Packaging of light emitting diodes for display backlights: Need for multi-disciplinary design tools

This paper discusses the modelling tools used to predict the performance of a liquid crystal display using an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) as the backlight. LEDs can provide a number of benefits such as adaptive light control, reduced form factor and other novel techniques to ultimately improve the performance of the display. Some of the design challenges in adopting LEDs are to fully understand their effect on the thermal management, reliability, optical and viewability performance of the display. For the display designer this requires integrated modelling and analysis tools. The paper describes the current modelling efforts underway in this multi-disciplinary UK funded project that aims at identifying the intricate relationships between the optical, thermal and mechanical behaviour when developing a ruggedized electronic display using an array of LEDs as the backlight.