Toshiba America-Electronic Components Inc.

Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc. of Irvine, Calif., has produced a phosphor-integrated white LED that emits light at a peak wavelength of 380 nm. Designated the TLWA1100, its color is determined by excited RGB phosphors, offering advantages such as controllability and wavelength stability.

Developed in collaboration with Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd., the device integrates phosphors and packaging from Toshiba with Toyoda's LED. The LED's white color is controlled by RGB phosphors in the transparent resin that comprises the packaging, and the RGB balance of the phosphor layer determines the output color. It provides a stable white light source for applications such as liquid crystal display backlighting and automotive lighting, and has the luminosity needed to replace lightbulbs in incandescent lamps.

The company says the LED offers improvements over conventional white LED technologies. Because it doesn't depend on temperature or forward current, the color remains stable despite variations of temperature.

The RGB phosphor balance could be used to achieve purple, pink and bluish-white LEDs, which may lead to innovative lighting applications.