Light source including an array of light emitting semiconductor devices and control method

• US 6,412,971 B1
• Filed: 03/01/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Whitmore, Barry Scott, Wojnarowski, Robert John, Kornrumpf, William Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/258,935
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249, 362/252, 362/800, 362/247, 257/88, 257/13, 257/81, 257/93, 313/500
• US Class Current: 362/241
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/30 on the outer surface of cylindrical surfaces, e.g. rod-shaped supports having a circular or a polygonal cross section
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3043 Making grooves, e.g. cutting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76898 formed through a semiconductor substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/78 with subsequent division of the substrate into plural individual devices cutting to change the surface-physical characteristics or shape of semiconductor bodies H01L21/304
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05573 Single external layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• 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 24/10 Bump connectors bumps on insulating substrates, e.g. chip carriers, H01L23/49816; Manufacturing methods related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/13 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0652 the devices being arranged next and on each other, i.e. mixed assemblies
• 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 2924/00014 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 2924/01004 Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 : Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01022 : Titanium [Ti]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01075 : Rhenium [Re]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 : Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 : LED
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode

Abstract

A light source includes a substrate; an array of un-packaged light emitting semiconductor devices (LESDs), each of the LESDs having at least one surface for emitting light and a substrate surface being attached to the substrate; and a plurality of electrical connections, each electrical connection coupled for providing electrical power to a respective LESD. The LESDs are arranged on the substrate with sufficient density and light generating capability to provide a predetermined irradiation from the light source.

Claims

1. A light source comprising:

a substrate;

an array of un-packaged light emitting semiconductor devices (LESDs), each of the LESDs having at least one surface for emitting light and a substrate surface being attached to the substrate; and

a plurality of electrical connections, each electrical connection coupled for providing electrical power to a respective LESD, each electrical connection including metallization patterned over a portion of at least one side surface of a respective LESD, wherein the substrate surface of each LESD includes at least one substrate surface contact pad and the substrate includes substrate contact pads, wherein the metallization extends to couple the at least one light-emitting surface and the at least one substrate surface contact pad, and wherein the at least one substrate surface contact pad is aligned with a respective one of at least one of the substrate contact pads,

wherein the LESDs are arranged on the substrate with sufficient density and light generating capability to provide a predetermined irradiation from the light source.

2. The light source of claim 1 wherein the substrate includes a multilayer interconnect structure.

3. The light source of claim 1 wherein each LESD is a light emitting diode or a laser diode.

4. The light source of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a flexible material.

5. The light source of claim 4 wherein the substrate comprises a multilayer interconnect structure.

6. The light source of claim 1 wherein the substrate has a curved shape and wherein the array of LESDs forms a curved array.

7. The light source of claim 6 wherein the curved shape creates a convergent light pattern.

8. The light source of claim 6 wherein the curved shape creates a divergent light pattern.

9. The light source of claim 1 further including at least one reradiative component.

10. The light source of claim 9 wherein the at least one reradiative component comprises a plurality of lenses, each lens being situated over a respective one of the LESDs.

11. The light source of claim 10 wherein each lens comprises a solidified droplet of liquid lensing material.

12. The light source of claim 9 wherein the reradiative component is adapted to change the color of the light emitted by the LESDs.

13. The light source of claim 9 further including a plurality of reflector components, each reflector component being situated to reflect light from at least one respective one of the LESDs.

14. The light source of claim 3 further comprising at least one reradiative component including at least one pattern.

15. The light source of claim 14 wherein the at least one reradiative component comprises a reradiative panel.

16. The light source of claim 14 wherein the at least one reradiative component comprises at least one lens.

17. The light source of claim 3 further comprising a plurality of reflector components, each reflector component being situated to reflect light from at least one respective one of the LESDs.

18. The light source of claim 17 wherein the plurality of reflector components comprise an integral reflector component assembly.

19. The light source of claim 17 wherein the substrate includes the plurality of reflector components.

20. The light source of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a general area illumination source.

21. The light source of claim 1 wherein the array of LESDs comprises a plurality of arrays of LESDs.

22. The light source of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a light-bulb-shaped substrate and further includes a base.

23. The light source of claim 1 further including a heat transfer device.

24. The light source of claim 1 further including a control system for selecting a manner and timing of providing the electrical power to each respective one of the LESDs.