With the availability of high power light sources such as the OSTAR® LED product family an appropriate mounting method takes on a new importance. At operating currents of several amperes and power dissipation of 10 Watts or more, the mounting method significantly contributes to the performance and lifetime of the LED light sources.

The selection of an inappropriate or insufficient mounting can lead to thermal and mechanical problems during operation, ultimately causing failure of the device. In addition to providing a purely mechanical connection, the mounting also plays an important role in the optimization of heat transfer from the light source to the heat sink (see application note “Thermal Management of OSTAR® Projection“).

This application note provides an introduction to the thermal fundamentals of the compact LED high power light source OSTAR Projection from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors. In addition, the general handling of the new light source will be briefly covered, and the requirements for the necessary heat dissipation and cooling will be described.