Adapting short-wavelength LED's for polychromatic, broadband, or “white” emission

• US 7,902,543 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Haase, Michael A., Miller, Thomas J., Sun, Xiaoguang, Smith, Terry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PRENTY, MARK V
• Application Number:
  US12/715,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20100155694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 257/13, 257/14, 257 88- 90, 257/98, 257/103
• US Class Current: 257/13
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05001 Internal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05005 Structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05023 the whole internal layer protruding from the surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0508 being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05541 Structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05568 the whole external layer protruding from the surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/14 of a plurality of bump connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/05 of an individual bonding area
• 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 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/08 with a plurality of light emitting regions, e.g. laterally discontinuous light emitting layer or photoluminescent region integrated within the semiconductor body H01L27/15 takes precedence

Abstract

An adapted LED is provided comprising a short-wavelength LED and a re-emitting semiconductor construction, wherein the re-emitting semiconductor construction comprises at least one potential well not located within a pn junction. The potential well(s) are typically quantum well(s). The adapted LED may be a white or near-white light LED. The re-emitting semiconductor construction may additionally comprise absorbing layers surrounding or closely or immediately adjacent to the potential well(s). In addition, graphic display devices and illumination devices comprising the adapted LED according to the present invention are provided.

Claims

1. A device comprising an LED capable of emitting light and bonded to a semiconductor construction capable of converting at least a portion of the emitted light to a longer wavelength light and being partially transparent to the emitted light;

the semiconductor construction comprising a potential well and a light absorbing layer, wherein the light absorbing layer comprises a CdMgZnSe alloy.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the LED is bonded to the semiconductor construction by an edge bonding.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the LED is bonded to the semiconductor construction by an interfacial bonding.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the LED is bonded to the semiconductor construction by an adhesive.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the LED is bonded to the semiconductor construction by a welding material.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the LED is bonded to the semiconductor construction by pressure and heat.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the emitted light comprises a UV light.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the emitted light comprises a blue light.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the emitted light comprises a visible light.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the converted light comprises a green light.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the converted light comprises a yellow light.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the converted light comprises a red light.

13. The device of claim 1 emitting a white light.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the LED comprises a III-V semiconductor.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the LED comprises a GaN semiconductor.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor construction comprises a II-VI semiconductor.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor construction comprises a CdMgZnSe alloy.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the potential well comprises a transition energy corresponding to a green-wavelength light.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the potential well comprises a transition energy corresponding to a yellow-wavelength light.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the potential well comprises a transition energy corresponding to a red-wavelength light.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the potential well is not located within a pn junction.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the potential well comprises a quantum well.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the quantum well is not located within a pn junction.

24. The device of claim 1 further comprising a refractive index matching layer.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor construction comprises at least one first potential well not located within a pn junction having a first transition energy corresponding to yellow- or green-wavelength light and at least one second potential well not located within a pn junction having a second transition energy corresponding to orange- or red-wavelength light.

26. An illumination device comprising the device of claim 1.

27. A device comprising an LED capable of emitting light and bonded to a semiconductor construction capable of converting at least a portion of the emitted light to a longer wavelength light and being partially transparent to the emitted light;

the semiconductor construction comprising a potential well and a light absorbing layer, wherein the light absorbing layer is closely adjacent the potential well.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the light absorbing layer is immediately adjacent the potential well.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein the LED comprises a III-V semiconductor.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein the LED comprises a GaN semiconductor.

31. The device of claim 27, wherein the semiconductor construction comprises a II-VI semiconductor.

32. The device of claim 27, wherein the semiconductor construction comprises a CdMgZnSe alloy.

33. A device comprising an LED capable of emitting light and bonded to a semiconductor construction capable of converting at least a portion of the emitted light to a longer wavelength light and being partially transparent to the emitted light, wherein the semiconductor construction comprises at least one first potential well not located within a pn junction having a first transition energy corresponding to blue-wavelength light, at least one second potential well not located within a pn junction having a second transition energy corresponding to green-wavelength light, and at least one third potential well not located within a pn junction having a third transition energy corresponding to red-wavelength light.