TRANSMISSIVE OPTICAL ELEMENTS INCLUDING PHOSPHOR PATTERNS THEREIN

• US 20110210360A1
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Negley, Gerald H., Loh, Ban P.
• Application Number:
  US13/074,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20110210360A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/486 adapted for surface mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/641 characterized by the materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/642 characterized by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/053 the metal substrate being covered by an inorganic insulating layer

Abstract

A transmissive optical element includes a transparent plastic member, such as a shell or a dome-shaped shell, including a phosphor pattern dispersed therein that can produce an indicia. The transmissive optical element may be combined with a semiconductor light emitting device, a mounting substrate, an encapsulant and inner and/or outer coatings.

Claims

1. A transmissive optical element comprising:

a shell that comprises a transparent plastic including phosphor nonuniformly dispersed therein to produce an indicia in the shell.

2. A transmissive optical element according to claim 1 wherein the shell comprises a dome-shaped shell.

3. A transmissive optical element according to claim 1 in combination with a semiconductor light emitting device that is configured to emit light into and through the shell.

4. A transmissive optical element according to claim 3 in further combination with a mounting substrate that is adjacent the semiconductor light emitting device such that the semiconductor light emitting device is between the mounting substrate and the shell.

5. A transmissive optical element according to claim 3 in further combination with an encapsulant between the semiconductor light emitting device and the shell.

6. A transmissive optical element according to claim 1 wherein the shell includes inner and outer surfaces, the transmissive optical element further comprising an inner coating on the inner surface and/or an outer coating on the outer surface.

7. A transmissive optical element comprising:

a transparent plastic member including phosphor nonuniformly dispersed therein to produce an indicia in the transparent plastic member.

8. A transmissive optical element according to claim 7 in combination with a semiconductor light emitting device that is configured to emit light into and through the member.

9. A transmissive optical element according to claim 8 in further combination with a mounting substrate that is adjacent the semiconductor light emitting device such that the semiconductor light emitting device is between the mounting substrate and the member.

10. A transmissive optical element according to claim 8 in further combination with an encapsulant between the semiconductor light emitting device and the member.

11. A transmissive optical element according to claim 7 wherein the member includes inner and outer surfaces, the transmissive optical element further comprising an inner coating on the inner surface and/or an outer coating on the outer surface.

12. A transmissive optical element comprising:

a transparent plastic member including a phosphor pattern therein.

13. A transmissive optical element according to claim 12 in combination with a semiconductor light emitting device that is configured to emit light into and through the member.

14. A transmissive optical element according to claim 13 in further combination with a mounting substrate that is adjacent the semiconductor light emitting device such that the semiconductor light emitting device is between the mounting substrate and the member.

15. A transmissive optical element according to claim 13 in further combination with an encapsulant between the semiconductor light emitting device and the member.

16. A transmissive optical element according to claim 12 wherein the member includes first and second opposing surfaces, the transmissive optical element further comprising a coating on the first and/or second surface.

17. A transmissive optical element according to claim 12 wherein the transparent plastic member comprises a shell.

18. A transmissive optical element according to claim 17 wherein the shell comprises a dome-shaped shell.

19. A light emitting device comprising

a light emitting diode configured to emit light;

and

a transmissive optical element comprising a patterned phosphor wherein the phosphor interacts with light from the LED.

20. A light emitting device according to claim 19 wherein the phosphor is excited by light from the LED to down-convert in frequency some or all of the light from the LED to produce the appearance of white light.

21. A light emitting device according to claim 19 wherein the transmissive optical element comprises a shell and the phosphor is coated inside and/or outside of the shell.

22. A light emitting device according to claim 21 wherein the shell is made of plastic.

23. A light emitting device according to claim 20 wherein the light emitting diode produces light within a wavelength range of 380 to 480 nm.

24. A light emitting device according to claim 19 wherein the patterned phosphor is patterned to provide an indicia.