Efficient solid-state light emitting device with excited phosphors for producing a visible light output
DCFirst Claim
1. A light emitting device comprising:
- a phosphor layer having two opposing sides including one or more excitable, light-emitting phosphors;
a radiation source positioned adjacent a first one of the two opposing sides of the phosphor layer for providing a radiation to excite a light emission from the phosphor layer, the radiation source having a first contact region and a second contact region;
reflector means provided adjacent a second one of the two opposing sides of the phosphor layer for reflecting at least some of the radiation and light emission that exits from the phosphor layer back into the phosphor layer; and
wherein said reflector means comprises a first contact layer positioned over at least part of the phosphor layer, the first contact layer being at least partially reflective and at least partially electrically conductive, said first contact layer being electrically connected to the first contact region.
3 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A more efficient solid-state light emitting device in which phosphors excited by radiation produce visible light. The efficiency is increased by, for example, providing a reflector adjacent to the phosphor layer for reflecting at least some of the radiation that passes through the phosphor, back into the phosphor. The reflector may also reflect at least some of the visible light that is emitted by the phosphor toward a designated light output. Alternatively, or in addition to, the lateral edges of the active region of the radiation source can be at least partially surrounded by a visible light emitting phosphor and a reflector. This allows more of the radiation to interact, and thus excite, the phosphor material, making the device more efficient. The reflector also may reduce optical and radiation cross talk between adjacent light emitting devices.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A light emitting device comprising:
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a phosphor layer having two opposing sides including one or more excitable, light-emitting phosphors;
a radiation source positioned adjacent a first one of the two opposing sides of the phosphor layer for providing a radiation to excite a light emission from the phosphor layer, the radiation source having a first contact region and a second contact region;
reflector means provided adjacent a second one of the two opposing sides of the phosphor layer for reflecting at least some of the radiation and light emission that exits from the phosphor layer back into the phosphor layer; and
wherein said reflector means comprises a first contact layer positioned over at least part of the phosphor layer, the first contact layer being at least partially reflective and at least partially electrically conductive, said first contact layer being electrically connected to the first contact region. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A visible light emitting device comprising:
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a transparent substrate;
a phosphor layer including one or more excitable, visible light-emitting phosphors;
a radiation source positioned between the transparent substrate and the phosphor layer for providing a radiation to excite visible light emission from the phosphor layer, the radiation source having a first contact region and a second contact region;
a first contact layer provided over at least part of the phosphor layer and reflecting at least some of the radiation that travels through the phosphor layer back into the phosphor layer, the first contact layer being electrically connected to the first contact region; and
a second contact layer being electrically connected to the second contact region. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A visible light emitting device comprising:
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a transparent substrate;
a phosphor layer including one or more excitable, visible light-emitting phosphors;
a radiation source positioned between the transparent substrate and the phosphor layer for providing a radiation to excite visible light emission from the phosphor layer, the radiation source having a first contact region and a second contact region;
a first contact layer provided over at least part of the phosphor layer and reflecting at least some of the visible light emission from the phosphor layer back toward the transparent substrate, the first contact layer being electrically connected to the first contact region; and
a second contact layer being electrically connected to the second contact region. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A light emitting device comprising:
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a radiation source having a first contact region and a second contact region for providing radiation, said radiation source having a top surface and one or more side walls;
a phosphor layer provided adjacent to at least a portion of the one or more side walls of the radiation source, the phosphor layer including one or more excitable, light-emitting phosphors that produce a light emission when excited by the radiation, the phosphor layer extending laterally away from the side walls of the radiation source a selected distance, at least in one direction, to define a top wall and one or more side walls;
a first contact layer, the first contact layer being provided over at least part of the top wall of the phosphor layer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A light emitting device comprising:
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a radiation source having a first contact region and a second contact region for providing radiation, said radiation source having a top surface and one or more side walls;
a phosphor layer provided adjacent to at least a portion of the one or more side walls of the radiation source, the phosphor layer including one or more excitable, light-emitting phosphors that produce a light emission when excited by the radiation;
a first contact layer for providing an electrical connection to the first contact region of the radiation source; and
wherein the first contact layer reflects UV radiation.
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28. A light emitting device, comprising:
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a radiation source having a first contact region and a second contact region for providing radiation, said radiation source having a top surface and one or more side walls;
a phosphor layer provided adjacent to at least a portion of the one or more side walls of the radiation source, the phosphor layer including one or more excitable, light-emitting phosphors that produce a light emission when excited by the radiation;
a first contact layer for providing an electrical connection to the first contact region of the radiation source; and
wherein the first contact layer reflects visible light.
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29. An array of visible light emitting devices, comprising:
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a transparent substrate;
an array of phosphor segments, each including one or more excitable, visible light-emitting phosphors;
an array of radiation sources positioned between the transparent substrate and the array of phosphor segments for selectively providing radiation to excite visible light emission from corresponding phosphor segments, each of the radiation sources having a first contact region and a second contact region;
a number of column contact layers, each of the column contact layers being provided over at least part of the phosphor segments of the radiation sources that lie in a corresponding column of the array of radiation sources, the column contact layers reflecting at least some of the radiation that exits from the corresponding phosphor segments back into the phosphor segments, the column contact layers being electrically connected to the first contact regions of the radiation sources that lie in the corresponding column; and
a number of row contact layers, each of the row contact layers being electrically connected to the first contact regions of the radiation sources that lie in a corresponding row of the array of radiation sources. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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Specification