Flip Chip (CSP) LEDs performance comparison test: Nichia LEDs in first place

CSP, or Chip Scale Package, is defined as an LED package with a size equal to or less than 20% of an standard LED chip. The CSP product has integrated component features that do not require soldered wire connections, reducing thermal resistance, reducing heat transfer path, and reducing potential sources of error.

Lets compare the CSP LEDs from leading LED manufactures Nichia, Samsung, Philips Lumileds and Seoul Semiconductor. 

The comparison is at: 

• 5000K color temperature, 700mA with a voltage between 2.75 and 3.2 V, CRI 70
• 4000K color temperature, 350mA with a voltage between 2.75 and 3.2 V, CRI 80

For each, we analyze the most important performance attributes:

• luminous flux (measured in lumens) 
• luminous efficacy (lumens per watt)

 For the CSP LEDs operating at two temperature levels:

• laboratory temperature of 25ºC junction temperature (inside the LED core)
• real world 100ºC junction temperature

The data for the comparison test is taken from the manufacturer's data sheets.

 CSP LEDs at 700mA, maximum 2.5 Watt, for street or outdoor lighting, 5000K, CRI 70

At 25ºC: 

• Nichia is in top place, with 20% higher flux (304 lm) and 27% better efficacy (145 lm/W) than the second performer, Seoul WICOP (247 lm and 114 lm/w).
• Luxeon Flip Chip White 10 has similar performance (242 lm/w 115lmw) and Seoul Semiconductor share third place
• Samsung lags somewhat behind (210 lm and 95 lm/w), in fourth place

At 100ºC:

• Nichia is still in the first place but it takes a bigger performance hit due to the increased temperature, of 10% compared with 3% for Seoul and Luxeon.
• Nichia delivers 273 lm and 130 lm/w, Seoul 240 lm and 110 lm/w, Luxeon 242 lm and 112 lm/w and Samsung 191 lm and 95 lm/w.

 CSP at 350mA, maximum 1.5 Watt, for office lighting, 4000K, CRI 80+.

For Nichia and Samsung a different LED was chosen for 350mA while for Seoul and Luxeon it is the same LED as at 700mA.

At 25ºC:

• Nichia has 12% higher flux (146 lm vs 129 lm) and very slightly better efficacy (139 lm/W vs 139 lm/W) than the second performer, Seoul WICOP .
• Very close comes the Luxeon Flip Chip White 10 (121 lm/w and 125 lm/w) while Samsung lags somewhat behind (115 lm and 111 lm/w).

At 100ºC

• Nichia is still in the first place but with a tiny margin, as it takes a bigger performance hit due to the increased temperature, of 10% compared with 3% for Seoul and Luxeon.
• Nichia delivers 127 lm, Seoul 125 lm,Luxeon 117 lm and Samsung 104 lm. Except Samung, the luminous efficacy for all ranges between 120 and 128 lm/w, with Seoul on top with 128 lm/w.