The global lighting industry has long faced a fundamental trade-off in yellow and ultra-low color temperature LEDs: either accept low efficiency and thermal instability, or rely on phosphor-conversion with its inherent drawbacks in color purity, aging, and reliability. A new technological milestone now overcomes these limitations.

A New Benchmark for Yellow LED Performance

In 2018, Nanchang Silicon-Based Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. achieved a major breakthrough with the development of a silicon-based gallium nitride (GaN) yellow LED chip, setting a new world record in luminous efficacy for yellow LEDs. The chip delivers 318 lm/W at 565 nm, with a wall-plug efficiency of 51.6%, while maintaining high color purity and exceptional thermal stability.

Unlike conventional phosphor-converted solutions, the chip emits yellow light directly, eliminating phosphor-related degradation and color shift at the source. Compared with traditional AlGaInP yellow LEDs, it shows significantly reduced temperature-induced light output droop, making it highly suitable for demanding real-world environments.

This innovation establishes a solid technological foundation for phosphor-free lighting, a rapidly emerging segment focused on visual comfort, energy efficiency, and long-term reliability.

Enabling a New Generation of Phosphor-Free Lighting Systems

Building on this core technology, two major phosphor-free lighting product categories have emerged:

Multi-Color LED Phosphor-Free Lighting for Human-Centric Environments

Designed for applications requiring high visual comfort and spectral control—such as classrooms and educational facilities—multi-color LED phosphor-free systems enable dynamic spectrum adjustment tailored to different use scenarios.

By reducing short-wavelength blue light through precise spectral tuning, these systems help lower eye strain and mitigate myopia risks among adolescents. Typical classroom luminaires deliver 3000 lm at 36 W, with Ra >90, R9 >90, and a correlated color temperature adjustable from 2000 K to 5000 K.

This solution has already been deployed in more than 20,000 classrooms across multiple regions in China, including Shanghai and Jiangxi, demonstrating strong scalability and measurable improvements in lighting quality.

Golden Light LED: A New Standard for Outdoor and Road Lighting

For road, tunnel, and outdoor lighting, the high-efficiency yellow GaN LED chip is combined with high-performance red LEDs to create a unique golden-light spectrum, entirely free of phosphor conversion.

The resulting LED packages deliver warm light at 1800–2200 K, with Ra >70, excellent luminous efficiency, and outstanding environmental adaptability. In street-lighting systems, efficacies of up to 145 lm/W at 2000 K are achieved—a level previously unattainable at such low color temperatures.

Silicon-based GaN yellow LED chip (top left), Golden light LED (bottom left), Golden light street light (right).

Designed for Safety, Efficiency, and Sustainability

Golden-light phosphor-free street lighting offers a combination of performance advantages directly aligned with modern infrastructure requirements:

• Enhanced road safety:
  The golden spectrum provides superior fog and rain penetration, with measured transmittance up to 30% higher than 5000 K white LEDs and 10% higher than 3000 K light. Roads illuminated with golden light appear over 10% brighter at the same illuminance level, improving obstacle recognition and driver response time.

• Ultra-low blue light content:
  With no blue light component, the spectrum minimizes ecological disruption, reduces insect attraction, and eliminates blue-light hazard risks.

• High energy efficiency at ultra-low CCT:
  The technology overcomes the efficiency limitations of phosphor-conversion at low color temperatures, significantly reducing operating costs.

• Long service life and reliability:
  Advanced thermal management and the absence of phosphor aging ensure stable light output and long-term performance, even in harsh outdoor environments.

Proven in Large-Scale Real-World Deployment

Thanks to its technical maturity and application versatility, golden-light phosphor-free LED technology has already been deployed in over 50 cities and villages across China, covering roads, tunnels, parks, and architectural lighting. These installations confirm its suitability for both urban infrastructure and rural development projects.

Shaping the Future of Low-Color-Temperature Lighting

Golden LED phosphor-free lighting represents a decisive step forward in LED evolution. By combining ultra-high efficiency, visual comfort, and environmental responsibility, it offers a compelling alternative to both traditional sodium lamps and conventional white LEDs—particularly in applications where safety, weather performance, and long-term stability are critical.

Nanchang Silicon Based Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd.
Email: 573600737@qq.com

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