Evaluation Boards - LED Drivers

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
AL8400EV1 Zetex Semiconductors (Diodes Inc.)	BOARD LED DRIVER 150MA	0
RDK-355 Power Integrations	EVAL KIT 6W LED DRIVER	0
ZXLD1371EV4 Zetex Semiconductors (Diodes Inc.)	EVAL BRD FOR ZXLD1371 LED DRIVER	0
MAX1698EVKIT Maxim Integrated	EVALUATION KIT FOR MAX1698	13
ISL78171EVAL1Z Intersil (Renesas Electronics America)	EVAL BOARD 1 ISL78171EVAL1Z	0
NCL30073LED2GEVB Sanyo Semiconductor/ON Semiconductor	EVAL BOARD NCL30073LED2	0
ADP8860DBCP-EVALZ Analog Devices, Inc.	BOARD DAUGHTER ADP8860ACPZ	1
TPS92682EVM-070 Texas Instruments	TPS92682-Q1 CC2 CHANNEL LED DRIV	1
ASL5015EVBMST NXP Semiconductors	ASL5015EVBMST	0
MAX1576EVKIT Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT MAX1576 (480MA WHITE LE	6
NCL30073LED1GEVB Sanyo Semiconductor/ON Semiconductor	EVAL BOARD NCL30073LED1	0
ADM8843EB-EVALZ Analog Devices, Inc.	BOARD EVAL ADM8843	1
MAX16839EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	KIT EVAL FOR MAX16839	15
SSL2101DB07,598 NXP Semiconductors	EVAL BOARD FOR SSL2101	7
EVALHVLED815W10 STMicroelectronics	BOARD EVAL FOR LED815	0
DC880A Analog Devices, Inc.	LTC3209EUF-2 DEMO BOARD	0
EVB_RT7310GE_01 Richtek	EVAL MODULE FOR RT7310GE	0
ISL97632IRTZ-EVALZ Intersil (Renesas Electronics America)	EVAL BOARD FOR ISL97632IRTZ	0
DC2404A Analog Devices, Inc.	LT3942 DEMO BOARD 14V, 1A LED S	5
MAX6964EVCMAXQUSB Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT MAX6964 (17-OUTPUT LED	0

Evaluation Boards - LED Drivers

1. Overview

Evaluation Boards for LED Drivers are specialized hardware platforms designed to test, validate, and develop lighting control systems. These boards provide engineers with a controlled environment to assess driver performance, thermal management, and compatibility with various LED configurations. As solid-state lighting dominates modern applications, these evaluation tools accelerate innovation in energy efficiency, smart lighting, and dynamic color control across industries.

2. Major Types & Functional Classification

Type	Functional Features	Application Examples
Constant Current Drivers	Maintain stable output current regardless of voltage fluctuations	High-brightness LED streetlights, industrial lighting
Constant Voltage Drivers	Provide fixed voltage with variable current control	LED strips, automotive interior lighting
PWM Dimming Controllers	Use pulse-width modulation for precise brightness control	Architectural lighting, display backlighting
Digital Addressable Controllers	Support protocols like DALI, DMX512 for individual LED control	Smart building systems, stage lighting

3. Structure & Composition

Typical evaluation boards integrate:

PCB substrate with thermal vias for heat dissipation
LED array interfaces (commonly 1 N or matrix configurations)
Driver ICs with protection circuits (overvoltage, overtemperature)
Power management modules (AC/DC, DC/DC converters)
Communication interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART)
Onboard sensors for light output measurement
Debugging headers (JTAG, SWD) for firmware development

4. Key Technical Specifications

Parameter	Importance
Output Current Range (mA)	Determines LED brightness capability
Voltage Compliance Range (V)	Affects compatibility with different LED strings
Dimming Resolution (bits)	Defines granularity of light control
Switching Frequency (kHz)	Influences EMI and efficiency
Thermal Shutdown Threshold ( C)	Ensures reliability under stress conditions
Communication Protocol Support	Enables system integration capabilities

5. Application Fields

Primary industries include:

General Lighting: Smart home systems, commercial lighting
Automotive: Adaptive front-lighting systems, interior ambiance
Industrial: Machine vision systems, hazardous area lighting
Consumer Electronics: TV backlighting, gaming peripherals
Medical: Surgical lighting, phototherapy devices

6. Leading Manufacturers & Products

Manufacturer	Representative Product	Key Features
TI (Texas Instruments)	LM3466EVM	Constant current driver with thermal fold-back
STMicroelectronics	STEVAL-ILL011V1	Digital dimming with 16-bit resolution
ON Semiconductor	NCL30160LEDGEVB	PWM dimming down to 0.1%
Microchip	CL88EVB	High-voltage AC/DC conversion
NXP Semiconductors	PCA9901BDB	DALI protocol support

7. Selection Guidelines

Key considerations:

Match output specifications to target LED requirements
Verify dimming method compatibility (PWM vs analog)
Assess communication protocol needs (e.g., Bluetooth mesh)
Evaluate thermal management capabilities
Check software ecosystem maturity
Consider cost vs feature balance

8. Industry Trends

Future development focuses on:

Higher integration with MCU and wireless SoC solutions
Adaptive control using AI/ML algorithms
Advancements in GaN/SiC semiconductor integration
Expansion of IoT-enabled lighting systems
Standardization of energy efficiency regulations (e.g., DOE)