Announced at the US conference Strategies in Light, compound semiconductor firm Cree claims to have achieved 100 lumens per watt from a developmental white LED die.

The white LED is said to achieve 50 per cent wall-plug efficiency in a standard 5mm package.

"It was optimised for light extraction," said company spokeswoman Deb Lovig.

This figure is, crucially for Cree which is aiming at general lighting applications, well above the 60 lumen/W available from domestic fluorescent tubes.

It also claimed the best of its production 350mA white power LEDs now generate 60 lumens.

"It typically takes six to 12 months for the maximum to become typical in production," said Lovig.

www.cree.com