LED Technology Course

Lesson 1 • Semiconductor Physics Essentials

Explains p-n junction behaviour, band gap theory, and charge carrier movement. Builds the semiconductor knowledge required to understand LED light emission mechanisms.

Lesson 2 • Basic Electrical Concepts for LEDs

Introduces voltage, current, resistance, and power as applied to LED circuits. Connects Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's rules to practical LED driver design.

Lesson 3 • Photometric and Radiometric Units

Defines lumens, candela, lux, watts, and efficacy metrics used in LED specifications. Enables accurate interpretation of datasheets and performance comparisons.

Lesson 1 • LED Chip Architecture and Materials

Covers epitaxial layer stacks, substrate materials, and active region design. Explains how chip geometry and material choice affect brightness and reliability.

Lesson 2 • LED Packaging Technologies

Surveys through-hole, SMD, COB, CSP, and flip-chip packages. Connects package selection to thermal management, optical extraction, and assembly requirements.

Lesson 3 • Reading LED Datasheets

Teaches interpretation of absolute maximum ratings, forward voltage, luminous intensity, and spectral data. Prepares students to select and apply LEDs from manufacturer documentation.

Lesson 1 • Switching Driver Topologies

Introduces buck, boost, and buck-boost converters for high-efficiency LED driving. Connects topology selection to input voltage range, output requirements, and efficiency targets.

Lesson 2 • Protection and Safety Circuits

Details over-current, over-voltage, thermal shutdown, and ESD protection in LED drivers. Ensures designs meet functional safety and long-term reliability requirements.

Lesson 3 • Linear Driver Circuits

Covers resistor-limited, transistor-based, and linear IC driver designs. Analyses efficiency trade-offs and appropriate use cases for low-power LED applications.

Lesson 4 • Dimming Methods and Control Interfaces

Covers PWM dimming, analogue dimming, and digital control protocols for LED systems. Explains flicker, dimming range, and compatibility with smart lighting control systems.

Lesson 1 • PCB and Substrate Thermal Design

Explains metal-core PCBs, thermal vias, and ceramic substrates for LED heat spreading. Guides layout decisions that minimise thermal resistance from LED to heat sink.

Lesson 2 • Heat Sink Selection and Design

Covers fin geometry, material selection, and forced vs. natural convection for LED heat sinks. Connects heat sink thermal resistance to junction temperature targets.

Lesson 3 • Thermal Resistance and Modelling

Teaches the junction-to-board and board-to-ambient thermal resistance chain. Enables calculation of operating junction temperature under real-world power and ambient conditions.

Lesson 4 • Heat Generation in LEDs

Quantifies heat produced by non-radiative recombination and resistive losses in LED devices. Establishes why thermal management is critical to LED lifetime and lumen maintenance.

Lesson 1 • Colour Perception and CIE Chromaticity

Explains tristimulus values, the CIE 1931 diagram, and colour coordinates for LED characterisation. Provides the colorimetric framework used throughout white LED specification.

Lesson 2 • Binning, Binning Tolerances, and SDCM

Explains manufacturer binning systems, MacAdam ellipses, and SDCM tolerances for colour consistency. Guides procurement decisions to ensure visual uniformity across multi-LED installations.

Lesson 3 • Phosphor Conversion and White LEDs

Details blue-pump phosphor conversion, remote phosphor, and full-spectrum approaches to white light. Explains how phosphor choice affects CCT, CRI, and efficacy trade-offs.

Lesson 4 • Colour Rendering Index and TM-30

Covers CRI Ra, R9, and the IES TM-30 Rf and Rg metrics for evaluating colour fidelity. Enables informed selection of LEDs for retail, medical, and architectural applications.

Lesson 1 • Photometric Testing and Standards

Introduces goniophotometers, integrating spheres, and IES file formats for luminaire characterisation. Connects measured photometric data to lighting design software inputs.

Lesson 2 • Reflectors and Light Guides

Explains specular, diffuse, and compound parabolic reflectors and light guide plate design. Enables selection of reflective optics for downlights, streetlights, and backlighting.

Lesson 3 • Lenses and Collimators

Covers TIR lenses, refractive lenses, and collimator design for beam shaping. Connects lens geometry and material to beam angle, efficiency, and colour uniformity.

Lesson 4 • LED Emission Patterns

Characterises Lambertian and batwing emission profiles and their impact on luminaire design. Provides the baseline optical understanding needed for secondary optic selection.

Lesson 1 • Quality and Reliability Standards

Surveys international LED reliability standards, safety certifications, and environmental compliance requirements. Prepares students to navigate qualification testing and product approval processes.

Lesson 2 • Lumen Maintenance Standards

Explains LM-80 testing protocol, TM-21 projection methodology, and L70/L90 lifetime definitions. Enables accurate interpretation of manufacturer lifetime claims for LED products.

Lesson 3 • LED Failure Modes and Root Causes

Catalogues catastrophic failures, gradual lumen depreciation, and colour shift mechanisms in LEDs. Establishes the failure physics foundation for reliability testing and design decisions.

Lesson 4 • Accelerated Life Testing Methods

Covers temperature, humidity, thermal cycling, and electrical stress testing for LED reliability. Connects accelerated test results to field lifetime predictions using Arrhenius models.

Lesson 1 • Luminaire and Component Selection

Guides selection of LED packages, drivers, optics, and housings for a target application. Integrates thermal, optical, and electrical constraints into a coherent component set.

Lesson 2 • Compliance, Documentation, and Commissioning

Addresses energy codes, safety standards, test reports, and commissioning procedures for LED installations. Ensures designs are fully documented and verified before handover.

Lesson 3 • Smart Lighting and Controls Integration

Covers occupancy sensing, daylight harvesting, networked controls, and IoT integration for LED systems. Connects control strategies to energy savings, user comfort, and building automation.

Lesson 4 • Lighting Calculation and Simulation

Covers point-by-point calculations, zonal cavity method, and software-based lighting simulation. Validates that designs meet illuminance, uniformity, and glare requirements before prototyping.