Floating chip photonic device and method of manufacture

• US 6,867,542 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2000
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Sun, Xiao-Dong, Minnear, William P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roy, Sikha
• Application Number:
  US09/537,192
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: 313500-512, 257/98, 257/99, 362/800, 362/293
• US Class Current: 313/512
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/50 Wavelength conversion elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/54 having a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/56 Materials, e.g. epoxy or silicone resin
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/644 in intimate contact or integrated with parts of the device other than the semiconductor body

Abstract

A solid state lamp includes a mounting area adapted to contain a light emitting diode (LED) chip and a suspension media which physically isolates the diode from the mounting area. The suspension media, while substantially optically transparent, includes suspended phosphor particles for down conversion and scattering of LED emissions. Additionally, the suspension media includes thermal conductivity additives to improve device thermal conductivity in higher power operations.

Claims

1. A solid state lamp comprising:

a light emitting element;

a mounting area adapted to contain the light emitting element; and

,

a suspension media disposed between said mounting area and said light emitting element which supportably surrounds the light emitting element within the mounting area.

2. The solid state lamp as set forth in claim 1, wherein the suspension media comprises a substantially optically transparent material.

3. The solid state lamp as set forth in claim 1, wherein the suspension media includes a first layer disposed between the mounting area and the light emitting element, the suspension media further comprising:

a second layer covering the light emitting element and the first layer.

4. The solid state lamp as set forth in claim 3, wherein selected ones of the first layer and the second layer comprise a thermally conductive filler.

5. The solid state lamp as set forth in claim 3, wherein selected ones of the first layer and the second layer comprise phosphor.

6. The solid state lamp as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a third layer disposed between the light emitting element and the second layer.

7. The solid state lamp as set forth in claim 4, wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises at least one nano-particle selected from the set of gold and silver.

8. The solid state lamp as set forth in claim 3, wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer comprises single crystal nano-particles.

9. The solid state lamp as set forth in claim 3, wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer comprises dielectric nano-particles.

10. The solid state lamp of claim 1, wherein said mounting area comprises a metal cup.

11. A photonic device comprising:

a mounting area;

a spacing element which spaces a semiconductor device from the mounting area;

means for affixing the semiconductor device substantially within the mounting area which affixing means comprises of an optically transparent media disposed over the semiconductor device and the spacing element, the spacing element and the affixing means surroundingly support the semiconductor device in a suspended state within the mounting area;

wherein the spacing element includes an optically transparent media disposed between the mounting area and the semiconductor device.

12. The photonic device as set forth in claim 11, wherein the optically transparent media disposed between the mounting area and the semiconductor device comprises silicone epoxy blended with phosphor particles.

13. The photonic device as set forth in claim 11, wherein the optically transparent media disposed between the mounting area and the semiconductor device comprises silicone epoxy blended with thermally conductive fillers.

14. The photonic device as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a phosphor layer disposed over the semiconductor device between the spacing element and the means for affixing the semiconductor device.

15. The photonic device of claim 11 wherein said mounting area comprises a metal cup.