LED package with efficient, isolated thermal path

• US 8,878,217 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creeled Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hussell, Christopher P.
• Primary Examiner(s): POTTER, ROY KARL
• Application Number:
  US13/616,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20130011946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 257/98, 257/99, 257/100, 257/459, 257/707, 257/745, 257/791, 257/666
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/486 adapted for surface mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/642 characterized by the shape

Abstract

Packages for containing one or more light emitting devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), are disclosed with an efficient, isolated thermal path. In one embodiment, LED package can include a thermal element and at least one electrical element embedded within a body. The thermal element and electrical element can have the same and/or substantially the same thickness and can extend directly from a bottom surface of the LED package such that they are substantially flush with or extend beyond the bottom surface of the LED package. The thermal and electrical element have exposed portions which can be substantially flush with lateral sides of the body such that the thermal and electrical element do not have a significant portion extending beyond an outermost edge of the lateral sides of the body.

Claims

1. A method of forming a low-cost light emitting diode (LED) package, comprising:

providing a body, comprising;

at least a portion of a thermal element and at least a portion of an electrical element both embedded within the body and extending directly from a bottom surface of the body, the thermal element being electrically isolated from the electrical element; and

at least one light emitter device thermally connected to the thermal element and electrically connected to the electrical element; and

terminating the thermal element and the electrical element to form exposed portions substantially flush with opposing lateral sides of the body.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein terminating the thermal and electrical element substantially flush with opposing lateral sides of the body comprises shearing the thermal and electrical element such that no significant portion of the thermal or electrical element is extending beyond outermost edges of the lateral sides of the body.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermal element and electrical element only extend directly from a bottom surface of the body.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermal element is electrically isolated from the electrical element by an insulating portion of the body.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a top surface of the thermal element and a top surface of the electrical element are substantially flush with a bottom surface of a reflector cavity formed in the body.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermal element comprises a substantially same thickness as the electrical element within the body.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermal element comprises a bending portion embedded within the body.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the body comprises providing a ceramic body or a plastic body.

9. A method of forming a low-cost light emitting diode (LED) package, comprising:

providing a body;

embedding at least one thermal element and at least one electrical element in two opposing lateral sides of the body, wherein portions of each of the thermal and electrical elements extend directly from a bottom surface of the body, and wherein the thermal element and electrical element comprise bottom surfaces which are substantially flush with the bottom surface of the body; and

providing at least one light emitter device thermally connected to the thermal element and electrically connected to the electrical element.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising providing a reflector cavity in the body.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising providing an encapsulant in the reflector cavity.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising providing a lens over at least a portion of the body.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising providing at least two light emitter devices.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein a top surface of the thermal element is disposed along a lower plane than an embedded top surface of the thermal element.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the thermal element comprises a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the opposing lateral sides upon which exposed portions of the thermal element are located.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the exposed portions of the thermal element are substantially flush with the opposing lateral sides of the body.

17. The method according to claim 9, wherein the electrical element comprises a longitudinal axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the thermal element.

18. The method according to claim 9, wherein the electrical element comprises a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the opposing lateral sides upon which exposed portions of the electrical element are located.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the exposed portions of the electrical element are substantially flush with the opposing lateral sides of the body.

20. The method according to claim 9, wherein the thermal element and electrical element only extend directly from a bottom surface of the body.

21. The method according to claim 9, wherein the thermal element and electrical element are only embedded in the two opposing lateral sides of the body.

22. The method according to claim 9, wherein the thermal element is electrically isolated from the electrical element.

23. A method of forming a low-cost light emitting diode (LED) package, comprising:

providing a body;

embedding at least one thermal element and at least one electrical element within a portion of the body, wherein portions of each of the thermal and electrical elements extend directly from a bottom surface of the body, and wherein each of the thermal and electrical elements is only embedded in portions of two opposing lateral sides of the body; and

providing at least one light emitter device electrically connected to the electrical element.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the thermal element comprises a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the two opposing lateral sides upon which exposed portions of the thermal element are located.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the exposed portions of the thermal element are substantially flush with the two opposing lateral sides of the body.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the electrical element comprises a longitudinal axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the thermal element.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the electrical element comprises a longitudinal axis orthogonal to opposing lateral sides upon which exposed portions of the electrical element are located.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the exposed portions of the electrical element are substantially flush with the opposing lateral sides of the body.

29. The method according to claim 23, further comprising providing a reflector cavity in the body.

30. The method according to claim 29, further comprising providing an encapsulant in the reflector cavity.

31. The method according to claim 23, further comprising providing a lens over at least a portion of the body.

32. The method according to claim 23, further comprising providing at least two light emitter devices.

33. The method according to claim 23, wherein the thermal element is electrically isolated from the electrical element.

34. A method of forming a low-cost light emitting diode (LED) package, comprising:

providing a body with a top surface and a bottom surface;

embedding at least one thermal element and at least one electrical element within a portion of the body, wherein portions of each of the thermal and electrical elements extend directly from a bottom surface of the body, and wherein a top surface of the thermal element and a top surface of the electrical element are substantially flush with the top surface the body; and

providing at least one light emitter device on the top surface of the body.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the thermal element and electrical element only extend directly from a bottom surface of the body.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the thermal element and electrical element are only embedded in two opposing lateral sides of the body.

37. The method according to claim 34, wherein the thermal element is electrically isolated from the electrical element.

38. The method according to claim 34, wherein the thermal element and the electrical element are embedded in two opposing lateral sides of the body.

39. The method according to claim 34, further comprising providing an encapsulant at least partially over a portion of the at least one light emitter device.

40. The method according to claim 34, further comprising providing at least two light emitter devices.

41. The method according to claim 34, wherein the thermal element comprises a longitudinal axis orthogonal to opposing lateral sides upon which exposed portions of the thermal element are located.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the electrical element comprises a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the thermal element.

43. A method of forming a low-cost light emitting diode (LED) package, comprising:

providing a body with a reflector cavity;

embedding at least one thermal element and at least one electrical element within a portion of the body, wherein portions of each of the thermal and electrical elements extend directly from a bottom surface of the body, and wherein the thermal element and electrical element comprise bottom surfaces which are substantially flush with the bottom surface of the body; and

providing at least one light emitter device thermally connected to the thermal element and electrically connected to the electrical element.

44. The method according to claim 43, further comprising providing an encapsulant in the reflector cavity.

45. A method of forming a low-cost light emitting diode (LED) package, comprising:

providing a body;

embedding at least one thermal element and at least one electrical element within a portion of the body, wherein portions of each of the thermal and electrical elements extend directly from a bottom surface of the body, and wherein a top surface of the thermal element is disposed along a lower plane than an embedded top surface of the thermal element, and both the thermal element and electrical element comprise bottom surfaces which are substantially flush with the bottom surface of the body; and

providing at least one light emitter device thermally connected to the thermal element and electrically connected to the electrical element.

46. A method of forming a low-cost light emitting diode (LED) package, comprising:

providing a body;

embedding at least one thermal element and at least one electrical element within a portion of the body, wherein portions of each of the thermal and electrical elements extend directly from a bottom surface of the body and the thermal element comprises a longitudinal axis orthogonal to opposing lateral sides of the body upon which exposed portions of the thermal element are located, and wherein the thermal element and electrical element comprise bottom surfaces which are substantially flush with the bottom surface of the body; and

providing at least one light emitter device thermally connected to the thermal element and electrically connected to the electrical element.

47. The method according to claim 46, wherein the exposed portions of the thermal element are substantially flush with the opposing lateral sides of the body.

48. A method of forming a low-cost light emitting diode (LED) package, comprising:

providing a body;

embedding at least one thermal element and at least one electrical element within a portion of the body, wherein portions of each of the thermal and electrical elements extend directly from a bottom surface of the body and the electrical element comprises a longitudinal axis orthogonal to opposing lateral sides of the body upon which exposed portions of the electrical element are located, and wherein the thermal element and electrical element comprise bottom surfaces which are substantially flush with the bottom surface of the body; and

providing at least one light emitter device thermally connected to the thermal element and electrically connected to the electrical element.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the exposed portions of the electrical element are substantially flush with the opposing lateral sides of the body.

50. A method of forming a low-cost light emitting diode (LED) package, comprising:

providing a body;

embedding at least one thermal element and at least one electrical element within a portion of the body, wherein each of the thermal and electrical elements only extend directly from a bottom surface of the body, and wherein the thermal element and electrical element comprise bottom surfaces which are substantially flush with the bottom surface of the body; and

providing at least one light emitter device thermally connected to the thermal element and electrically connected to the electrical element.

51. A method of forming a low-cost light emitting diode (LED) package, comprising:

providing a body;

embedding at least one thermal element and at least one electrical element within only two opposing lateral sides of the body, wherein portions of each of the thermal and electrical elements extend directly from a bottom surface of the body, and wherein the thermal element and electrical element comprise bottom surfaces which are substantially flush with the bottom surface of the body; and

providing at least one light emitter device thermally connected to the thermal element and electrically connected to the electrical element.