Phosphor based illumination system having a light guide, an interference reflector and a display

• US 7,357,554 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Wheatley, John A., Weber, Michael F., Ouderkirk, Andrew J., Epstein, Kenneth A., Watson, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cranson, Jr.; James W
• Application Number:
  US11/682,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20070147076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 362/609
• US Class Current: 362/609
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0026 Wavelength selective element, sheet or layer, e.g. filter or grating
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0066 characterised by the light source being coupled to the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources

Abstract

An illumination system including a light source, a light guide including an output surface, emissive material positioned to receive light from the output surface of the light guide, and an interference reflector positioned such that the emissive material is between the output surface of the light guide and the interference reflector is disclosed. The light source emits light having a first optical characteristic. The emissive material emits light having a second optical characteristic when illuminated with light having the first optical characteristic. The interference reflector substantially transmits light having the second optical characteristic and substantially reflects light having the first optical characteristic.

Claims

1. An illumination system, comprising:

a light source that emits light comprising a first optical characteristic;

a light guide comprising an output surface, wherein the light guide is configured to direct at least a portion of the light emitted by the light source through the output surface;

emissive material positioned to receive light from the output surface of the light guide, wherein the emissive material emits light comprising a second optical characteristic when illuminated with light comprising the first optical characteristic;

an interference reflector positioned such that the emissive material is between the output surface of the light guide and the interference reflector, wherein the interference reflector substantially transmits light comprising the second optical characteristic and substantially reflects light comprising the first optical characteristic; and

an optical cavity optically coupled to the light source, wherein the optical cavity is configured to direct light comprising at least one of the first optical characteristic and second optical characteristic toward an input surface of the light guide.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first optical characteristic comprises a first wavelength region and the second optical characteristic comprises a second wavelength region different than the first wavelength region.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first wavelength region comprises UV light.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the first wavelength region comprises blue light.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the emissive material is discontinuous.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the discontinuous emissive material comprises a plurality of dots of emissive material.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each dot of the plurality of dots of emissive material has an area of less than 10000 μ

m².

8. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one dot of the plurality of dots of emissive material comprises a first emissive material and at least one other dot of the plurality of dots of emissive material comprises a second emissive material.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the first optical characteristic comprises a first wavelength region and the second optical characteristic comprises a second wavelength region different than the first wavelength region, wherein at least a first phosphor dot emits light having a first peak wavelength within the second wavelength region and at least a second phosphor dot emits light having a second peak wavelength within the second wavelength region different than the first peak wavelength.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first optical characteristic comprises a first wavelength region and the second optical characteristic comprises a second wavelength region different than the first wavelength region, wherein the emissive material comprises a first index of refraction at the first wavelength region.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system further comprises a TIR promoting layer in contact with the emissive material between the interference reflector and the emissive material, and further wherein the TIR promoting layer comprises a second index of refraction at the first wavelength region that is less than the first index of refraction.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one optical element positioned such that the interference reflector is between the emissive material and the at least one optical element.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one optical element comprises a reflective polarizer.

14. A display, comprising:

an illumination system, wherein the illumination system comprises;

a light source that emits light comprising a first optical characteristic;

a light guide comprising an output surface, wherein the light guide is configured to direct at least a portion of the light emitted by the light source through the output surface;

emissive material positioned to receive light from the output surface of the light guide, wherein the emissive material emits light comprising a second optical characteristic when illuminated with light comprising the first optical characteristic; and

an interference reflector positioned such that the emissive material is between the output surface of the light guide and the interference reflector, wherein the interference reflector substantially transmits light comprising the second optical characteristic and substantially reflects light comprising the first optical characteristic; and

a spatial light modulator optically coupled to the illumination system, wherein the spatial light modulator comprises a plurality of controllable elements operable to modulate at least a portion of light from the illumination system.

15. The display of claim 14, wherein the plurality of controllable elements of the spatial light modulator comprises variable-transmissivity display elements.

16. The display of claim 14, wherein the first optical characteristic comprises a first wavelength region and the second optical characteristic comprises a second wavelength region different than the first wavelength region.

17. The display of claim 16, wherein the first wavelength region comprises UV light.

18. The display of claim 16, wherein the first wavelength region comprises blue light.

19. The display of claim 14, further comprising at least one optical element positioned such that the interference reflector is between the emissive material and the at least one optical element.

20. The display of claim 19, wherein the at least one optical element comprises a reflective polarizer.