LED apparatuses and methods

• US 10,453,827 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creeled Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hussell, Christopher P., Dillon, Alan Wellford, Andrews, Peter Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Mandala, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US15/993,540
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48111 the wire connector extending above another semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73253 Bump and layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0033 relating to semiconductor body packages
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/005 relating to encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0058 relating to optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0066 relating to arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0083 Periodic patterns for optical field-shaping in or on the semiconductor body or semiconductor body package, e.g. photonic bandgap structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/48 characterised by the semiconductor body packages
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/52 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/62 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls

Abstract

Light emitting diode (LED) devices and systems include a superstrate (e.g., a light-transmissive layer), LEDs attached to the superstrate at a die-attach layer formed thereon, and an encapsulant layer formed over and/or around the LEDs with a non-reflective or clear material. A method for producing LED devices and systems includes providing a superstrate with a die-attach layer formed thereon, attaching LEDs to the superstrate at the die-attach layer, forming conductive surfaces on a side of the LED opposite the die-attach layer, dispensing an encapsulant layer to at least partially encapsulate the LEDs, and forming one or more metal traces to electrically interconnect the conductive surfaces of at least some of the LEDs with each other.

Claims

1. A method of producing a light-emitting diode (LED) apparatus, comprising:

providing a light-transmissive layer;

applying a die-attach layer to the light-transmissive layer;

after applying the die-attach layer to the light-transmissive layer, attaching one or more LED to the die-attach layer;

applying electrically conductive elements to electrical contact surfaces of the one or more LED;

after applying the electrically conductive elements, applying an electrically insulating encapsulant layer to the one or more LED; and

planarizing a portion of the encapsulant layer to expose at least a portion of the electrically conductive elements and/or applying one or more layers of electrical traces over the electrically conductive elements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the encapsulant layer comprises an opaque layer formed of a dark, white, and/or black material.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the encapsulant layer comprises a layer of clear, translucent, and/or diffuse material.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising a plurality of LEDs.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of LEDs comprise red-green-blue (RGB) arrays.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

providing a microstructure pattern on an outer surface of the light-transmissive layer; and

/or

applying a patterned material on a light-emitting surface of one or more LEDs adjacent to the die-attach layer.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising applying a solder mask to at least a portion of outermost electrical traces of the one or more layers of electrical traces.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a first electrical trace between the light-transmissive layer and the one or more LED.

9. A light emitting diode (LED) apparatus, comprising:

a light-transmissive layer;

a die-attach layer disposed on the light-transmissive layer; and

one or more LED disposed on the die-attach layer;

wherein the LED apparatus is devoid of a substrate, and

wherein the one or more LED is disposed on the die-attach layer such that a light-transmitting surface of the one or more LED is in contact with the die-attach layer,

wherein the light-transmissive layer comprises a microstructure design on an outer surface of the light-transmissive layer.

10. The LED apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an encapsulant layer disposed around and between the one or more LED, wherein the encapsulant layer comprises an electrically-insulating material.

11. The LED apparatus of claim 10, wherein the encapsulant layer comprises an opaque layer formed of a dark, white, or black material.

12. The LED apparatus of claim 9, wherein one or more side surfaces of the LED apparatus are beveled.

13. The LED apparatus of claim 9, wherein the microstructure is patterned, and the pattern is aligned with the one or more LED.

14. The LED apparatus of claim 9, comprising a red-green-blue (RGB) color array.

15. The LED apparatus of claim 9, comprising one or more layers of electrical traces disposed on a bottom surface of the one or more LED, opposite the die-attach layer.

19. The LED apparatus of claim 9, comprising non-LED electronic components.

20. The LED apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of the one or more LED comprises a material applied on the light-emitting surface thereof, and wherein the material is disposed in a prescribed or random pattern formed by one or more of sapphire, metal, organic material, and inorganic material.

16. A light emitting diode (LED) apparatus, comprising:

a light-transmissive layer;

a die-attach layer disposed on the light-transmissive layer;

one or more LED disposed on the die-attach layer;

one or more layers of electrical traces disposed on a bottom surface of the one or more LED, opposite the die-attach layer; and

an electrically conductive element interposed between the one or more LED and a first layer of electrical traces.

17. The LED apparatus of claim 16, comprising a solder mask disposed on at least one of the one or more layers of electrical traces.

18. The LED apparatus of claim 16, wherein the one or more layers of electrical traces comprise multiple layers of electrical traces, which are interconnected across insulating layers by electrically conductive vias.

21. A substrate-free light emitting diode (LED) apparatus, comprising:

a light-transmissive layer;

a die-attach layer disposed on the light-transmissive layer;

one or more LED disposed on the die-attach layer such that a light-transmitting surface of the one or more LED is in contact with the die-attach layer;

an opaque encapsulant layer disposed around and between the LED;

a layer of electrical traces disposed on a bottom surface of the one or more LED, opposite the die-attach layer; and

a solder mask disposed over at least a portion of the layer of metal traces.