Method of manufacturing ceramic LED packages

• US 20060094137A1
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LED Engin, Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: Ledengin, Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Yan, Xiantao
• Granted Patent: US 7,670,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/21
• 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: H01L 33/486 adapted for surface mounting

Abstract

Methods of forming LED packages and light emitting devices are provided. LED packages and light emitting devices are preferably formed from ceramic layers, such as AlN, though layers of non-ceramic materials can also be used. The layers are formed to include vias, apertures, and metallization layers. The layers are then bonded together to form a panel. The panel is scribed to form a grid of snap lines and then the panel is fractured along the snap lines. To form light emitting devices from the panel, LED dies are added and encapsulated before the panel is fractured.

Claims

1. A method for forming an LED package, the method comprising:

forming a panel including

forming a top layer, an intermediate body layer, and a thermally conducting layer, and

bonding the intermediate body layer between the top and thermally conducting layers;

defining a grid on a surface of the panel; and

separating the LED package from the panel by breaking the panel along lines of the grid.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the thermally conducting layer includes preparing a sheet of AlN.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the thermally conducting layer includes forming a sheet with a square array of vias disposed therethrough.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the thermally conducting layer includes forming a metallization pattern on a top surface of the thermally conducting layer, and bonding the intermediate body layer between the top and thermally conducting layers includes bonding the intermediate body layer to the top surface of the thermally conducting layer.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein forming the thermally conducting layer further includes forming a metallization pattern on a bottom surface of the thermally conducting layer opposite the top layer thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the intermediate body layer includes preparing a sheet of AlN.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the intermediate body layer includes forming a sheet with a square array of vias disposed therethrough and an aperture disposed within each square defined by the array.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the top body layer includes preparing a sheet of AlN.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the top body layer includes forming a sheet with a square array of vias disposed therethrough and an aperture disposed within each square defined by the array.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the aperture within each square has an inclined sidewall.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein forming the top body layer further includes metallizing a sidewall of the aperture within each square.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein forming the top body layer further includes forming a metallization pattern on a top surface of the top body layer, and bonding the intermediate body layer between the top and thermally conducting layers includes bonding the intermediate body layer to a bottom surface of the top body layer, the bottom surface being opposite the top surface thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein bonding the intermediate body layer between the top and thermally conducting layers includes co-firing.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein bonding the intermediate body layer between the top and thermally conducting layers includes aligning a square array of vias defined in each layer.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein bonding the intermediate body layer between the top and thermally conducting layers includes applying an adhesive between two of the layers.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the intermediate body layer includes forming a metal sheet with a square array of vias disposed therethrough and an aperture disposed within each square defined by the array, and bonding the intermediate body layer between the top and thermally conducting layers includes applying an electrically insulating adhesive between the intermediate body layer and the thermally conducting layer.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein defining the grid on the surface of the panel includes scribing snap lines on the surface of the panel.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the top, intermediate body, or thermally conducting layers is a non-ceramic layer, and forming the non-ceramic layer includes defining a grid thereon.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein defining the grid on the surface of the panel includes aligning the grid on the surface of the panel with the grid defined on the non-ceramic layer.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the panel includes forming a square array of vias disposed therethrough.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein defining the grid on the surface of the panel includes scribing snap lines on the surface of the panel that intersect the vias.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising plating metal into the vias.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the panel further includes forming an alignment layer and bonding the alignment layer to the top layer opposite the intermediate layer.

24. A method for forming a light emitting device, the method comprising:

forming a panel having a square array of vias disposed therethrough and a cavity disposed within each square defined by the array;

defining a grid on a surface of the panel;

bonding an LED die to a floor of each cavity; and

separating the light emitting device from the panel by breaking the panel along lines of the grid.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising encapsulating each LED die.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein encapsulating each LED die includes forming a thermally insulating layer over each LED die, and forming a luminescent layer over each thermally insulating layer.

27. The method of claim 24 further comprising forming a lens over the LED die.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein forming the lens includes injection molding.