# Cree's latest XM-L competition killer



## Curt R (May 21, 2010)

Preliminary overview of the Cree XLamp XM-L LED from general information released at Light Fair 2010. 

The XM-L LED is built on the XP-C/E/G format style in a slightly larger size. The outside dimensions are 
5.0 mm by 5.0 mm as apposed to the XP size of 4.0 mm by 4.0 mm. The die size is 2.0 mm by 2.0 mm 
with 5 internal bars surrounded by a border in witch the bonding wires are attached. The XP-G has 4 bars
and the XP-C/E has 3 internal bars with the same border attachment points. The substrate thickness 
should be the same as the smaller LEDs in the family. 

Output is stated to be 160 Lumens at 350 mA current at 2.86 volts. And at 2 Amps the output is 750 
Lumens at 3.4 volts or 110 Lumens per watt. Since the XP-G current was raised to 1.5 Amps from 1 Amp,
it will be safe to assume that the current input limit for the XM-L will be at least 2.5 Amps for an output
of 900 Lumens. Actual current limit may be slightly higher depending on the number and/or size of the 
bonding wires. At 2 degrees C per watt the thermal efficiency is very good; however the power limit may
also be restricted by the very small footprint that concentrates the heat in a restricted area. Good
thermal management design of the flashlight heat sink will be required for higher outputs. 

The output should work well with most solid optics and with reflectors that work with the XP-E/G LEDs,
the Seoul P4 and the older Lux III/K2 LEDs. The output angle will most likely be slightly greater than
that of the smaller die LEDs. The difference will be made up by the increased output of the XM-L vs.
that of the XP-G LED, so the throw may be the same with more side spill at the same drive levels. At
one Amp the output is 430 vs. 350 Lumens and at 1.5 Amps it is 610 vs. 460 Lumens. 

Peak LED Solutions 27 Dec 2009

Optics test: XP-G R4 bench power supply 2.8 volts .13 amp drive 
12 Lux bare bulb output at 1 meter:

Dia x Height ____Optic type________ Lux output____ Ratio 

.395 x .274___ Ledil Lisa 2-M__________ 88 _______7.33
.430 x .280 ___Ledil Lisa Dragon______ 111_______ 9.25
.460 x .395___ Dialight Narrow________ 118_______ 9.83

.550 x .245___ IMS 13 mm reflector___ 180_______ 15.00
.584 x .334___ Ledil Genna Medium____ 172______ 14.33
.584 x .364___ Ledil Genna Narrow____ 292 ______ 24.33

.637 x .386___ Ledil Tina M___________ 82________ 6.83
.637 x .386___ Ledil Tina RS__________ 355______ 29.58
.650 x .400___ IMS 17 mm reflector____ 347______ 28.91

.694 x .425___ Khatod 17 mm reflector __ 330____ 27.50

.778 x .400___ Dialight OP 005________ 450______ 37.50
.780 x .410___ Fraen FLP LLK20R______ 454______ 37.83
.780 x .457___ Carclo 10193__________ 575______ 47.92
.785 x .240___ Carclo 10507 (3 LED)___ 158 each__ 13.16
.805 x .575___ IMS 20 mm reflector____ 600______ 50.00
.812 x .635___ Khatod 20 mm reflector__ 430 _____ 35.83

.845 x .580 ___ Ledil LXP RS__________ 670______ 55.83
.846 x .415___ Dialight OPC1-1-spot ___ 465______ 38.75

1.000 x .450__ Khatod (4 LED)_______ 148 each__ 12.33
1.020 x .450__ Modified K2 optic_______ 760_____ 63.33
1.040 x .525__ Carclo 10391__________ 715_____ 59.58
1.045 x .525__ Carclo 10003__________ 645_____ 53.75
1.045 x .525__ Carclo 10048__________ 870_____ 72.50
1.050 x .880__ KD 7702 reflector______ 930______ 77.50
1.090 x .630__ Khatod 26 mm reflector__ 900_____ 75.00
1.095 x .970__ KD 6810 reflector______ 1250_____ 104.17
1.100 x .665__ IMS 26 mm reflector_____ 900_____ 75.00

1.375 x .880__ KD 7676 reflector_______ 630______ 52.50
1.376 x .500__ Cute 3-SS-XP (3 LED)___ 193 each__ 16.08
1.380 x .350__ GT4-XP-S (4 LED)______ 124 each__ 10.33
1.385 x .465__ Khatod (3 LED)_________ 325 each__ 27.08

1.460 x .700__ Seconix ACL-001_______ 1350_____ 112.50
1.460 x .700__ Seconix ACL-002_______ 1700 _____ 141.67

1.65 x 1.22___ KD 6948 reflector_______ 1300_____ 108.33
1.65 x 1.52___ KD 6537 reflector_______ 1000______ 83.33
1.65 x 1.53___ KD 6537 reflector_______ 1470_____ 122.50

1.97 x .760___ Ledil (3 LED)___________ 740 each___ 61.67
2.07 x 1.17___ KD 6508 reflector_______ 1900______ 158.33

2.28 x 1.3____ Phoenix reflector________ 4220______ 352
2.36 x .470___ Carclo 10144___________ 3900______ 325

Test numbers are subject to tolerance changes but give a good comparison of one to another in 
the same size range. XM-L numbers will be slightly less as to the ratio of Lux input to Lux output. Optics 
that are designed to locate the XP series will not work with the larger XM LED. The above list is a ratio 
of Lux input to Lux output and will also be the same ratio for Candela. Lumen output of the LED is not 
a part of this ratio output list. 

The XM-L LED has sealed the fate of the Cree XR and MC LEDs and the Seoul P7 LED. They will be obsolete as the XP series killed the Luxeon III and K2. 


Curt


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## saabluster (May 21, 2010)

We already had a thread going on this emitter. Anyway thanks for posting the info for the rest of us who couldn't make it there. 2x2 sounds excellent. Much better than the 2.25x2.25 I thought it was. As nice as it is, and although I agree it does away with the usefulness of the MC-E in most applications, it still does not appear that the XM will best the XR or XP-E in surface brightness. We need more work in this area.


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## Curt R (May 21, 2010)

OOPS

Maybe a mod could move this into the other thread?

Curt


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## Rooster_au (May 31, 2010)

A Jetbeam RRT-0 with a Cree XM-L would result a perfect light. I would be the first person to buy such a light without asking about the price.


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## Tobias Bossert (Sep 6, 2010)

Curt,
thanks for so much data.
There is a small mistake in the data set: Carclo 10003 isn't 26mm optics, it's from 20mm series.
I'm interested in how you managed the adjustment of the optics. I experienced that the tolerances of carclo holders and starboards on the market are too high to use the plain tight without further manual adjustment.
With 20mm series, the TIR fits very well into the holder, but if you turn holder with optic by 180°, you get a different beam!
This unaccuracy sometimes is strong enough to get a narrow circular spot (TIR part) and a wider square area (lens part, die image) not being centered to one another.
With 26mm series, additionally the optic has some clearance inside the holder.

You measure the peak intensity at 1m, how did you managed this?

Depending upon the accidental adjustment I found this peak intensity to variate dramatically. Therefore I prefere to measure integratively with an integration area covering at least a full width angle of 2deg. For all non-spot TIR I use an integration area covering about full width angle of even 5deg to eliminate fine structure sometimes appearing with rippled surfaces.

Again, thanks for sharing your results!
Tobias


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## luxrc (Sep 9, 2010)

the XP size is 3.45 x 3.45. 5 x 5 is a way bigger. the XP optics won't fit


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