Wavelength converting system

• US 7,850,321 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Epistar Corporation (Ennostar, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Epistar Corporation (Ennostar, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lu, Chih-Chiang, Hsieh, Min-Hsun, Wang, Chien-Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): BRUCE, DAVID VERNON
• Application Number:
  US12/219,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20090021926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 362/84, 362/231, 362/235, 362/260, 362/800
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/64 using wavelength conversion means distinct or spaced from the light-generating element, e.g. a remote phosphor layer
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 1/17 the material comprising photoluminescent substances
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/08 the material comprising photoluminescent substances
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/10 comprising photoluminescent material
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/38 Combination of two or more photoluminescent elements of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/353 Frequency conversion, i.e. wherein a light beam is generated with frequency components different from those of the incident light beams
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/50 Wavelength conversion elements

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention discloses a wavelength converting system capable of emitting a second electromagnetic radiation having a second wavelength in response to a first electromagnetic radiation having a first wavelength, wherein an energy level of the first electromagnetic radiation is higher than that of the second electromagnetic level, and a positive correlation is between the first wavelength and the second wavelength.

Claims

1. A wavelength converting system comprising:

a wavelength converter, responsive to an illumination by a first electromagnetic radiation having a first wavelength, and providing a second electromagnetic radiation having a second dominant wavelength, wherein the first electromagnetic radiation has a higher energy level than the second electromagnetic radiation, and the first wavelength and the second dominant wavelength have a positive correlation.

2. The wavelength converting system of claim 1, wherein the first wavelength is in a range of 200 nm.about.530 nm, and the second dominant wavelength is in a range of 480 nm.about.700 nm.

3. The wavelength converting system of claim 1, wherein the wavelength converter comprises an yttrium aluminum garnet phosphor and a silicate phosphor.

4. A wavelength converting system comprising:

a first excitation wavelength emitted from a first light emitter;

a first emission wavelength greater than the first excitation wavelength;

a second excitation wavelength emitted from a second light emitter; and

a second emission wavelength greater than the second excitation wavelength;

wherein each of the first excitation wavelength, the first emission wavelength, the second excitation wavelength, and the second emission wavelength has chromaticity coordinates locating on a perimeter of a CIE chromaticity diagram, and a first line connects the first excitation wavelength and the first emission wavelength, a second line connects the second excitation wavelength and the second emission wavelength wherein the first line and the second line intersects in a region of the CIE chromaticity diagram.

5. The wavelength converting system of claim 4, wherein the first excitation wavelength and the second excitation wavelength are respectively in a range of 200 nm.about.530 nm, and the first emission wavelength and the second emission wavelength are respectively in a range of 480 nm.about.700 nm.

6. The wavelength converting system of claim 4, wherein the first line and the second line intersect in a white light region in the CIE chromaticity diagram.

7. The wavelength converting system of claim 4, wherein the first light emitter and the second light emitter are made of a material comprising nitrogen.

8. The wavelength converting system of claim 4, further comprising a wavelength converter to convert the first excitation wavelength and the second excitation wavelength to the first emission wavelength and the second emission wavelength respectively.

9. The wavelength converting system of claim 8, wherein the wavelength converter comprises an yttrium aluminum garnet phosphor and a silicate phosphor.

10. A wavelength converting system comprising:

a radiation source;

a first fluorescent material capable of being excited by the radiation source in a wavelength spectrum having a short wavelength and a long wavelength; and

a second fluorescent material capable of being excited by the radiation source in the wavelength spectrum;

wherein the first fluorescent material has a higher excitation efficiency than the second fluorescent material when being excited by the short wavelength, and a lower excitation efficiency than the second fluorescent material when being excited by the long wavelength.

11. The wavelength converting system of claim 10, wherein the radiation source radiates in a wavelength range of 200 nm.about.530 nm.

12. The wavelength converting system of claim 10, wherein the radiation source comprises a nitride based optoelectronic semiconductor device.

13. The wavelength converting system of claim 10, wherein one of the first fluorescent material and the second fluorescent material comprises a silicate phosphor or an yttrium aluminum garnet phosphor.

14. A wavelength converting system comprising:

at least two light sources having a wavelength difference not less than 1 nm and not greater than 20 nm; and

a wavelength converter on light paths of the at least two light sources and capable of being excited by one of the at least two light sources to provide a first mixed light having a first color temperature and by another one to provide a second mixed light having a second color temperature,

wherein a difference between the first and second color temperatures is not greater than 100K.

15. The wavelength converting system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the light sources comprises a light-emitting diode.

16. The wavelength converting system of claim 14, wherein the light sources radiate light in a wavelength range of 200 nm.about.530 nm.

17. A wavelength converting system comprising:

a light-emitting semiconductor structure comprising an electron provider, a hole provider, a light-emitting layer between the electron provider and the hole provider, and a light extraction interface; and

a wavelength converter on the light extraction interface and providing an output light in response to an excitation of an input light;

wherein the input light has an input light wavelength, the output light has an output light dominant wavelength, and the input light wavelength and the output light dominant wavelength have a positive correlation.

18. The wavelength converting system of claim 17, wherein the light-emitting semiconductor structure is made of a material comprising nitrogen.

19. A wavelength converting system comprising:

a light-emitting source selected from any one of applicable light-emitting diode units from a wafer, wherein the light emitting source comprises a light extraction interface, the applicable light-emitting diode units have a wavelength distribution ranged in few nanometers or tens of nanometer; and

a wavelength converter on the light extraction interface and providing an output light in response to an input light from the light-emitting source;

wherein a mixed color light is generated by the presence of the input light and the output light.

20. The wavelength converting system of claim 19, wherein the light-emitting diode unit comprises a nitride-based light-emitting diode.

21. The wavelength converting system of claim 19, wherein the applicable light-emitting diode unit is introduced into the wavelength converting system without binning and sorting.