Method of manufacturing a light emitting, photovoltaic or other electronic apparatus and system

• US 8,133,768 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NthDegree Technologies Worldwide Inc., The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: NthDegree Technologies Worldwide Inc., The Government Of The United States Of America, As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy
• Inventors: Ray, William Johnstone, Lowenthal, Mark D., Shotton, Neil O., Blanchard, Richard A., Lewandowski, Mark Allan, Fuller, Kirk A., Frazier, Donald Odell
• Primary Examiner(s): Nhu, David
• Application Number:
  US12/560,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20100167441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 438/48, 438/82, 438/91, 438/141, 438/597, 438/311, 438/505, 438/510, 438/603, 438/604, 438/606, 438/681, 438/686, 438/687, 438/688, 438/753, 438/782, 438/780, 438/733, 257/E21.006, 257/E21.007, 257/E21.042, 257/E21.053, 257/E21.077, 257/E21.085, 257/E21.091, 257/E21.17, 257/E21.126, 257/E21.127, 257/E21.134, 257/E21.202, 257/E21.266, 257/E21.267, 257/E21.288, 257/E21.352
• US Class Current: 438/141
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0439 Pixel structures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/028 Generation of voltages supplied to electrode drivers in a matrix display other than LCD
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/20 Deposition of semiconductor materials on a substrate, e.g. epitaxial growth solid phase epitaxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035281 Shape of the body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0475 PV cell arrays made by cells in a planar, e.g. repetitive, configuration on a single semiconductor substrate; PV cell microarrays PV modules composed of a plurality of thin film solar cells deposited on the same substrate H01L31/046
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0508 the interconnection means having a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0512 made of a particular material or composition of materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/068 the potential barriers being only of the PN homojunction type, e.g. bulk silicon PN homojunction solar cells or thin film polycrystalline silicon PN homojunction solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/331 Nanoparticles used in non-emissive layers, e.g. in packaging layer
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/858 comprising refractive means, e.g. lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/17 Passive-matrix OLED displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/879 comprising refractive means, e.g. lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/10 Substrates, e.g. flexible substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 Monocrystalline silicon PV cells

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an electronic apparatus, such as a lighting device having light emitting diodes (LEDs) or a power generating device having photovoltaic diodes. The exemplary method includes depositing a first conductive medium within a plurality of channels of a base to form a plurality of first conductors; depositing within the plurality of channels a plurality of semiconductor substrate particles suspended in a carrier medium; forming an ohmic contact between each semiconductor substrate particle and a first conductor; converting the semiconductor substrate particles into a plurality of semiconductor diodes; depositing a second conductive medium to form a plurality of second conductors coupled to the plurality of semiconductor diodes; and depositing or attaching a plurality of lenses suspended in a first polymer over the plurality of diodes. In various embodiments, the depositing, forming, coupling and converting steps are performed by or through a printing process.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

depositing a first conductive medium within a plurality of channels of a base to form a plurality of first conductors;

depositing within the plurality of channels of the base a plurality of semiconductor substrate particles suspended in a carrier medium;

forming an ohmic contact between each semiconductor substrate particle of the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles and a first conductor of the plurality of first conductors;

converting the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles into a plurality of semiconductor diodes;

depositing a second conductive medium to form a plurality of second conductors coupled to the plurality of semiconductor diodes; and

depositing a plurality of lenses suspended in a first polymer over the plurality of semiconductor diodes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of semiconductor diodes have shapes selected from the group consisting of:

substantially spherical, substantially toroidal, substantially cylindrical, substantially faceted, substantially rectangular, substantially flat, substantially elliptical, and mixtures or combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lenses have shapes selected from the group consisting of:

substantially spherical, hemispherical, faceted, elliptical, oblong, cubic, prismatic, trapezoidal, triangular, pyramidal, and mixtures or combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of semiconductor diodes and the plurality of lenses are substantially spherical, and wherein a ratio of a mean diameter of the plurality of lenses to a mean diameter of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is substantially about five to one (5:

1).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of semiconductor diodes and the plurality of lenses are substantially spherical, and wherein a ratio of a mean diameter of the plurality of lenses to a mean diameter of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is between about ten to one (10:

1) and two to one (2;

1).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of semiconductor diodes and the plurality of lenses are substantially spherical, and wherein the comparative size or spacing of the plurality of substantially spherical lenses provide a mode coupling to the plurality of semiconductor diodes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a mean diameter or length of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is greater than about twenty (20) microns and less than about forty (40) microns.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the plurality of lenses suspended in the first polymer further comprises attaching a prefabricated layer to the plurality of semiconductor diodes, the prefabricated layer comprising the plurality of lenses suspended in the first polymer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles comprise gallium nitride, gallium arsenide, or silicon.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first conductive medium comprises a conductive ink or a conductive polymer.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

partially curing the first conductive medium;

wherein the step of forming an ohmic contact further comprises fully curing the first conductive medium.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the first conductive medium comprises sputtering, coating, vapor depositing or electroplating a metal, a metal alloy, or a combination of metals.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier medium is a reactive carrier medium and wherein the step of forming an ohmic contact further comprises:

removing the reactive carrier medium; and

curing or re-curing the first conductive medium.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier medium is an anisotropic carrier medium and wherein the step of forming an ohmic contact further comprises:

compressing the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles suspended in the anisotropic conductive medium.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming an ohmic contact further comprises:

annealing or alloying the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles within the plurality of channels.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels are spaced-apart and substantially parallel.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels are at least partially hemispherically-shaped and are disposed in an array.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels are spaced-apart and least partially parabolic.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises a plurality of angled ridges.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels are spaced-apart and further comprise a plurality of integrally formed projections or supports.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the plurality of first conductors are coupled to the plurality of integrally formed projections or supports within the plurality of spaced-apart channels and wherein the step of forming an ohmic contact further comprises:

annealing, or alloying, or chemically coupling the plurality of substrate particles to the plurality of first conductors.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of converting the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles into the plurality of semiconductor diodes further comprises:

forming a pn junction in each semiconductor substrate particle by depositing a dopant material onto the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles and annealing or alloying the dopant material with the plurality of substrate particles.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the annealing or alloying is laser or thermal annealing or alloying.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the dopant material is a substrate liquid or film or a dopant element or compound suspended in a carrier.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the pn junction is formed as at least a partially hemispherical shell or cap.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the dopant material is deposited on a first, upper portion of the plurality of substrate particles to form the plurality of semiconductor diodes and wherein about fifteen percent to fifty-five percent of a surface of each diode of substantially all of the plurality of semiconductor diodes has a layer or region having a first majority carrier or dopant and the remaining diode substrate has a second majority carrier or dopant.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the plurality of semiconductor diodes are light emitting diodes or photovoltaic diodes.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

depositing a plurality of third conductors over or within the plurality of second conductors.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises a Bragg reflector or a reflective plastic or polyester coating.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises:

a plurality of conductive vias extending between a first side and a second side of the base and correspondingly coupled at the first side to the plurality of first conductors; and

a conductive backplane coupled to the plurality of conductive vias and coupled to or integrated with the second side of the base.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

depositing a plurality of inorganic dielectric particles suspended with a photoinitiator compound in a second polymer or resin to form a plurality of insulators correspondingly coupled to each of the plurality of semiconductor diodes.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the base comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of:

paper, coated paper, plastic coated paper, embossed paper, fiber paper, cardboard, poster paper, poster board, wood, plastic, rubber, fabric, glass, ceramic, and mixtures or combinations thereof.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing a second conductive medium further comprises:

depositing an optically transmissive conductor or conductive compound suspended in a polymer, resin or other media.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the optically transmissive conductor or conductive compound suspended in a polymer, resin or other media further comprises at least one of the following:

carbon nanotubes, antimony tin oxide, indium tin oxide, or polyethylene-dioxithiophene.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the depositing and converting steps are performed by or through a printing process.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lenses comprise borosilicate glass or polystyrene latex.

37. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

attaching an interface for insertion into a standardized lighting socket.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the interface is compatible with an E12, E14, E26, E27, or GU-10 lighting standard.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the interface is compatible with a standard Edison-type lighting socket.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the interface is compatible with a standard fluorescent-type lighting socket.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lenses have at least a first index of refraction and wherein the first polymer has at least a second, different index of refraction.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein the deposition steps further comprise at least one of type of deposition process selected from the group consisting of:

printing, coating, rolling, spraying, layering, sputtering, lamination, screen printing, inkjet printing, electro-optical printing, electroink printing, photoresist printing, thermal printing, laser jet printing, magnetic printing, pad printing, flexographic printing, hybrid offset lithography, Gravure printing, and combinations thereof.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the first conductive medium further comprises coating the plurality of channels with the first conductive medium and removing excess first conductive medium by scraping a first surface of the base using a doctor blade.

44. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles further comprises coating the plurality of channels with the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles suspended in a carrier medium and removing excess plurality of spherical substrate particles by scraping a first surface of the base using a doctor blade.

45. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming an ohmic contact further comprises:

annealing or alloying the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles with the at least one first conductor.

46. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of converting the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles into the plurality of semiconductor diodes further comprises:

forming a pn junction in some of the semiconductor substrate particles of the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles by depositing a dopant material onto the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles and annealing or alloying the dopant material with the plurality of substrate particles.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the annealing or alloying is laser or thermal annealing or alloying.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the dopant material is a substrate liquid or film or a dopant element or compound suspended in a carrier.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the pn junction is formed as at least a partially hemispherical shell or cap.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein the dopant material is deposited on a first, upper portion of the plurality of substrate particles to form the plurality of semiconductor diodes and wherein about fifteen percent to fifty-five percent of a surface of each diode of substantially all of the plurality of semiconductor diodes has a layer or region having a first majority carrier or dopant and the remaining diode substrate has a second majority carrier or dopant.

51. A method of manufacturing an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

depositing a first conductive medium on a base to form at least one first conductor;

depositing a plurality of semiconductor substrate particles suspended in a liquid or gel carrier medium, wherein the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles are inorganic and substantially spherical;

forming one or more ohmic contacts between at least some semiconductor substrate particles of the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles and the at least one first conductor;

converting at least some semiconductor substrate particles of the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles into a plurality of semiconductor diodes, wherein the plurality of semiconductor diodes are substantially spherical;

depositing a second conductive medium to form a plurality of second conductors coupled to the plurality of semiconductor diodes; and

depositing a plurality of lenses suspended in a first polymer over the plurality of semiconductor diodes, wherein the plurality of lenses are substantially spherical and have at least a first index of refraction and wherein the first polymer, when solidified or cured, has at least a second, different index of refraction.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein a ratio of a mean diameter of the plurality of lenses to a mean diameter of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is substantially about five to one (5:

1).

53. The method of claim 51, wherein a ratio of a mean diameter of the plurality of lenses to a mean diameter of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is between about ten to one (10:

1) and two to one (2;

1).

54. The method of claim 51, wherein the comparative size or spacing of the plurality of lenses provide a mode coupling to the plurality of semiconductor diodes.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein a mean diameter or length of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is greater than about twenty (20) microns and less than about forty (40) microns.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein the step of depositing the plurality of lenses suspended in the first polymer further comprises attaching a prefabricated layer to the plurality of semiconductor diodes, the prefabricated layer comprising the plurality of lenses suspended in the first polymer.

57. The method of claim 51, wherein the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles comprise gallium nitride, gallium arsenide, or silicon.

58. The method of claim 51, wherein the step of forming one or more ohmic contacts between at least some semiconductor substrate particles of the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles and the at least one first conductor further comprises reacting the carrier medium with the at least one first conductor.

59. The method of claim 51, wherein the step of forming one or more ohmic contacts between at least some semiconductor substrate particles of the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles and the at least one first conductor further comprises reacting the carrier medium with the at least one first conductor and re-curing the first conductive medium.

60. The method of claim 51, wherein the step of depositing the first conductive medium comprises sputtering, coating, vapor depositing or electroplating a metal, a metal alloy, or a combination of metals.

61. The method of claim 51, wherein the liquid or gel carrier medium is a reactive liquid or gel carrier medium and wherein the step of forming an ohmic contact further comprises:

removing the reactive liquid or gel carrier medium; and

curing or re-curing the first conductive medium.

62. The method of claim 51, wherein the liquid or gel carrier medium is an anisotropic liquid or gel carrier medium and wherein the step of forming an ohmic contact further comprises:

compressing the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles suspended in the anisotropic liquid or gel conductive medium.

63. The method of claim 51, wherein the plurality of semiconductor diodes are light emitting diodes or photovoltaic diodes.

64. The method of claim 51, wherein the second conductive medium is, when solidified or cured, an optically transmissive conductor.

65. The method of claim 51, wherein at least one of the depositing steps is performed by or through a printing process.

66. The method of claim 51, wherein the plurality of lenses comprise borosilicate glass or polystyrene latex.

67. The method of claim 51, further comprising:

attaching an electrical or electronic interface, wherein the electrical or electronic interface is compatible with a lighting standard.

68. The method of claim 51, wherein at least one of the depositing steps further comprises at least one of type of deposition process selected from the group consisting of:

printing, coating, rolling, spraying, layering, sputtering, lamination, screen printing, inkjet printing, electro-optical printing, electroink printing, photoresist printing, thermal printing, laser jet printing, magnetic printing, pad printing, flexographic printing, hybrid offset lithography, Gravure printing, and combinations thereof.

69. A method of manufacturing an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

depositing a first conductive medium on a base to form at least one first conductor;

depositing a plurality of semiconductor substrate particles suspended in a liquid or gel carrier medium, wherein the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles are inorganic and substantially spherical;

forming one or more ohmic contacts between at least some semiconductor substrate particles of the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles and the at least one first conductor;

depositing a dopant material onto the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles;

converting at least some semiconductor substrate particles of the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles into a plurality of semiconductor diodes, wherein the plurality of semiconductor diodes are substantially spherical;

depositing a second conductive medium to form a plurality of second conductors coupled to the plurality of semiconductor diodes, wherein the second conductive medium is substantially optically transmissive when solidified or cured; and

depositing a plurality of lenses suspended in a first polymer over the plurality of semiconductor diodes, wherein the plurality of lenses are substantially spherical and have at least a first index of refraction and wherein the first polymer, when solidified or cured, has at least a second, different index of refraction.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein a ratio of a mean diameter of the plurality of lenses to a mean diameter of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is between about ten to one (10:

1) and two to one (2;

1).

71. The method of claim 69, wherein the step of depositing the plurality of lenses suspended in the first polymer further comprises attaching a prefabricated layer to the plurality of semiconductor diodes, the prefabricated layer comprising the plurality of lenses suspended in the first polymer.

72. The method of claim 69, wherein the step of forming one or more ohmic contacts between at least some semiconductor substrate particles of the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles and the at least one first conductor further comprises reacting the liquid or gel carrier medium with the at least one first conductor.

73. The method of claim 69, wherein the liquid or gel carrier medium is a reactive liquid or gel carrier medium and wherein the step of forming an ohmic contact further comprises:

removing the reactive liquid or gel carrier medium; and

curing or re-curing the first conductive medium.

74. The method of claim 69, wherein the step of converting the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles into the plurality of semiconductor diodes further comprises annealing or alloying the dopant material with the plurality of substrate particles to form one or more pn junctions in at least some of the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles of the plurality of semiconductor substrate particles.

75. The method of claim 69, wherein the dopant material is deposited on a first, upper portion of the plurality of substrate particles to form the plurality of semiconductor diodes and wherein about fifteen percent to fifty-five percent of a surface of each diode of substantially all of the plurality of diodes has a layer or region having a first majority carrier or dopant and the remaining diode substrate has a second majority carrier or dopant.

76. The method of claim 69, wherein the plurality of semiconductor diodes are light emitting diodes or photovoltaic diodes.