Heterogeneous integrated high voltage DC/AC light emitter

• US 7,221,044 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AC Led Lighting, LLC
• Original Assignee: AC Led Lighting, LLC
• Inventors: Jiang, Hongxing, Lin, Jingyu, Fan, Zhaoyang
• Primary Examiner(s): Andujar; Leonardo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson; Scott R.
• Application Number:
  US11/040,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20060163589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 257/676
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0554 External layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0555 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0556 Disposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05568 the whole external layer protruding from the surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05573 Single external layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/11 Manufacturing methods
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/153 in a repetitive configuration, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/156 two-dimensional arrays
• 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

Abstract

A single-chip integrated LED particularly adapted for direct use with a high voltage DC or AC power sources comprises a plurality of electrically isolated LEDs on a generally transparent substrate and bonded to electrically conductive elements on a thermally conductive mount. A reflective coating may be applied to the area between LEDs.

Claims

1. A light source comprising:

an array of electrically isolated LEDs mounted on a substrate,

each of said LEDs having a p-contact and an n-contact,

a mount opposing said substrate, said mount having an array of conductive elements,

said array of electrically isolated LEDs connected to said array of conductive elements of said mount,

terminals adapted to connect said array of conductive elements across a power source, and

said array of conductive elements being arranged to provide an electrical connection between the p-contact of each of said LEDs and the n-contact of an adjacent LED whereby to serially connect each of said LEDs of said array.

2. The light source as set forth in claim 1 wherein said substrate is generally transparent.

3. The light source as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mount is thermally conductive.

4. The light source as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mount is a thermally conductive material selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, boron nitride, and silicon.

5. The light source as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mount includes a current limiting device connected between one of said terminals and said array of conductive elements.

6. The light source as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mount includes a control circuit connected between one or more of said terminals and said array of conductive elements.

7. The light source as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a reflective material deposited between said adjacent LEDs.

8. The light source as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a reflective material deposited on said p-contacts.

9. The light source as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an electrically insulating material secured to said mount between said mount and said array of conductive elements.

10. The light source as set forth in claim 1 wherein said LEDs are LEDs selected from the group consisting of semiconductor p-n junctions, semiconductor heterojunctions, semiconductor quantum wells, organic electro-luminescent materials, polymer electro-luminescent materials, ultraviolet, deep ultraviolet, red, green, blue, yellow, and white.

11. The light source as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an electrically insulating material layer between said array of electrically isolated LEDs and said substrate.

12. The light source as set forth in claim 11 wherein said substrate is electrically conductive.

13. The light source as set forth in claim 1 wherein said array of electrically isolated LEDs are flip-chip bonded to said array of conductive elements of said mount.

14. A light source comprising:

an array of electrically isolated LEDs mounted on a substrate, each of said LEDs having a p-contact and an n-contact,

a substantially planar mount having an array of conductive elements, said mount opposing said substrate,

said array of electrically isolated LEDs connected to said conductive elements of said mount,

end terminals adapted to connect said array of conductive elements across a power source, and

said array of conductive elements being arranged along said mount to provide an electrical connection between the p-contact of each of said LEDs and the n-contact of an adjacent LED to serially connect each of said LEDs of said array and present a direction of current flow whereby to emit light in response to connection across said power source.

15. The light source of claim 14 further comprising:

a second array of electrically isolated LEDs mounted on a second substrate, each LED of said second array having a p-contact and an n-contact,

a second array of conductive elements secured to said mount, said second array of electrically isolated LEDs connected to said second array of conductive elements secured to said mount,

said second array of conductive elements being arranged to provide an electrical connection between the p-contact of each of said LEDs of said second array and the n-contact of an adjacent LED of said second array to serially connect each of said LEDs of said second array and present a second direction of current flow,

said second array of conductive elements connected to said end terminals whereby to emit light in response to connection across said power source.

16. A light source comprising:

a first array of substrate-mounted electrically-isolated LEDs, each of said LEDs having a p-contact and an n-contact, a mount having a first array of conductive elements, said first array of electrically isolated LEDs connected to said first array of conductive elements of said mount, end terminals adapted to connect said first array of conductive elements across a power source, said first array of conductive elements being arranged to provide an electrical connection between the p-contact of each of said LEDs and the n-contact of an adjacent LED to serially connect each of said LEDs of said first array and present a direction of current flow whereby to emit light in response to connection across said power source;

a second array of electrically isolated LEDs, each LED of said second array having a p-contact and an n-contact, a second array of conductive elements secured to said mount, said second array of electrically isolated LEDs connected to said second array of conductive elements secured to said mount, said second array of conductive elements being arranged to provide an electrical connection between the p-contact of each of said LEDs of said second array and the n-contact of an adjacent LED of said second array to serially connect each of said LEDs of said second array and present a second direction of current flow, said second array of conductive elements connected to said end terminals whereby to emit light in response to connection across said power source; and

said second array of conductive elements are connected to said end terminals in parallel to said first array of conductive elements.

17. The light source as set forth in claim 16 wherein said second direction of current flow is opposite to said direction of current flow whereby to alternately emit light in response to connection across an AC power source during each half cycle.

18. The light source as set forth in claim 16 wherein said second array of electrically isolated LEDs emit a light that is spectrally distinguishable from the light emitted from said first array of electrically of isolated LEDs.

19. The light source as set forth in claim 16 wherein said LEDs in at least one of said first array and second arrays of LEDs are selected from the group consisting of semiconductor p-n junctions, semiconductor heterojunctions, semiconductor quantum wells, organic electro-luminescent materials, polymer electro-luminescent materials, ultraviolet, deep ultraviolet, red, green, blue, yellow, and white.

20. The light source as set forth in claim 16 further comprising a reflective material deposited in trenches between adjacent LEDs.

21. The light source as set forth in claim 16 wherein said first and second arrays of LEDs are mounted on generally transparent substrates.

22. The light source as set forth in claim 16 wherein said mount includes a current limiting device connected between one of said terminals and one of said first and second arrays of conductive elements.

23. The light source as set forth in claim 16 wherein said mount includes a control circuit connected between one or more of said terminals and one of said first and second arrays of conductive elements.

24. The light source as set forth in claim 16 further comprising an electrically insulating layer between said mount and one of said first and second arrays of conductive elements.

25. The light source as set forth in claim 24 wherein said mount is electrically conductive.

26. The light source as set forth in claim 16 further comprising an electrically insulating material layer between one of said first and second arrays of LEDs and a substrate.

27. The light source as set forth in claim 26 wherein said substrate is electrically conductive.

28. The light source as set forth in claim 16 wherein said first array and second array of electrically isolated LEDs are flip-chip bonded to said first array of conductive elements of said mount.

29. A light source comprising:

a first array of substrate-mounted electrically-isolated LEDs, each of said LEDs in said first array having a p-contact and an n-contact, a mount having a first array of conductive elements, said first array of LEDs connected to said first array of conductive elements of said mount, end terminals adapted to connect said first array of conductive elements across a power source, said first array of conductive elements being arranged to provide an electrical connection between the p-contact of said LEDs in said first array and the n-contact of an adjacent LED in said first array to serially connect each of said LEDs in said first array and present a direction of current flow whereby to emit light in response to connection across said power source;

a second array of electrically isolated LEDs, each LED of said second array having a p-contact and an n-contact, a second array of conductive elements secured to said mount, said second array of electrically isolated LEDs connected to said second array of conductive elements secured to said mount, said second array of conductive elements being arranged to provide an electrical connection between the p-contact of each of said LEDs of said second array and the n-contact of an adjacent LED of said second array to serially connect each of said LEDs of said second array and present a second direction of current flow, said second array of conductive elements connected to said end terminals whereby to emit light in response to connection across said power source; and

a reflective material deposited on said p-contacts.

30. A light source comprising:

a first array of substrate-mounted electrically-isolated LEDs, each of said LEDs in said first array having a p-contact and an n-contact, a mount having a first array of conductive elements, said first array of LEDs connected to said conductive elements of said mount, end terminals adapted to connect said first array of conductive elements across a power source, said first array of conductive elements being arranged to provide an electrical connection between the p-contact of each of said LEDs in said first array and the n-contact of an adjacent LED in said first array to serially connect each of said LEDs in said first array and present a direction of current flow whereby to emit light in response to connection across said power source;

a second array of substrate-mounted electrically-isolated LEDs, each LED of said second array having a p-contact and an n-contact, a second array of conductive elements secured to said mount, said second array of electrically isolated LEDs connected to said second array of conductive elements secured to said mount, said second array of conductive elements being arranged to provide an electrical connection between the p-contact of each of said LEDs of said second array and the n-contact of an adjacent LED of said second array to serially connect each of said LEDs of said second array and present a second direction of current flow, said second array of conductive elements connected to said end terminals whereby to emit light in response to connection across said power source; and

said mount is a thermally conductive material selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, boron nitride, and silicon.

31. A light source comprising:

a first array of electrically isolated LEDs each having a p-contact and an n-contact, and mounted on a substrate,

a second array of electrically isolated LEDs each having a p-contact and an n-contact, and mounted on said substrate,

a mount having first and a second arrays of conductive elements, end terminals adapted to connect said first and a second arrays of conductive elements across a power source, said first and second arrays of LEDs connected to said first and a second arrays of conductive elements, said first and a second arrays of conductive elements being arranged to provide an electrical connection between the p-contact of each of said LEDs in said first and second arrays and the n-contact of an adjacent LED to serially connect each of said LEDs of each of said first and second arrays, whereby to emit light in response to connection of said end terminals across said power source and wherein said first array of LEDs is connected in parallel to said second array of LEDs in such a way that current flow is in a first direction through said first array and a second direction in said second array.

32. The light source as set forth in claim 31 wherein light emitted from said first array of LEDs is spectrally discernable from said light emitted from said second arrays of LEDs.

33. The light source as set forth in claim 31 further comprising a control circuit for independently controlling each of said arrays of electrically isolated LEDs.

34. The light source as set forth in claim 31 wherein said first direction of current flow is opposite said second direction of current flow.

35. The light source as set forth in claim 31 wherein said power source is 110 volts AC.

36. The light source as set forth in claim 31 wherein said power source is 220 volts AC.

37. The light source as set forth in claim 31 wherein said power source is 12 volts DC.

38. The light source as set forth in claim 31 wherein said substrate is generally transparent.

39. The light source as set forth in claim 31 wherein said LEDs are LEDs selected from the group consisting of semiconductor p-n junctions, semiconductor heterojunctions, semiconductor quantum wells, organic electro-luminescent materials, and polymer electro-luminescent materials, ultraviolet, deep ultraviolet, red, green, blue, yellow, and white.

40. The light source of claim 31 comprising:

a first die including said first and second arrays of LEDs;

a second die which is substantially identical to said first die; and

said first and second dies being connected in series.

41. The light source of claim 40 wherein said first die is adapted to emit light which is spectrally discernable from said light emitted from said second die.

42. The light source of claim 40 comprising:

a third die which is substantially identical to said first and second dies, said third die being in series with said first and second dies.

43. The light source of claim 42 wherein said third die is adapted to emit light which is spectrally discernable from said light emitted from each of said first and second dies.

44. The light source of claim 31 comprising:

a first die including said first and second arrays of LEDs;

a second die which is substantially identical to said first die; and

said first and second dies being connected in parallel.

45. The light source of claim 44 wherein said first die is adapted to emit light which is spectrally discernable from said light emitted from said second die.

46. The light source of claim 45 comprising:

a third die which is substantially identical to said first and second dies, said third die being in parallel with said first and second dies.

47. The light source of claim 46 wherein said third die is adapted to emit light which is spectrally discernable from said light emitted from each of said first and second dies.