THE FOX GROUP INC. LEDS

[[BEGIN SERMON MODE]]
When using the UV LEDs shown on this web page, I must emphasize, protect your eyeballs when using any one of these LEDs. You only get one set of eyes - and if you wreck them, you can't just go down to the local 7-Eleven and buy a can of them.
Here is one simple way you can do this:

Most sunglasses and some prescription eyeglasses have some degree of UV protection already; to determine if yours do or not, aim the LED at something that clearly fluoresces (such as those neon green & orange stickers that occasionally show up on your mail, day-glow orange price tags, or painted portions of a blacklight poster), positioning the LED so the object in front of it glows (fluoresces) brightly from the ultraviolet light. Then put the glasses between the face of the LED and the target. If the glow stops or dims dramatically, the glasses are stopping the UV and you can use them as eye protection at least for short-term use.
However, if the glow remains or dims only slightly, look for another pair.

In any case, never look directly at the LED without eye protection - not even for a minute.

Symptoms of UV exposure may not appear immediately; they can be delayed by 30 minutes to several hours. They can include a burning or "sand in the eyes" sensation, and a hazy look around light bulbs and other bright objects. Mild cases are self-correcting within 24 to 36 hours; however if despite my warnings you still stared at the LED from close range for more than a few minutes, it might not be a bad idea to see an eye doctor and tell him you've been exposed to UVA radiation.

DISCLAIMER: I shall not be held responsible for any damage or loss of eyesight arising from your use or misuse of the information on this page. Thank you for listening.
[[END SERMON MODE]]



The Fox Group, 360nm 5.5mm UVA LED, $TBA
Received 10-06-07, tested on 10-12-07
 This is a 5.5mm water-clear epoxy bodied LED that emits primarily UVA radiation peaking at 360nm.
The case is not epoxy; it's a special polymer that is high resistant to UV degradation, but still is very clear and reliable. The UV LED lifetime is equal to that of blue LEDs!

An LED that emits UVA isn't exactly new, but this wavelength (360nm) is fairly uncommon.

The Fox Group has begun mass-producing this lamp, so LEDs emitting in this wavelength range should be considerably easier to find these days. These lamps are sold under the name "FoxUV".

According to the website and the spec sheet furnished with FoxUV LEDs in the recent past, this information applies to these LEDs:
  • Deep UV wavelength, highly consistent
  • HVPE epitaxy process, patent protected, unique in the industry
  • UV lamps for industrial curing applications and medical/biomedical uses


Beam photograph of this lamp at ~3 inches.
That bluish color is fluorescence from the paper target; the LED's visible output is extremely minimal at worst.
Note that the beam angle is much narrower than Fox Group's other offerings.



Spectrographic analysis of this 360nm UV LED.
This time, I used an Ocean Optics PC2000-ISA spectrometer.

Note the LED's spectral line halfwidth is unusually narrow for an LED; looks like less than 15nm to me.

That hump near 720nm in the very deep red region of the spectrum is the second-order reflection from the spectrometer grating, and may be disregarded.

Unable to measure power output with the instruments at my disposal.


Spectrographic plot
Same as above; newer spectrometer & software used.




The Fox Group, 350nm 5mm UVA LED, $TBA
Received and tested on 07-12-06
Received more samples on 10-06-07 for retest; tested 10-11-07
Updated 09-06-09: Performed spectroscopy with newer settings.
This is a 5mm water-clear epoxy bodied LED that emits primarily UVA radiation peaking at 350nm.
An LED that emits UVA isn't exactly new, but this wavelength (350nm) is fairly uncommon.
The case is not epoxy; it's a special polymer that is high resistant to UV degradation, but still is very clear and reliable. The UV LED lifetime is equal to that of blue LEDs!



The Fox Group has begun mass-producing this lamp, so LEDs emitting in this wavelength range should be considerably easier to find these days. These lamps are sold under the name "FoxUV".

According to the supplied spec sheet, this information applies to these LEDs:
  • Deep UV wavelength, highly consistent
  • HVPE epitaxy process, patent protected, unique in the industry
  • UV lamps for industrial curing applications and medical/biomedical uses


Beam photograph of this lamp at ~3 inches.

Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of this 350nm UV LED.
Ocean Optics USB2000 Spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.

Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of a later sample (10-06-07) of this 350nm UV LED.
This time, I used an Ocean Optics PC2000-ISA spectrometer.

Note the LED's spectral line halfwidth is unusually narrow for an LED; looks like less than 10nm to me.

That hump near 695nm in the deep red region of the spectrum is the second-order reflection from the spectrometer grating, and may be disregarded.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of this LED; newer settings used.

Unable to measure power output with the instruments at my disposal.


Spectrographic plot
Same as above; newer settings yet were used.


Spectrographic plot
Same as above; spectrometer's response band was narrowed to a range of 340nm to 400nm.

USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.




The Fox Group, 360nm 5mm UVA LED, $TBA
Received and tested on 07-12-06
Received more samples on 10-06-07 for retest; tested 10-11-07
 This is a 5mm water-clear epoxy bodied LED that emits primarily UVA radiation peaking at 360nm.
An LED that emits UVA isn't exactly new, but this wavelength (360nm) is fairly uncommon.
The case is not epoxy; it's a special polymer that is high resistant to UV degradation, but still is very clear and reliable. The UV LED lifetime is equal to that of blue LEDs!



The Fox Group has begun mass-producing this lamp, so LEDs emitting in this wavelength range should be considerably easier to find these days. These lamps are sold under the name "FoxUV".

According to the supplied spec sheet, this information applies to these LEDs:
  • Deep UV wavelength, highly consistent
  • HVPE epitaxy process, patent protected, unique in the industry
  • UV lamps for industrial curing applications and medical/biomedical uses


Beam photograph of this lamp at ~3 inches.

Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of this 360nm UV LED.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of a later sample (10-06-07) of this 360nm UV LED.
This time, I used an Ocean Optics PC2000-ISA spectrometer.


Spectrographic plot


Spectrographic plot
Same as above; newer spectrometer software & settings used.

Note the LED's spectral line halfwidth is unusually narrow for an LED; looks like less than 15nm to me.

That hump near 720nm in the very deep red region of the spectrum is the second-order reflection from the spectrometer grating, and may be disregarded.


Spectrographic plot
Same as above; different spectrometer & software used.

USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.


Unable to measure power output with the instruments at my disposal.







The Fox Group, 360nm 5mm UVA LED, $TBA
Received and tested on 06-13-05
 This is a 5mm water-clear epoxy bodied LED that emits primarily UVA radiation peaking at 360nm.
An LED that emits UVA isn't exactly new, but this wavelength (360nm) is fairly uncommon.

The Fox Group has begun mass-producing this lamp, so LEDs emitting in this wavelength range should be considerably easier to find these days. These lamps are sold under the name "FoxUV".

According to the supplied spec sheet, this information applies to these LEDs:
  • Deep UV wavelength, highly consistent
  • HVPE epitaxy process, patent protected, unique in the industry
  • UV lamps for industrial curing applications and medical/biomedical uses


Photograph of the LED itself in the test set.
The LED emits visible radiation that is significantly less intense than what is depicted in this photograph. The LED does not generate enough visible radiation for me to furnish a beam photograph, which is why you don't see one here.



Photograph of the LED's die, illuminated.
Light does not have that magenta color to it as depicted in this photograph.
The visible output is a dim whitish-lavender color, not bright magenta.
Beam angle is stated as 10-15°.

According to my unbelievably crude TDC Mark VII power measuring apparatus, this LED has an optical output of 0.315mW (315µW - µW=microwatts) at a forward current (If) of 20.52mA.

This power measuring apparatus consists of a solar cell, a DMM (with the solar cell connected and the meter set to read milliamps), and a mathematical formula that translates the meter reading to milliwatts of output power. The mathematical formula I used was:
(current in milliamps as shown on meter)*1239.7/360/0.97

*** VERY, VERY IMPORTANT!!! *** I don't know how well this solar cell responds to such short wavelengths, so the power measurement I took of this LED should be taken with plenty of crystalline sodium chloride (grains of salt).

UPDATE: 07-04-05
After operating for several hundred hours, the LED light's visible output has not changed significantly, but the visible color has shifted to a more purplish-white tint, instead of the bluish-purplish-white tint that unused LEDs from the same batch have.



The Fox Group, 460nm 5mm blue LED, $TBA
Received 06-13-05, tested 06-14-05
 This is a 5mm water-clear epoxy bodied LED that emits a narrower than usual peak wavelength of 460nm.

The peak wavelength is stated at 460nm with a tolerance of just +-1nm. It doesn't matter if you use just a couple of these or a whole truckload, each LED will look like the last. The industry calls this "repeatability"


Photograph of the LED's beam on the test target at ~12".
Measures 1,170mcd at a drive current of 20.52mA and a viewing angle of 15-20°.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of this LED.




The Fox Group, blue LED, 5mm, clear case
Received and tested on 04-06-04
 These LEDs aren't meant to be super brilliant "eye killers", they were meant to be used as pilot lights in all kinds of household appliances and automotive equipment. They can also be used in indoor message and sign boards. What sets these LEDs apart from other blue LEDs is that their peak wavelength is exceptionally stable, from LED to LED, and even from wafer to wafer. The peak wavelength stated for these LEDs is 460nm, give or take 1nm. Now that is a tight tolerance. My spectrometer does not work, otherwise I'd test these LEDs on that. Using my eyes, these LEDs look like they're emitting a 460nm light, and I do not at all doubt the claims.

These LEDs come in standard 5mm (T1 3/4) clear epoxy packages.


Measures 1,010mcd at a test current of 24.8mA, using a Meterman LM631 light meter and a Hosfelt LED tester on the 30mA receptacle. The viewing angle is listed at 20°. I do not have the equipment for measuring viewing angles, so please don't ask.
That "purply" hotspot in the center is caused by the camera, and does not at all appear in the LED's actual beam.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of this LED.

USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.




The Fox Group, blue LED, 3mm, diffused case
Received and tested on 04-06-04
 Again, these LEDs aren't meant to be eye-stabbingly bright, but are meant to be used as pilot lights in household appliances and automotive equipment. I believe these can be used in indoor sign boards too. Like the LED immediately above, the peak wavelength is stated at 460nm with a tolerance of just +-1nm. It doesn't matter if you use just a couple of these or a whole truckload, each LED will look like the last. The industry calls this "repeatability"

These LEDs come in standard 3mm (T1) diffused epoxy packages.


Measures 90mcd with a test current of 24.8mA, using the same instruments as the LED directly above. The viewing angle is listed at 20°. I do not have the equipment for measuring viewing angles, so please don't ask. This is a diffused lens LED, so it won't have as prominent a hotspot or edges as the LED above does.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of this LED.


Spectrographic plot
Same as above; newer spectrometer software & settings used.
Spectrometer's response in the NUV band widened to 370nm.

USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.









[[BEGIN SERMON MODE]]
When using the UV LEDs shown on this web page, I must emphasize, protect your eyeballs when using one of these LEDs. You only get one set of eyes - and if you wreck them, you can't just go down to the local 7-Eleven and buy a can of them.
Here is one simple way you can do this:

Most sunglasses and some prescription eyeglasses have some degree of UV protection already; to determine if yours do or not, aim the LED at something that clearly fluoresces (such as those neon green & orange stickers that occasionally show up on your mail, day-glow orange price tags, or painted portions of a blacklight poster), positioning the LED so the object in front of it glows (fluoresces) brightly from the ultraviolet light. Then put the glasses between the face of the LED and the target. If the glow stops or dims dramatically, the glasses are stopping the UV and you can use them as eye protection at least for short-term use.
However, if the glow remains or dims only slightly, look for another pair.

In any case, never look directly at the LED without eye protection - not even for a minute.

Symptoms of UV exposure may not appear immediately; they can be delayed by 30 minutes to several hours. They can include a burning or "sand in the eyes" sensation, and a hazy look around light bulbs and other bright objects. Mild cases are self-correcting within 24 to 36 hours; however if despite my warnings you still stared at the LED from close range for more than a few minutes, it might not be a bad idea to see an eye doctor and tell him you've been exposed to UVA radiation.

DISCLAIMER: I shall not be held responsible for any damage or loss of eyesight arising from your use or misuse of the information on this page. Thank you for listening.
[[END SERMON MODE]]








WHITE 5500-6500K InGaN+phosphor 
ULTRAVIOLET 370-390nm GaN 
BLUE 430nm GaN+SiC
BLUE 450 and 473nm InGaN
BLUE Silicon Carbide
TURQUOISE 495-505nm InGaN
GREEN 525nm InGaN 
YELLOW-GREEN 555-575mn GaAsP & related
YELLOW 585-595nm
AMBER 595-605nm
ORANGE 605-620nm
ORANGISH-RED 620-635nm
RED 640-700nm
INFRARED 700-1300nm
True RGB Full Color LED
Spider (Pirrahna) LEDs
SMD LEDs
True violet (400-418nm) LEDs
Agilent Barracuda & Prometheus LEDs
Oddball & Miscellaneous LEDs
Programmable RGB LED modules / fixtures
Where to buy these LEDs 
Links to other LED-related websites
The World's First Virtual LED Museum
The Punishment Zone - Where Flashlights Go to Die
Legal horse puckey, etc.
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