IEC 60747-5-11:2019

Semiconductor devices - Part 5-11: Optoelectronic devices - Light emitting diodes - Test method of radiative and nonradiative currents of light emitting diodes

IEC 60747-5-11:2019(E) specifies the measuring methods of radiative and nonradiative currents of single light emitting diode (LED) chips or packages without phosphor. White LEDs for lighting applications are out of the scope of this document. This document utilizes the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) as a function of current, whose measurement methods are discussed in other documents.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 10-Dec-2019
• ICS: 31.080.99 - Other semiconductor devices
• Technical Committee: SC 47E - Discrete semiconductor devices
• Drafting Committee: WG 9 - TC 47/SC 47E/WG 9
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 11-Dec-2019
• Completion Date: 02-Jan-2020

Overview

IEC 60747-5-11:2019 defines a standardized test method for measuring radiative and nonradiative currents in single light emitting diode (LED) chips or packages without phosphor. Focused on optoelectronic devices, this IEC standard provides a clear procedure to separate the electrical current consumed by radiative recombination from the current lost to nonradiative processes. White LEDs with phosphor (lighting applications) are explicitly out of scope. The standard relies on the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) as a function of current, with IQE measurement methods referenced in other IEC documents.

Key Topics

• Scope and applicability: Single LED chips or packages without phosphor; excludes white phosphor-converted LEDs.
• Fundamental definitions: Radiative current (Irad), nonradiative current (Inonrad), total forward current (IF), and internal quantum efficiency (IQE).
• Measurement principle:
  • Radiative current is computed as Irad = IQE × IF.
  • Nonradiative current is computed as Inonrad = IF − Irad.
• Measurement conditions: Ambient temperature default (25 ± 3) °C, relative humidity 45–85 % RH, and requirements to ensure thermal equilibrium during measurements.
• Instruments and procedures: Equipment and measurement instruments follow requirements in IEC 60747-5-6:2016; IQE measurement references include IEC 60747-5-9 and IEC 60747-5-10.
• Reporting: Test reports should document measured IQE, radiative and nonradiative currents, forward voltage, test conditions and sequence (see Table A.1 and Annex A for an example).

Applications

IEC 60747-5-11:2019 is practical for:

• LED manufacturers verifying device performance, efficiency and loss mechanisms.
• Test laboratories performing standardized LED characterization and QA.
• R&D teams analyzing recombination processes, device physics and IQE behavior vs current.
• Reliability and quality engineers monitoring power dissipation split between radiative and nonradiative channels.
• Specification writers and procurement teams needing reproducible, traceable LED performance data.

The standard supports better design decisions (e.g., reducing nonradiative losses), accurate efficiency reporting, and consistent comparisons between LED devices.

Related Standards

• IEC 60747-5-6:2016 - measurement instruments and general LED test methods (referenced for equipment).
• IEC 60747-5-9 and IEC 60747-5-10 - referenced for IQE measurement methods used as input to this standard.
• Other parts of the IEC 60747 series covering semiconductor and optoelectronic device definitions.

Keywords: IEC 60747-5-11:2019, radiative and nonradiative currents, IQE, LED test method, optoelectronic devices, light emitting diodes, LED characterization.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 60747-5-11 ®
Edition 1.0 2019-12
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Semiconductor devices –
Part 5-11: Optoelectronic devices – Light emitting diodes – Test method of
radiative and nonradiative currents of light emitting diodes
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IEC 60747-5-11 ®
Edition 1.0 2019-12
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Semiconductor devices –
Part 5-11: Optoelectronic devices – Light emitting diodes – Test method of

radiative and nonradiative currents of light emitting diodes

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 31.080.99 ISBN 978-2-8322-7657-0

– 2 – IEC 60747-5-11:2019 © IEC:2019
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms . 5
3.1 Terms and definitions . 5
3.2 Abbreviated terms . 6
4 Measuring methods . 7
4.1 Basic requirements . 7
4.1.1 Measuring conditions . 7
4.1.2 Measuring instruments and equipment . 7
4.2 Radiative current (I ) measurement . 7
rad
4.2.1 Purpose . 7
4.2.2 Measurement procedure . 7
4.3 Nonradiative current (I ) measurement . 7
nonrad
4.3.1 Purpose . 7
4.3.2 Measurement procedure . 7
4.4 Measurement sequence . 8
5 Test report . 8
Annex A (informative) Test example. 9
Annex B (informative) Background information . 12
Bibliography . 13

Figure 1 – Sequence of the radiative and nonradiative current measurements . 8
Figure A.1 – IQE and forward voltage as a function of forward current . 9
Figure A.2 – Radiative current and forward voltage as a function of forward current . 10
Figure A.3 – Nonradiative current and forward voltage as a function of forward current . 10
Figure A.4 – Total forward current, radiative current, and nonradiative current plotted
as a function of forward voltage . 11

Table A.1 – Summary of test report . 11

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES –
Part 5-11: Optoelectronic devices – Light emitting diodes –
Test method of radiative and nonradiative currents
of light emitting diodes
FOREWORD
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International Standard IEC 60747-5-11 has been prepared by subcommittee 47E: Discrete
semiconductor devices, of IEC technical committee 47: Semiconductor devices.
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
CDV Report on voting
47E/653/CDV 47E/678/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this International Standard can be found in
the report on voting indicated in the above table.
This document has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

– 4 – IEC 60747-5-11:2019 © IEC:2019
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SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES –
Part 5-11: Optoelectronic devices – Light emitting diodes –
Test method of radiative and nonradiative currents
of light emitting diodes
1 Scope
This part of IEC 60747 specifies the measuring methods of radiative and nonradiative currents
of single light emitting diode (LED) chips or packages without phosphor. White LEDs for
lighting applications are out of the scope of this document.
...