Abstract
In order to provide longer LED lifetimes, all LED-related components, including lenses and other optical components, need to be adapted to increasing radiation levels. Pulse width modulation (PWM) is an easy-to-implement method for driving and dimming LEDs and could be a cost-effective way to extend the lifetime of optical components installed in conjunction with the LED. In this study, polycarbonate (PC) samples were artificially aged with high-power blue LEDs using different driving modes in a newly developed test setup. The LEDs were pulse-width modulated in three different modes (50% duty cycle, 25% duty cycle, and continuous wave (CW)), while emitting the same optical power. Optical light microscopy, UV/vis spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography were performed to measure transmittance changes and general aging effects of the samples. The results indicate a substantial correlation of aging with the mode of exposure. It is found that the samples age most severely under CW irradiation, as both the decrease in transmission (at 295 nm wavelength, after 1500 h) and the sample temperature, and thus the degradation, are highest. FTIR spectroscopy showed the expected results for optical aging under LED irradiation, again the changes tended to be more pronounced for the samples irradiated without PWM. Gel permeation chromatography shows a decrease in the weight averaged molar mass, once more with the CW irradiated samples exhibiting the most significant decrease. However, optical light microscopy did not reveal any significant aging effects on the sample surface. Overall, modulation of the LED, and in particular a reduction of the duty cycle, has a positive effect on the durability of optical plastics at similar radiative energy loads. In order to explain the different aging behavior of the samples under the different driving modes, a model of the time-related temperature changes in the material during the heating phase at different duty cycles is proposed.
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