ARRAYS OF LIGHT EMITTING ARTICLES AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME

• US 20070176192A1
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Fletcher, Timothy, Lugg, Paul, Leatherdale, Catherine
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0028 refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0061 the light source comprising a LED semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission H01L33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0066 in the form of an LED array
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/153 in a repetitive configuration, e.g. LED bars
• 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 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements

Abstract

Light-emitting articles and methods of manufacturing such articles are disclosed. In one aspect, a light emitting article includes an optical element having an input and an output aperture, each having a size. An LED die having a size is optically coupled to the optical element. The output aperture size of the optical element matches the LED die size. In another aspect, an array of light-emitting articles includes an array of optical elements having a lapped input aperture surface, and an array of LED dies optically coupled to the optical elements at the input aperture. In another aspect, an array of light-emitting articles includes an array of optical elements, and an array of LED dies, each LED die having a size. Each LED die is optically coupled to an optical element at the input aperture. The output aperture size of the optical element is matched to the LED die size.

Claims

1. An array of light emitting articles, comprising:

an array of optical elements, each optical element having an input aperture, wherein the array of optical elements has a lapped input aperture surface; and

an array of LED dies, wherein each LED die is optically coupled to one or more optical elements at the input aperture.

2. The array of claim 1, wherein each optical element has an output aperture and wherein the output aperture is matched in size to the LED die.

3. The array of claim 2, wherein the size of the LED die and the size of the output aperture are both measured in one-dimension.

4. The array of claim 1, wherein each optical element is shaped as a taper.

5. The array of claim 1, wherein the array of optical elements is bonded to the array of LED dies.

6. The array of claim 1, further comprising a reflective polarizer in optical contact with the array of optical elements.

7. The array of claim 1, wherein the LED dies are rectangular in cross section.

8. An array of light emitting articles, comprising:

an array of optical elements, each optical element having an input aperture and an output aperture, each aperture having a size; and

an array of LED dies, each LED die having a size, wherein each LED die is optically coupled to one optical element at the input aperture and wherein the output aperture size of the optical element is matched to the LED die size.

9. The array of claim 8, wherein the LED die size and the output aperture size are both measured in one-dimension.

10. The array of claim 8, wherein each optical element is shaped as a taper.

11. The array of claim 8, wherein the array of optical elements has a lapped input aperture surface.

12. The array of claim 8, wherein the array of optical elements is bonded to the array of LED dies.

13. The array of claim 8, further comprising a reflective polarizer in optical contact with the array of optical elements.

14. The array of claim 8, wherein the LED dies have a rectangular cross section.

15. A light emitting article, comprising:

an optical element having an input aperture and an output aperture, each aperture having a size; and

an LED die optically coupled to the optical element, the LED die having an LED die size, and wherein the output aperture size of the optical element is matched to the LED die size.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein the LED die size and the output aperture size are both measured in one-dimension.

17. The article of claim 15, wherein the optical element is shaped as a taper.

18. The array of claim 15, wherein the array of optical elements is bonded to the array of LED dies.

19. The array of claim 15, further comprising a reflective polarizer in optical contact with the array of optical elements.

20. The array of claim 15, wherein the LED dies have a rectangular cross section.