White light quality of phosphor converted light-emitting diodes: A phosphor materials perspective of view

For a systematic approach to improve the white light quality of phosphor converted LEDs and to fulfil the demands for colour temperature reproducibility and constancy, it is imperative to understand how variations of the extinction coefficient and the quantum efficiency of the phosphor particles as well as variations of the excitation wavelength of the blue LED die affect the correlated colour temperature of the white LED source. Based on optical ray tracing of a phosphor converted white LED package we deduce permissible values for the variation of a given extinction coefficient and a given quantum efficiency of a phosphor material in order to maintain acceptable colour variations. These quantitative valuations of the required constancy of the optical properties of the phosphors will in particular provide some benchmarks for the synthesis of improved phosphor materials aiming at solid state lighting applications.