LED PACKAGE WITH ENCAPSULATED CONVERGING OPTICAL ELEMENT

• US 20070257271A1
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Ouderkirk, Andrew, Leatherdale, Catherine
• Application Number:
  US11/381,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20070257271A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements

Abstract

The present application discloses a light source comprising an LED die having an emitting surface, a first optical element including a base, an apex, and a converging side joining the base and the apex, wherein the base is optically coupled to the emitting surface and a second optical element encapsulating the LED die and the first optical element. In one aspect, the base is no greater in size than the emitting surface. In a second aspect, the apex resides over the emitting surface. In a third aspect, the second optical element provides an increase in power extracted from the LED die as compared to the power extracted by first optical element alone. In a fourth aspect, the first optical element has a first index of refraction and the second optical element has a second index of refraction lower than the first index of refraction.

Claims

1. A light source, comprising:

an LED die having an emitting surface;

a first optical element including a base, an apex, and a converging side joining the base and the apex, wherein the base is optically coupled to and is no greater in size than the emitting surface, the first optical element having a first index of refraction; and

a second optical element encapsulating the LED die and the first optical element, the second optical element having a second index of refraction lower than the first index of refraction.

2. The light source of claim 1, wherein the light source has an extraction efficiency that is higher when compared to the same light source but without the second optical element.

3. The light source of claim 1, wherein the second optical element is dome-shaped.

4. The light source of claim 1, wherein the apex resides over the emitting surface.

5. The light source of claim 1, wherein the optical element is bonded to the LED die at the emitting surface.

6. The light source of claim 1, wherein the optical element is mechanically decoupled from the LED die.

7. The light source of claim 1, wherein the base and the emitting surface are substantially matched in size.

8. A light source, comprising:

an LED die having an emitting surface;

a first optical element including a base, an apex residing over the emitting surface, and a converging side joining the base and the apex, wherein the base is optically coupled to the emitting surface, the first optical element having a first index of refraction; and

a second optical element encapsulating the LED die and the first optical element, the second optical element having a second index of refraction lower than the first index of refraction.

9. The light source of claim 8, wherein the light source has an extraction efficiency that is higher when compared to the same light source but without the second optical element.

10. The light source of claim 8, wherein the second optical element is dome-shaped.

11. The light source of claim 8, wherein the optical element is bonded to the LED die at the emitting surface.

12. The light source of claim 8, wherein the optical element is mechanically decoupled from the LED die.

13. The light source of claim 8, wherein the base and the emitting surface are substantially matched in size.

14. A light source, comprising:

an LED die having an emitting surface;

a first optical element including a base, an apex, and a converging side joining the base and the apex, wherein the base is optically coupled to the emitting surface; and

a second optical element encapsulating the LED die and the first optical element, the second optical element providing an increase in power extracted from the LED die as compared to the power extracted by first optical element alone.

15. The light source of claim 14, wherein the light source has an extraction efficiency that is higher when compared to the same light source but without the second optical element.

16. The light source of claim 14, wherein the second optical element is dome-shaped.

17. The light source of claim 14, wherein the apex resides over the emitting surface.

18. The light source of claim 14, wherein the optical element is bonded to the LED die at the emitting surface.

19. The light source of claim 14, wherein the optical element is mechanically decoupled from the LED die.

20. The light source of claim 14, wherein the base is no greater in size than the emitting surface.