Application Note For LED Modeling

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) have come a long way from the small 5mm bulb-like indicator LEDs of the last century. They have now become powerful enough to be considered a "stand alone" light source in commercial applications. Today they are found everywhere, in many shapes and forms, and cover a wide range of output power and color. Within the next decade, they will begin to seriously compete with other light sources, such as fluorescent lights and incandescent bulbs for general lighting applications. The need for accurate design and analysis software is now obvious, as these small and versatile light sources are far more difficult to model than the other more conventional light sources.

TracePro is an illumination design and analysis tool that enables the user to analyze and design LED models as a light source. TracePro's flexibility in the area of source design can really make a difference in these models, as LEDs have very different optical characteristics from one model to the next. Depending on the preferences and needs of the user, there are many ways to model LEDs. This application note will offer exposure to different methods and considerations, which must be taken into account in order to achieve realistic LED models.