OPTICAL ELEMENT AND SEMICONDUCTOR LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE USING THE OPTICAL ELEMENT

• US 20140084325A1
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: YAMANAKA, Kazuhiko, TAKIGAWA, Shinichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,969,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0062 Stacked lens arrays, i.e. refractive surfaces arranged in at least two planes, without structurally separate optical elements in-between
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2/02 Frequency-changing of light, e.g. by quantum counters
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/505 characterised by the shape, e.g. plate or foil
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/005 Optical components external to the laser cavity, specially adapted therefor, e.g. for homogenisation or merging of the beams or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping H01S5/026, H01S5/18388 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0071 for beam steering, e.g. using a mirror outside the cavity to change the beam direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0087 for illuminating phosphorescent or fluorescent materials, e.g. using optical arrangements specifically adapted for guiding or shaping laser beams illuminating these materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02325 Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches

Abstract

An optical element includes a phosphor layer containing a phosphor which is excited by light of a first wavelength and radiates light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, a first optical member provided on a first surface of the phosphor layer and configured to concentrate light in the phosphor layer, and a second optical member provided on the first surface of the phosphor layer or the same side to which the first surface faces, or on a second surface opposite to the first surface, and configured to convert light radiated from the phosphor layer into parallel light.

Claims

1. An optical element, comprising:

a phosphor layer containing a phosphor which is excited by light of a first wavelength and radiates light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength;

a first optical member provided on a first surface of the phosphor layer and configured to concentrate light in the phosphor layer; and

a second optical member provided on a second surface of the phosphor layer, which is opposite to the first surface, and configured to convert light radiated from the phosphor layer into parallel light.

2. The optical element of claim 1, wherein

the first optical member is a first transparent substrate having a condensing lens.

3. The optical element of claim 1, wherein

the first optical member is a first transparent substrate having a diffraction grating.

4. The optical element of claim 1, wherein

the second optical member is a second transparent substrate provided on the second surface and having a collimator lens.

5. The optical element of claim 1, further comprising:

a thermal conductive layer provided between the phosphor layer and the first optical member or the second optical member, and having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of the phosphor layer.

6. The optical element of claim 5, wherein

the thermal conductive layer is made of zinc oxide, aluminum nitride, or diamond.

7. The optical element of claim 5, wherein

the thermal conductive layer is a multilayer film.

8. The optical element of claim 1, wherein

the phosphor layer includes

a plurality of first regions each containing the phosphor, and

a second region which surrounds the plurality of first regions and has a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of the first regions, wherein

the first optical member concentrates light in each of the plurality of first regions.

9. The optical element of claim 8, wherein

the second region is made of zinc oxide, aluminum nitride, or diamond.

10. A semiconductor light emitting device, comprising:

the optical element of claim 1, and

a light emitting element which emits the light of the first wavelength.

11. The semiconductor light emitting device of claim 10, further comprising:

a light dividing section which divides light emitted from the light emitting element into a plurality of optical paths having optical axes parallel to each other to have the optical paths enter the optical element.

12. An optical element, comprising:

a phosphor layer containing a phosphor which is excited by light of a first wavelength and radiates light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength; and

a third optical member provided on a first surface of the phosphor layer and configured to concentrate light in the phosphor layer and convert light radiated from the phosphor layer into parallel light.

13. The optical element of claim 12, wherein

the third optical member is a third transparent substrate which includes a diffraction grating provided on a surface further from the phosphor layer, and a reflecting minor provided on a surface facing the phosphor layer.

14. The optical element of claim 12, further comprising:

a reflective layer provided on a second surface of the phosphor layer, which is opposite to the first surface, wherein

the third optical member is a convex lens.

15. The optical element of claim 12, further comprising:

a thermal conductive layer provided on the second surface of the phosphor layer, which is opposite to the first surface, and having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of the phosphor layer.

16. The optical element of claim 15, wherein

the thermal conductive layer is made of zinc oxide, aluminum nitride, or diamond.

17. The optical element of claim 12, wherein

the phosphor layer includes

a plurality of first regions each containing the phosphor, and

a second region which surrounds the plurality of first regions and has a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of the first regions, wherein

the third optical member concentrates light in each of the plurality of first regions.

18. The optical element of claim 17, wherein

the second region is made of zinc oxide, aluminum nitride, or diamond.

19. A semiconductor light emitting device, comprising:

the optical element of claim 12, and

a light emitting element which emits the light of the first wavelength.

20. The semiconductor light emitting device of claim 19, further comprising:

a light dividing section which divides light emitted from the light emitting element into a plurality of optical paths having optical axes parallel to each other to have the optical paths enter the optical element.