Although LEDs have an unrivaled light output compared to conventional lighting technologies, they still face the challenge of efficiency. The highest efficiency LEDs currently available on the market convert only 60 percent of the electrical power into light. The rest of the energy is released as heat. When excess heat generated on LEDs cannot be removed, it accelerates the degradation process, affects optical performance, and can cause system malfunctions.
When an LED is operated above the maximum allowable junction temperature, light output and luminous efficiency are significantly reduced. In InGaN LEDs, this reduction can reach up to 25 percent, while in AlGaInP LEDs the light output can drop up to 70 percent.
