Cree has announced the XLamp XD16 packaged LEDs with the XD prefix indicating that the product is part of a new Extreme Density family of LEDs. The LED is based on the NX LED technology platform and Cee said it delivers lumen density of 284 lm/mm2. The XD family is essentially Cree’s answer to the chip-scale package (CSP) LED trend that essentially has a footprint that is the same size as the LED chip.

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Cree had announced the NX technology platform back in April with few details and had originally suggested that the components would be commercially available by the end of the summer. Clearly it took a bit longer for the company to deliver the XD family. The NX technology platform is the successor to the SC (silicon carbide) designated platforms that topped out at SC5 and has been the basis of Cree’s newest LEDs for more than two years.

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LEDs based on the SC5 platform such as the XHP (extreme high power) series top out at a lumen density around 140 lm/mm2. Most of the XHP products have been in relatively larger form factors such as 3.5×3.5, 5×5, and 7×7 mm. The XD family doubles that performance level and thereby can deliver similar lumen output from the 1.6×1.6-mm package.

Of course, lumen output varies considerably across the family based on CCT and CRI, but to provide an example of the performance, we will discuss published specifications at 3000K and 70 CRI. At 85° and a drive current of 350 mA, the packaged LEDs can deliver 148 lm, or efficacy in the 155-lm/W range. You can ramp the drive current to 1A and hit 365 lm while reducing efficacy to around 125 lm/W. The LEDs can be driven at 2A (6W) as well.

As for how the LEDs fit the application space, they seem clearly targeted at general lighting products where CSP LEDs are finding success. Cree’s marketing material did compare the devices to CSP LEDs, but the company has also been quick to point out that the packaged LEDs are high-power products based on a ceramic substrate. Still, the footprint is similar to CSP LEDs from companies such as Samsung, Seoul Semiconductor, and Lumileds.