Waveguide based light source
First Claim
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1. A light source comprising:
- a substrate and a phosphor material that has a waveguide formed therein, the waveguide having a substantially planar shape and further having a waveguide direction along a longitudinal dimension and an exit region at an end of the longitudinal dimension; and
an excitation source that applies excitation energy to the waveguide in a direction substantially sheer or perpendicular to the plane of the waveguide such that light is generated within the phosphor material in a direction within or parallel to the waveguide direction, and exits through the exit region.
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Abstract
A wave guide based light source having a phosphor film with a large two-dimensional extent and a small thickness. The phosphor film is excited by an excitation means.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A light source comprising:
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a substrate and a phosphor material that has a waveguide formed therein, the waveguide having a substantially planar shape and further having a waveguide direction along a longitudinal dimension and an exit region at an end of the longitudinal dimension; and
an excitation source that applies excitation energy to the waveguide in a direction substantially sheer or perpendicular to the plane of the waveguide such that light is generated within the phosphor material in a direction within or parallel to the waveguide direction, and exits through the exit region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A light source comprising:
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a phosphor film which has a substantially planar shape, and both a long dimension and a small cross-section, the phosphor film having at least one waveguide mode in the long dimension; and
an excitation source that directs excitation energy at the phosphor film in a direction substantially sheer or perpendicular to the direction of the long dimension such that light is generated in a waveguide mode within the long dimension and exits an exit region at the end of the long dimension. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A light source comprising:
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a waveguide substrate having two dimensions on the order of a wavelength of emitted light, and a third dimension sufficiently long to produce a surface area on the order of many square centimeters;
a phosphor film disposed on the waveguide substrate and having a waveguide direction parallel to the third dimension, the phosphor film having a guided mode such that excitation energy received by the phosphor film in a direction substantially sheer or perpendicular to the waveguide direction generates light in the phosphor film that travels in the phosphor film in the waveguide direction and exits through an exit region along the waveguide direction; and
said light source further including at least one of a light on ramp and a light off ramp associated with the phosphor film.
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Specification