A recent breakthrough was made in LED lighting technology based on rare-earth luminescent material by a company in Southwest China's Chengdu, academicians with the Chinese Academy of Sciences recognized on June 16.

The newly-developed rare-earth luminescent powder, launched on May 26 by Sichuan Sunfor Light Ltd, can glow in accordance with alternating current (AC) frequencies, which makes up the stroboflash of semiconductor chips due to the alternation of current, thus solved the stroboflash problem of AC LED products, according to 10 academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"Different from the technologies trying to be adopted by foreign countries and Taiwan, this technological achievement opens up a brand new route for AC LED lighting," said one of the academicians.

Most of the LED manufacturers produce direct current (DC) products, which are free from the stroboflash problem but must be equipped with a converter to change the alternating current into a direct current. The converter not only increases costs but also shortens the lifespan of the LED products.

Many LED manufacturers, including lighting giants Philips and Osram, have been trying to develop LED products that directly use an alternating current and at the same time avoid the harmful stroboflash.

Sichuan Sunfor Light Ltd, founded only nine years ago, has creatively solved the problem by using rare-earth luminescent powder.

Compared with current LED products, the new AC LED products have a longer lifespan and are more energy efficient, said the academicians.

"The new products can last as long as 10 years, and they are 15 percent more energy efficient than direct current LED products," said Zhang Ming, president of Sichuan Sunfor Light Ltd.