Photo-radiation source

• US 20050212406A1
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Articulated Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Articulated Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Nelson, Gregory Victor, Daniels, John James
• Granted Patent: US 7,294,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 313/503
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/90 Methods of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/6582 Special processing for irreversibly adding or changing the sheet copy material characteristics or its appearance, e.g. stamping, annotation printing, punching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent

Abstract

A photo-radiation source for the selective polymerization of photo-radiation-curable organic material. In a first embodiment, a first electrode is provided with a second electrode disposed adjacent to the first electrode, and defining a gap therebetween. A photo-radiation emission layer is disposed in the gap. The photo-radiation emission layer includes a charge-transport matrix material and an emissive particulate dispersed within the charge-transport matrix material. The emissive particulate receives electrical energy through the charge-transport matrix material applied as a voltage to the first electrode and the second electrode photo-radiation. The emissive particulate generates photo-radiation in response to the applied voltage. This photo-radiation is effective for the selective polymerization of photo-radiation curable organic material. In a second embodiment, a plurality of light emitting diode chips generate a photo-radiation spectrum effective for the selective polymerization of photo-radiation-curable organic material. Each chip has an anode and a cathode. A first electrode is in contact with each anode of the respective light emitting diode chips. A second electrode is in contact with each cathode of the respective light emitting diode chips. At least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a transparent conductor. The plurality of chips are permanently fixed in a formation by being squeezed between the first electrode and the second electrode without the use of solder or wiring bonding. The plurality of chips can be permanently fixed in a formation by being adhered to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode using a conductive adhesive. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, ultra-high chip packing density is obtained without the need for solder or wiring bonding each individual chip.

Claims

1. A photo-radiation source for the selective polymerization of photo-radiation-curable organic material, comprising:

A first electrode;

A second electrode disposed adjacent to the first electrode and defining a gap therebetween; and

A photo-radiation emission layer disposed in the gap, the photo-radiation emission layer comprising a charge-transport matrix material and an emissive particulate dispersed within the charge-transport matrix material, the emissive particulate receiving electrical energy through the charge-transport matrix material applied as a voltage to the first electrode and the second electrode photo-radiation, the emissive particulate generating photo-radiation in response to the applied voltage, said photo-radiation being effective for the selective polymerization of photo-radiation curable organic material.

2. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the charge-transport matrix material comprises an ionic transport material.

3. A photo-radiation source according to claim 2;

wherein the ionic transport material comprises an electrolyte.

4. A photo-radiation source according to claim 3;

wherein the electrolyte is a solid polymer electrolyte.

5. A photo-radiation source according to claim 4;

where the solid polymer electrolyte comprises a polymer electrolyte including at least one of a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene oxide, and a polyethylene sulfide.

6. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the charge-transport matrix material comprises an intrinsically conductive polymer.

7. A photo-radiation source according to claim 6;

wherein the intrinsically conductive polymer comprises aromatic repeat units in a polymer backbone.

8. A photo-radiation source according to claim 6;

wherein the intrinsically conductive polymer comprises a polythiophene.

9. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the charge-transport matrix material is transparent to photo-radiation in a photo-radiation spectrum effective for the selective polymerization of photo-radiation-curable organic material.

10. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the photo-radiation spectrum comprises a range between and including UV and blue light.

11. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the photo-radiation spectrum comprises a range between and including 365 and 405 nm.

12. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the photo-radiation spectrum comprises a range including 420 nm.

13. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is transparent to photo-radiation in a photo-radiation spectrum effective for the selective polymerization of photo-radiation-curable organic material.

14. A photo-radiation source according to claim 8;

wherein the photo-radiation spectrum comprises a range between and including UV and blue light.

15. A photo-radiation source according to claim 8;

wherein the photo-radiation spectrum comprises a range between and including 365 and 405 nm.

16. A photo-radiation source according to claim 8;

wherein the photo-radiation spectrum comprises a range including 420 nm.

17. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are planar and disposed on flexible substrates.

18. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the charge transport material is effective for transporting electrical charges to the emissive particulate when a voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode, said charges being effective for causing the emission of photo-radiation from the emissive particulate, said photo-radiation being effective for the selective polymerization of photo-radiation-curable organic material.

19. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the emissive particulate are capable of emitting photo-radiation in a photo-radiation spectrum effective for the selective polymerization of photo-radiation-curable organic material.

20. A photo-radiation source according to claim 14;

wherein the photo-radiation spectrum comprises a range between and including UV and blue light.

21. A photo-radiation source according to claim 14;

wherein the photo-radiation spectrum comprises a range between and including 365 and 405 nm.

22. A photo-radiation source according to claim 14;

wherein the photo-radiation spectrum comprises a range including 420 nm.

23. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein one of the first and the second electrode is transparent to at least of portion of photo-radiation emitted by the emissive particulate and the other of the first and the second electrode is reflective of said at least a portion of the photo-radiation emitted by the emissive particulate.

24. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the emissive particulate comprises a semiconductor material.

25. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the emissive particulate comprises at least one of an organic and an inorganic multilayered semiconductor particulate.

26. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the semiconductor particulate comprises at least one of an organic and an inorganic semiconductor.

27. A photo-radiation source according to claim 1;

wherein the semiconductor particulate comprises an organic light active particulate including at least one conjugated polymer, said at least one conjugated polymer having a sufficiently low concentration of extrinsic charge carriers so that on applying an electric field between the first and second contact layers to the semiconductor particulate through the conductive carrier material the second contact layer becomes positive relative to the first contact layer and charge carriers of said first and second types are injected into the semiconductor particulate and combine to form in the conjugated polymer charge carrier pairs which decay radiatively so that radiation is emitted from the conjugated polymer.

28. A photo-radiation source according to claim 27;

wherein the organic light active particulate comprises particles including at least one of hole transport material, organic emitters, and electron transport material.

29. A photo-radiation source according to claim 27;

wherein the organic light active particulate comprises particles including a polymer blend, the polymer blend including an organic emitter blended with at least one of a hole transport material, an electron transport material and a blocking material.

30. A photo-radiation source according to claim 29;

wherein the organic light active particulate comprises microcapsules including a polymer shell encapsulating an internal phase comprised of a polymer blend including an organic emitter blended with at least one of a hole transport material, an electron transport material and a blocking material.

31. A photo-radiation source according to claim 29;

wherein the conductive carrier material comprises a binder material with one or more characteristic controlling additives.

32. A photo-radiation source according to claim 31;

wherein the characteristic controlling additives are at least one of a particulate and a fluid include a desiccant;

a conductive phase, a semiconductor phase, an insulative phase, a mechanical strength enhancing phase, an adhesive enhancing phase, a hole injecting material, an electron injecting material, a low work metal, a blocking material, and an emission enhancing material.

33. A photo-radiation source for the selective polymerization of photo-radiation-curable organic material, comprising:

a plurality of light emitting diode chips for generating a photo-radiation spectrum effective for the selective polymerization of photo-radiation-curable organic material, each chip having an anode and a cathode;

a first electrode in contact with each anode of the respective light emitting diode chips; and

a second electrode in contact with each cathode of the respective light emitting diode chips, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a transparent conductor.

34. A photo-radiation source according to claim 33;

wherein the plurality of chips are permanently fixed in a formation by being squeezed between the first electrode and the second electrode without the use of solder or wiring bonding.

35. A photo-radiation source according to claim 33;

wherein the plurality of chips are permanently fixed in a formation by being adhered to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode using an intrinsically conjugated polymer.

36. A photo-radiation source according to claim 35;

wherein the intrinsically conjugated polymer comprises a benzene derivative.

37. A photo-radiation source according to claim 35;

wherein the intrinsically conjugated polymer comprises a polythiophene.

38. A photo-radiation source according to claim 33;

wherein the photo-radiation spectrum comprises a range between and including UV and blue light.

39. A photo-radiation source according to claim 33;

wherein the photo-radiation spectrum comprises a range between and including 365 and 405 nm.

40. A photo-radiation source according to claim 33;

wherein the photo-radiation spectrum comprises a range including 420 nm.

41. A photo-radiation source according to claim 33;

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are planar and flexible and are disposed on flexible substrates.

42. A photo-radiation source according to claim 41;

wherein the flexible substrates a shaped into an optical geometry effective for controlling light emitted from the plurality of light emitting diode chips.

43. A photo-radiation source according to claim 42;

wherein at least one of the flexible substrates includes a first optical system associated with it for controlling light emitted from the plurality of light emitting diode chips.

44. A photo-radiation source according to claim 42;

further comprising a second optical system disposed adjacent to one of the substrates for controlling light emitted from the plurality of light emitting diode chips.

45. A photo-radiation source according to claim 33;

further comprising an optical system for controlling light emitted from the plurality of light emitting diode chips.

47. A method of making a photo-radiation source according to claim 38;

wherein at least one of the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode is transparent.

48. A method of making a photo-radiation source according to claim 38;

wherein the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode are bound together by an adhesive disposed between the first and second electrode.

49. A method of making a photo-radiation source according to claim 38;

wherein formation of light emitting chips are fixed to at least one of the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode by a binder material.

50. A method of making a photo-radiation source according to claim 41;

wherein the binder material comprises an intrinsically conductive polymer.

51. A method of making a photo-radiation source according to claim 41;

wherein the first planar electrode and the second planar electrode are bound together by the binder material that fixes the formation of light emitting chips.

46. A method of making a photo-radiation source comprising the steps of:

providing a first planar conductor;

disposing a formation of light emitting chips on the first planar conductor, each chip having a cathode and an anode, one of the cathode and anode of each chip being in contact with the first planar conductor;

disposing a second planar conductor on top formation of light emitting chips so that the second planar conductor is in contact with the other of the cathode and anode of each chip;

binding the first planar conductor to the second planar conductor to permanently maintain the formation of light emitting chips without the use of solder or wiring bonding for making an electrical and mechanical contact between the chips and either of the first planar conductor and the second planar conductor.