With these specifications, it will be able to replace conventional mercury discharge lamps in the future. The LED's efficiency has been validated by the German National Metrology Institute, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB).
Eliminating pathogens on surfaces, in liquids, or in the air is essential for protecting human health and the environment, both in everyday life and in various industrial sectors. Residue-free disinfection using energy-rich UV-C radiation is playing an increasingly important role in this context.
In addition to UV-C LEDs, radiation sources primarily include low- and medium-pressure discharge lamps. Due to their mercury content, these lamps pose a health and environmental risk during their production, operation, and disposal. Therefore, the demand for more sustainable alternatives, such as UV-C LEDs, is constantly increasing. However, their efficiency has not yet matched that of traditional technology to fully compete with established mercury vapor lamps in all applications.
“We are increasingly focusing our research and development efforts on sustainable products. As a leading LED manufacturer, our goal is to continuously develop and improve UV-C LED technology to enable an ever-growing number of applications,” explains Dr. Ulrich Steegmueller, Senior Vice President of Research and Development for the Opto Semiconductors business unit at ams OSRAM. To this end, the company is working on multiple technological advancements in the areas of epitaxy, as well as chip and package design. Recently, the company succeeded in optimizing the extraction of UV-C radiation from the LED, thereby increasing the radiation power available for applications. The LED has achieved a plug efficiency (WPE) of over 10%, while offering a long lifespan of more than 20,000 hours. With this, ams OSRAM has almost doubled the WPE of previous LEDs, which was around 5.3%, without changing any other conditions.
This maximum value has also been validated by the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB): the institute's measurements confirm a WPE of 10.2%. In addition to improving optical performance, ams OSRAM has successfully demonstrated that the tested samples have a lifespan as long as that of high-power LEDs currently available on the market.
Maximum efficiency and validated lifespan underscore this as a technological and sustainable milestone for the future of ams OSRAM. The new UV-C LEDs are expected to be available from the end of 2026 and will complement the existing product portfolio for advanced UV-C lighting solutions. The company protects its innovations in UV-C LED technology with over 200 high-quality patents, ensuring a strong intellectual property position in this field.
