Applications of 4D-STEM in Materials Characterization
In this application note, we will focus on three applications of 4D-STEM: orientation mapping, strain analysis, and electric field imaging.
Lighting & LED
EAG’s analytical support services for lighting result in production cost savings, improved lot-to-lot product performance and accelerated product development. We provide world-leading support of research, development and fast-response production monitoring for both conventional and LED lighting manufacturing.
Services for the lighting industry
EAG has a long history in the field of lighting testing and analysis, supporting both conventional and LED lighting product development. Our experts provide consulting services for lighting products and raw materials, due to our vast knowledge of application conditions and regulations for lighting materials.
WE KNOW HOW to improve your performance.
How we can help
EAG offers a comprehensive suite of services for the lighting industry, meeting the industry’s exacting standards for tight controls of material properties, composition and chemistry. Here are just a few ways we can help for both conventional and LED applications:
- Testing of materials/components for their suitability to be used in a “chemical environment” (e.g. in industrial areas, by the sea, agricultural applications, hospitals, etc.)
- Testing of materials/components resistance against cleaning agents, disinfection agents, aggressive gases or other chemicals.
- Forensic analysis (in the lab) and on-site investigation to identify and understand the root cause(s) of failure
- Root cause generation (conformation) in our reliability and materials laboratories
- Support to address problems via material and/or process consultancy
- Proving the validity of proposed solutions or hypotheses in our test laboratories
Materials Reliability
- Testing of material, component or product reliability (IP testing, salt mist exposure, HALT, drop & vibration testing)
- Environmental testing (thermo shock & cycle, damp-heat test, UV & solar test)
LED Analysis and Consulting
We support LED analysis at all levels:
- Level 0: LED wafer/die/chip
- Level 1: Packaged LED die
- Level 2: LEDs on PCB mounts
- Level 3: LED modules or LED bulbs
- Level 4: Luminaires
We offer the following range of services to answer questions and address issues related to all LED product component and materials at different manufacturing stages.
We offer identification and compositional analysis of polymers (e.g. silicones), metals, gases, LED phosphors, quantum dots, ceramics, contaminants and electrical components.
- Analysis of contamination in gases (e.g. gas composition in filled LED bulbs; air quality/cleanliness in industrial manufacturing areas)
- Analysis of material outgassing (e.g. potentially harmful substances from cables, drivers, PCBs or other components)
- Measuring cleanliness of products beyond just visual inspection
- Witness testing to verify your product will meet industry, company or customer specifications. We are experts in testing if components and/or environmental conditions have negative interactions that may negatively influence product performance
Measurement of Light Technical Parameters
We offer measurement of light technical parameters of a single LED and complete modules before, during and after testing (e.g. color temperature, color point, luminous intensity, radiation pattern, color over angle, etc.).
Other Applications
Our lighting and LED expertise also enables us to successfully address issues in related industries that have components containing similar materials, or where the products may also be exposed to harsh environments, e.g. automotive components, including lighting, photovoltaic/solar cells, thermal/solar concentrators/mirrors, etc.
Conventional Lighting Analysis and Consulting
Our conventional lighting experts have years of experience troubleshooting and testing conventional lighting products, including:
- (Ultra) high pressure discharge lamps
- Fluorescent lamps
- Disinfection UV lamps
- Halogen lamps
These types of products often require compositional analyses, such as identifying and characterizing such components of conventional lighting materials such as metals, gases, fluorescent powders, emitter, mercury consumption, tungsten electrodes/materials, pre-coats, feed-through materials, ceramics, glass, contaminants
or electrical components.
Quality Control
Examples of quality control and contamination studies for conventional lighting products:
- Analysis of gas composition and contamination in gas filled lamp (even in burning mode); inner and outer bulbs, air quality/cleanliness in industrial manufacturing areas and oven processes
- Analysis of material outgassing, bake-out tests of volatile, potential harmful, substances from cables, drivers, PCBs or other components
- Measuring cleanliness of products beyond just visual inspection
- Support quality processes in production
Consultancy, Training and Coaching
- Material consultancy
- Training on site; for example, operation procedure handheld XRF instrument
- Consultancy concerning international test standards on hazardous/certain substances
- RoHS – REACH support
Surface analysis for lighting and LEDs
EAG offers surface and thin film characterization to understand composition, surface contamination and surface topography, as well as measuring thin film thickness, defects and optical properties. Our analytical support for LED R&D includes packaging development and contamination analysis, in addition to burn-in and reliability testing to LM-80 standards. EAG scientists are experts in the characterization of epitaxial films for identity, structure, grain size and orientation, composition, dopants and contaminants.
We offer a broad range of analytical services developed exclusively for LED characterization:
- Layer thickness and density determination
- Full wafer layer thickness mapping
- Stress in epitaxial layers
- Crystalline orientation
- Depth profiling dopants and impurities
- Measuring layer thickness and composition
- Controlling common impurities (e.g. H, C and O) in MOCVD epitaxy with very low detection limits
- Characterization of crystal quality of AlInGaP and InGaN MQWs
- Cross-sectional analysis of the structure of LEDs
- Examining the cross-sectional structure of LEDs
- Full reverse engineering of finished LEDs
- Problem solving in adhesion of metal stack onto semiconductor material
We understand the need for first-to-market breakthrough technologies, and EAG can collaborate to provide results-driven solutions to the most complex of analytical investigations. Our experienced experts will work with your team to troubleshoot and choose the right material for your application or improve a manufacturing process.
Would you like to learn more about our services for the lighting industry?
Contact us today for your LED and lighting analytical needs. Please complete the form below to have an EAG expert contact you.
Additional Resources You Might Like
MicroLED Analysis Webinar
In the full webinar we introduce MicroLED Analysis for improved understanding of III-nitride material properties and growth/device processes
When Images Aren’t Enough – EDS and EELS
EDS and EELS can be coupled with SEM, STEM and TEM to determine the elemental composition, spatial distribution and segregation of elements.
Accurate Composition and Quantification of Materials – RBS
RBS is the one technique where we can really say that the composition and concentration are accurately determined for thin films.