)

4500K
(4250-4750K)

5000K
(4750-5300K)

5700K
(5300-6000K)

6500K
(>6000K)

Violet/UV
360-430nm

Blue
430-495nm

Green
495-570nm

Yellow
560-580nm

Amber/Orange
580-620nm

Red
610-740nm

Infrared
700-1500nm

Multi-Color
LEDs

LED Engines and LED Modules represent products that consist of integrated LED solutions. At present, there is no consistently used application definition used by LED suppliers on what an LED Engine or an LED Module specifically consists.

Based upon existing supplier usage, Mouser Electronics has defined an LED Engine as consisting of two or more LED components that are integrated into something that produces a particular and usually desirable result, most often placed upon a particular substrate. In addition to providing a circuit connection layer, the substrate may also have a metal heat spreading layer to aid in lowering the module's thermal resistance. It may also have additional components mounted to the substrate such as current limiting resistors, thermistors and/or connectors.

Mouser Electronics has defined a LED Module as a packaged, functional assembly of electronic components for use with other such assemblies. Building upon the definition of a LED Engine, the LED Module generally adds associated control electronics. The control electronics are usually, but not always, attached to the LED substrate. Additionally, the device may also have a heat sink device attached or integrated into the package.

Zhaga¹ is a consortium that is presently working together to define these definitions so that in the future there will be more industry consistency in defining and describing integrated LED products.

LED Engines and LED Modules are differentiated by their color/wavelength measured in units of nanometers (nm) or their color corrected temperature (CCT) measured in units of Kelvin (K). Click on the ANSI C78.377-2008¹ White LED Selection bucket or the appropriate Color Selection bucket that most closely represents the products in which you are interested.

1: http://www.nema.org/stds/ANSI-ANSLG-C78-377.cfm

2700K
(2600-2900K)

3000K
(2900-3200K)

3500K
(3200-3700K)

4000K
(3700-4250K)

4500K
4250-4750K

5000K
4750-5300K

5700K
(5300-6000K)

6500K
(>6000K)

Suppliers have developed a variety of solutions to directly replace traditional Edison bulbs and their counterparts, as well as developed LED solutions to exactly mimic and retrofit standard fluorescent light tubes.

Light Bulbs/Retrofit products are differentiated by their color corrected temperature (CCT) measured in units of Kelvin (K). Click on the ANSI C78.377-2008¹ White LED Selection bucket that most closely represents the products in which you are interested.

1: http://www.nema.org/stds/ANSI-ANSLG-C78-377.cfm

2700K
2600-2900K

3000K
(2900-3200K)

3500K
3200-3700K

4000K
3700-4250K

4500K
4250-4750K

5000K
4750-5300K

5700K
5300-6000K

6500K
(>6000K)

Violet/UV
360-430nm

Blue
430-495nm

Green
495-570nm

Yellow
560-580nm

Amber/Orange
580-620nm

Red
610-740nm

Infrared
700-1500nm

Multi-Color
LEDs

Flexible LED Strips are unique because the flexibility allows easy placement in hard to access locations. A light strip can be positioned to conform to the area in which it is being mounted. Applications such as kitchen under-cabinet, cove, valance, toe kick lighting; backlighting for flat screen TVs and home theater; accent lighting for art, shelving, and cabinets; lighting for retail display cases and fixtures; and restaurant and bar lighting are some of the most common ways they are deployed. LED strips use a fraction of the energy of incandescent bulbs. These modular design product lines include kit, components, and accessories that are easily expandable and changeable with common connectors and interfaces. Light weight with a discreet profile, they are easy to install and are available in custom lengths and systems.

Flexible LED Strips are differentiated by their color/wavelength measured in units of nanometers (nm) or their color corrected temperature (CCT) measured in units of Kelvin (K). Click on the ANSI C78.377-2008¹ White LED Selection bucket or the appropriate Color Selection bucket that most closely represents the products in which you are interested.

1: http://www.nema.org/stds/ANSI-ANSLG-C78-377.cfm

LEDs produce light that is useful only if it is targeted at the location desired. Optics are often integrated parts of the design of an individual LED component and are used to determine where the light will be sent. In many cases, the design engineer requires the output light to be directed in a manner different than the direction of the LED’s design. In these cases, external optical components are used. The most common optical components used are lenses and reflectors. Mouser Electronics offers the most complete line of optical components for use with the widest variety of LED components.

View all LED Lenses With Holders

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View all LED Reflectors

LEDs often require optical beam shaping in order to steer their emitted light radiation in the desired direction or pattern. Most often the engineer’s first choice to do this is a Lens. A lens allows greater light control and is generally more efficient than a reflector. The primary consideration for the task of lens selection is identifying what LED is being deployed. A variety of optics is offered to be used in conjunction with common high power LEDs. Optics are available with various beam angles and mounting options to allow the design engineer the greatest amount of flexibility in achieving his design criteria.

View all LED Lenses With Holders

View all LED Lenses Without Holders

LEDs often require optical beam shaping in order to steer their emitted light radiation in the desired direction or pattern. Sometimes, the best choice for the designer is a Reflector. A reflector is a device or surface that redirects light by reflection with minimum scattering. The primary consideration for the task of selecting a reflector is identifying what LED is being deployed. A variety of reflectors are offered to be used in conjunction with common high power LEDs. Reflectors are available to collect and shape various beam angles with various mounting options to allow the design engineer the greatest amount of flexibility in achieving the design criteria.

View all LED Reflectors

Electronic parts control the flow of electricity. The two primary issues in LED circuit designs are (a) power, and (b) sensing and protection.

All LEDs require a controlled voltage and a specified current. Since LEDs are DC devices, electricity must often be first converted from AC into DC before it can be applied to the LED. Two major methods are available to the engineer to control power. The first is via an integrated circuit (IC) that has been developed to work as an LED driver. IC drivers are advantageous in that they allow the engineer the greatest degree of design flexibility in order to meet his product need. Modules are integrated LED drivers that have been produced by a supplier so that the engineer does not need to do a design from scratch. By providing a ready to use assembly, the design engineer reduces time to market, reduces his start-up costs, and ensures he has a power supply design solution that is proven and reliable.

View all Driver ICs for LEDs

View all AC-DC Driver Modules for LEDs

View all DC-DC Driver Modules for LEDs

View all Sensors for LEDs

View all Shunts for LEDs

An LED Integrated Circuit (IC) Driver is a power source/power supply that adjusts the voltage or current to LEDs, ranging in complexity from a resistor to a constant voltage or constant current power supply.

View all Driver ICs for LEDs

An LED AC-DC Driver Module is a packaged, functional assembly of electronic components that operates as a power source/power supply that either adjusts to or provides a constant voltage or constant current for the LEDs. This is configured to be an AC branch circuit supply on the input and an AC output.

View all AC-DC Driver Modules for LEDs

An LED DC-DC Driver Module is a packaged, functional assembly of electronic components that operates as a power source/power supply that either adjusts to or provides a constant voltage or constant current for the LEDs. This is configured to be a DC branch circuit supply on the input and a DC output.

View all DC-DC Driver Modules for LEDs

A Shunt is a protection device which allows electric current to pass around another point in the circuit when an LED element in an LED string fails to an open circuit. This ensures the remaining string of LEDs will continue to function. There are many cases in which high reliability of the LED lighting must be maintained, such as LCD backlighting, transport lighting, avionics, intrinsically safe, and low maintenance lighting.

View all Shunts for LEDs

Components must be assembled together in order to work as one functional unit. Mechanical products support the necessary integration of various discrete components into one modular assembly.

View all Connectors for LEDs

View all Fixture Accessories

View all Mounting Hardware for LEDs

View all Heat Sinks for LEDs

View all Thermal Substrates for LEDs

View all Coolers for LEDs

Electro-mechanical components specifically adapted, developed, and/or used for joining LED electrical circuits as an interface using a mechanical assembly.

View all Connectors for LEDs

LEDs, like most electronic devices, generate heat when used. Although a single low-power LED may create negligible heat, high power LEDs and LED arrays often require some manner of thermal management to preserve light output and life expectancy. Fans and blowers dissipate heat by forced convection and can be used instead of, or in addition to, passive components such as heat sinks and thermal substrates. For designs that do not allow for traditional thermal solutions there are specialized devices such as ultra-small piezoelectric microblowers and solid-state thermoelectric coolers.

View all Heat Sinks for LEDs

View all Thermal Substrates for LEDs

View all Coolers for LEDs

View all Fans and Blowers for LEDs

LED lifetime is compromised by operation at higher temperatures. To protect LEDs against heat build-up, thermal substrates may be used. Thermal substrates may be attached to High-Power surface mount LEDs to provide an effective and efficient thermal passage, which reduces the exposure of the LED to high temperature.

View all Thermal Substrates for LEDs

Design Aids include kits and tools to allow the engineer to get up and running with the minimum amount of time, effort, and energy.

View all LED Kits

View all LED Development Tools

Mounting Hardware consists of various mechanical accessories used for the mounting and/or installation of LEDs.

View all Mounting Hardware for LEDs

2700K
(2600-2900K)

3000K
(2900-3200K)

3500K
(3200-3700K)

4000K
(3700-4250K)

4500K
(4250-4750K)

5000K
(4750-5300K)

5700K
(5300-6000K)

6500K
(>6000K)

Violet/UV
360-430nm

Blue
430-495nm

Green
495-570nm

Yellow
560-580nm

Amber/Orange
580-620nm

Red
610-740nm

Infrared
700-1500nm

Multi-Color
LEDs

LED Fixtures include any integrated LED solutions that are intended to be securely or permanently mounted to a building or structure.

Fixture Accessories consists of various mechanical accessories used for the mounting and/or installation of LED fixtures.

View all Fixture Accessories

LED Light Panel components that are sold as a kit are ideally suited for under the counter task lighting applications, kitchen lighting, jewelry lighting, decorative lighting, and reading lighting. Light Panels are often brushed aluminum in color to blend with today’s kitchen styles.

View all LED Kits

Development Tools are software and electronic hardware components provided to enable LED designers to review, evaluate, and demonstrate the applicability of a potential part for an intended application.

View all LED Development Tools

A Sensor is an electronic device that is used to measure a physical quantity in the analog domain such as temperature and convert it into an electronic signal in either the analog or digital domain. Temperature sensors are used in LED lighting systems to ensure that the thermal load is properly monitored and maintained.

View all Sensors for LEDs