LED system and method
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing an LED comprising:
- determining a size of an exit face of a shaped substrate portion of the LED so that the exit face has at least 70% of a minimum area necessary to conserve radiance for a desired half-angle of light projected from the LED;
determining a distance between the exit face and an interface between the shaped substrate portion and a quantum well region of the LED;
determining shapes and positions of a set of sidewalls of the shaped substrate portion of the LED so that each sidewall is positioned and shaped to cause at least a majority of rays having a straight transmission path from the interface to that sidewall to reflect through total internal reflection to the exit face with an angle of incidence at the exit face at less than or equal to a critical angle at the exit face; and
forming the shaped substrate portion of the LED in accordance with the determined size of the exit face, shapes and positions of the set of sidewalls and distance between the exit face and the interface;
wherein the method is performed by performing steps in the order of;
(a) determining boundary conditions for the shaped substrate portion of the LED, wherein the boundary conditions comprise the size of the exit face of the shaped substrate portion of the LED and the distance between the exit face and the interface between the shaped substrate portion and the quantum well region of the LED;
(b) the determining the shapes and positions of the set of sidewalls of the shaped substrate portion of the LED; and
(c) the forming the shaped substrate portion of the LED.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments provide an LED comprising a quantum well region operable to generate light and a substrate having an interface with the quantum well region, wherein light generated by the quantum well region traverses the interface to enter the substrate and exit the LED through an exit face of the substrate. The exit face may be opposite from and a distance from the interface, with some portion or all of this LED being shaped to optimize the light extraction efficiency of the device. The exit face can have at least 70% of a minimum area necessary to conserve brightness for a desired half-angle of light. Sidewalls of the LED may be positioned and shaped so that rays incident on a sidewall reflect to the exit face with an angle of incidence at the exit face at less than or equal to a critical angle at the exit face.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing an LED comprising:
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determining a size of an exit face of a shaped substrate portion of the LED so that the exit face has at least 70% of a minimum area necessary to conserve radiance for a desired half-angle of light projected from the LED; determining a distance between the exit face and an interface between the shaped substrate portion and a quantum well region of the LED; determining shapes and positions of a set of sidewalls of the shaped substrate portion of the LED so that each sidewall is positioned and shaped to cause at least a majority of rays having a straight transmission path from the interface to that sidewall to reflect through total internal reflection to the exit face with an angle of incidence at the exit face at less than or equal to a critical angle at the exit face; and forming the shaped substrate portion of the LED in accordance with the determined size of the exit face, shapes and positions of the set of sidewalls and distance between the exit face and the interface;
wherein the method is performed by performing steps in the order of;(a) determining boundary conditions for the shaped substrate portion of the LED, wherein the boundary conditions comprise the size of the exit face of the shaped substrate portion of the LED and the distance between the exit face and the interface between the shaped substrate portion and the quantum well region of the LED; (b) the determining the shapes and positions of the set of sidewalls of the shaped substrate portion of the LED; and (c) the forming the shaped substrate portion of the LED. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of shaping an LED comprising:
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providing a wafer comprising a substrate and one or more layers for a quantum well region of the LED; grinding the substrate to form a shaped substrate portion of the LED; wherein the shaped substrate portion is shaped to comprise; an exit face opposite from and a distance from an interface with the to receive light generated by a quantum well region of the LED, the exit face having a size being at least 70% of a minimum area necessary to conserve radiance for a desired half-angle of light projected from the shaped substrate; and a set of sidewalls, wherein each sidewall is positioned and shaped so that at least a majority of rays having a straight transmission path from the interface to that sidewall reflect through total internal reflection to the exit face with an angle of incidence at the exit face of less than or equal to a critical angle at the exit face;
wherein the method is performed by performing steps in the order of;(a) determining boundary conditions for the shaped substrate portion of the LED, wherein the boundary conditions comprise the size of the exit face of the shaped substrate portion of the LED and the distance between the exit face and the interface between the shaped substrate portion and the quantum well region of the LED; (b) determining the shapes and positions of the set of sidewalls of the shaped substrate portion of the LED; and (c) shaping the shaped substrate portion of the LED. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of shaping an LED comprising:
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providing a wafer comprising a substrate and one or more layers for a quantum well region of the LED; etching the substrate to form a shaped substrate portion of the LED; wherein the shaped substrate portion of the LED is shaped to comprise; an exit face opposite and at a distance from an interface to receive light generated by a quantum well region of the LED, the exit face having at least 70% of a minimum area necessary to conserve radiance for a desired half-angle of light projected from the shaped substrate portion of the LED; and a set of sidewalls, wherein each sidewall is positioned and shaped so that at least a majority of rays having a straight transmission path from the interface to that sidewall reflect through total internal reflection to the exit face with an angle of incidence at the exit face of less than or equal to a critical angle at the exit face;
wherein the method is performed by performing steps in the order of;(a) determining boundary conditions for the shaped substrate portion of the LED, wherein the boundary conditions comprise the size of the exit face of the shaped substrate portion of the LED and the distance between the exit face and the interface between the shaped substrate portion and the quantum well region of the LED; (b) determining the shapes and positions of the set of sidewalls of the shaped substrate portion of the LED; and (c) shaping the shaped substrate portion of the LED. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of manufacturing an LED comprising:
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providing a substrate and one or more layers for a quantum well region of the LED; removing material from the substrate to form a shaped substrate portion of the LED, the shaped substrate portion comprising; two or more exit faces having a size such that a combined area of the two or more exit faces being at least 70% of a minimum area necessary to conserve radiance for a desired half-angle of light projected from the LED; and a set of sidewalls, wherein each sidewall is positioned and shaped so that at least a majority of rays having a straight transmission path from an interface to that sidewall reflect through total internal reflection to an exit face of the two or more exit faces with an angle of incidence at that exit face of less than or equal to a critical angle at that exit face;
wherein the method is performed by performing steps in the order of;(a) determining boundary conditions for the shaped substrate portion of the LED, wherein the boundary conditions comprise the size of the two or more exit faces of the shaped substrate portion of the LED and the distance between the two or more exit faces and the interface between the shaped substrate portion and the quantum well region of the LED; (b) determining the shapes and positions of the set of sidewalls of the shaped substrate portion of the LED; and (c) shaping the substrate portion of the LED. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification