Solid state light strips containing LED dies in series

• US 8,338,841 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
• Original Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
• Inventors: Lerman, Louis, York, Allan Brent, Henry, Michael David, Steele, Robert, Ogonowsky, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Li, Meiya
• Application Number:
  US13/096,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20110198632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 257 80- 82, 257/88, 257/89, 257/95, 257 98-100, 257/E33.056, 257/E33.061, 438/25, 438/28, 438/34, 438/FOR.157, 438/FOR.287, 438/FOR.46, 362/217.01, 362/249.02, 362/311.02, 362/363, 362/545, 362/555, 362611-613, 362/800, 313/483, 313498-502
• US Class Current: 257/88
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/20 Light sources comprising attachment means
• 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: F21S 8/06 by suspension
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/90 on two opposite sides of supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 2933/0033 relating to semiconductor body packages
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0066 relating to arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0075 relating to heat extraction or cooling elements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/507 the elements being in intimate contact with parts other than the semiconductor body or integrated with parts other than the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/62 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4025 Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar H01S5/42 takes precedence

Abstract

A solid state light sheet and method of fabricating the sheet are disclosed. In one embodiment, bare LED chips have top and bottom electrodes, where the bottom electrode is a large reflective electrode. The bottom electrodes of an array of LEDs (e.g., 500 LEDs) are bonded to an array of electrodes formed on a flexible bottom substrate. Conductive traces are formed on the bottom substrate connected to the electrodes. A transparent top substrate is then formed over the bottom substrate. Various ways to connect the LEDs in series are described along with many embodiments. In one method, the top substrate contains a conductor pattern that connects to LED electrodes and conductors on the bottom substrate.

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising:

one or more light strips, each light strip of the one or more light strips comprising;

a base substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface, the second surface having a rounded shape, the base substrate being elongated along a longitudinal dimension of the light strip, where the longitudinal dimension of the light strip is greater than a transverse dimension of the light strip, and wherein the first surface comprises an indentation, the indentation being along the longitudinal dimension of the light strip;

a cover substrate comprising a rounded surface and a cover surface, the cover substrate being elongated along the longitudinal dimension of the light strip, the cover surface of the cover substrate being in contact with the first surface of the base substrate, and the rounded surface of the cover substrate having a rounded shape;

a plurality of non-packaged light emitting diode (LED) dies being disposed between the base substrate and the cover substrate in the indentation such that during operation of the lighting device a peak intensity of light emitted by the plurality of non-packaged LED dies is output through the rounded surface of the cover substrate; and

a first set of conductors and a second set of conductors configured to provide power to the non-packaged LED dies, where the non-packaged LED dies are connected to the first set of conductors and the second set of conductors without wires, and the first set of conductors is formed on the first surface of the base substrate and the second set of conductors is formed on the cover surface of the cover substrate, wherein at least a first portion of the first set of conductors are physically connected to at least a first portion of the second set of conductors.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the first set of conductors and the first portion of the second set of conductors electrically connect with no intervening layer sandwiched between the base substrate and the cover substrate.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the base substrate and the cover substrate further comprises a wavelength conversion layer to create an alternative composition of light wavelengths.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the wavelength conversion layer further comprises phosphor.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a reflector coupled to the second surface of the base substrate for reflecting light emitted by the plurality of non-packaged LED dies towards the base substrate during operation of the lighting device.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the indentation is distributed along the longitudinal dimension of the light strip in a single line.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more light strips are a plurality of light strips, wherein at least some of the one or more light strips are connected in parallel, and wherein the lighting device forms a lighting fixture.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the base substrate and the cover substrate are preformed prior to sandwiching the plurality of non-packaged LED dies.

9. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the base substrate and the cover substrate are coupled along the longitudinal dimension of the light strip such that the cover substrate closes over the base substrate aligning the base substrate and cover substrate.

10. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein the base substrate and the cover substrate are coupled by a resilient narrow portion along the longitudinal dimension of the light strip.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a support base to support the one or more light strips, the support base comprising a reflective support surface and being elongated along the longitudinal dimension of the light strip, the reflective support surface being shaped as a groove along a longitudinal axis of the support base.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein, during operation of the lighting device, another peak intensity of light emitted by the plurality of non-packaged LED dies is output through the second surface of the base substrate.

13. The device of claim 1 further comprising an encapsulant proximate to at least some of the plurality of non-packaged LED dies.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the encapsulant further comprises a wavelength conversion material to create an alternative composition of light wavelengths.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the rounded surface of the cover substrate and the second surface of the base substrate has a hemispherical shape.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein a diameter of the hemispherical shape is substantially equal to the transverse dimension of the light strip.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein a transverse cross section of at least one of the rounded surface of the cover substrate and the second surface of the base substrate is shaped as a semi-circular segment, and a chord length of the semi-circular segment is substantially equal to the transverse dimension of the light strip.

18. A lighting device comprising:

one or more light strips, each light strip of the one or more light strips comprising;

a base substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface, the second surface having a rounded shape, the base substrate being elongated along a longitudinal dimension of the light strip, where the longitudinal dimension of the light strip is greater than a transverse dimension of the light strip, and wherein the first surface comprises a groove along the longitudinal dimension of the light strip;

a cover substrate comprising a rounded surface and a cover surface, the cover substrate being elongated along the longitudinal dimension of the light strip, the cover surface of the cover substrate being in contact with the first surface of the base substrate, and the rounded surface of the cover substrate having a rounded shape;

a plurality of non-packaged light emitting diode (LED) dies being disposed spaced apart between the base substrate and the cover substrate in the groove such that during operation of the lighting device a peak intensity of light emitted by the plurality of non-packaged LED dies is output through the rounded cover surface of the cover substrate; and

a first set of conductors and a second set of conductors configured to provide power to the non-packaged LED dies, where the non-packaged LED dies are connected to the first set of conductors and the second set of conductors without wires, and the first set of conductors is formed on the first surface of the base substrate and the second set of conductors is formed on the cover surface of the cover substrate, wherein at least a first portion of the first set of conductors are physically connected to at least a first portion of the second set of conductors.

19. The lighting device of claim 18, wherein the one or more light strips are a plurality of light strips, wherein at least some of one or more light strips are connected in parallel, and wherein the lighting device forms a lighting fixture.

20. The lighting device of claim 18, wherein the base substrate and the cover substrate are coupled along the longitudinal dimension of the light strip such that the cover substrate closes over the base substrate aligning the base substrate and cover substrate.

21. The lighting device of claim 20, wherein the base substrate and the cover substrate are coupled by a resilient narrow portion along the longitudinal dimension of the light strip.

22. The lighting device of claim 18, further comprising a support base to support the one or more light strips, the support base comprising a reflective support surface and being elongated along the longitudinal dimension of the light strip, the reflective support surface being shaped as a groove along a longitudinal axis of the support base.

23. The lighting device of claim 18, wherein, during operation of the lighting device, another peak intensity of light emitted by the plurality of non-packaged LED dies is output through the second surface of the base substrate.

24. The device of claim 18, wherein at least one of the rounded surface of the cover substrate and the second surface of the base substrate has a hemispherical shape.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein a diameter of the hemispherical shape is substantially equal to the transverse dimension of the light strip.

26. The device of claim 18 wherein a transverse cross section of at least one of the rounded surface of the cover substrate and the second surface of the base substrate is shaped as a semi-circular segment, and a chord length of the semi-circular segment is substantially equal to the transverse dimension of the light strip.