Ceramic-based light emitting diode (LED) devices, components and methods

• US 8,895,998 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creeled Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hussell, Christopher P., Andrews, Peter Scott, Tudorica, Florin A., Welch, Erin R. F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stark, Jarrett
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed, Shahed
• Application Number:
  US13/436,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20130258658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 257/99, 257/E33.06, 257/E33.077, 257/749, 257/787, 257/E51.018, 257/E21.506, 438/116
• US Class Current: 257/88
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48095 Kinked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• 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 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/642 characterized by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49227 Insulator making

Abstract

Devices, components and methods containing one or more light emitter devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) or LED chips, are disclosed. In one aspect, a light emitter device component can include a ceramic body having a top surface, one or more light emitter devices mounted directly or indirectly on the top surface, and one or more electrical components mounted on the top surface and electrically coupled to the one or more light emitter devices, wherein the one or more electrical components can be spaced from the ceramic body by one or more non-metallic layers. Components disclosed herein can result in improved light extraction and thermal management.

Claims

1. A light emitter device component comprising:

a non-metallic body having a top surface;

one or more light emitter devices mounted on the top surface; and

one or more electrical components mounted on the top surface and electrically coupled to the one or more light emitter devices, wherein the one or more electrical components are connected to the non-metallic body by one or more non-metallic layers, and wherein at least a portion of the top surface between the one or more light emitter devices and the one or more electrical components is not covered by the one or more non-metallic layers.

2. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, wherein the non-metallic body comprises a ceramic material.

3. The light emitter device component according to claim 2, wherein the non-metallic body comprises a thick-film ceramic substrate.

4. The light emitter device component according to claim 2, wherein the non-metallic body comprises a thin-film ceramic substrate.

5. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, wherein no metal is in direct contact with the non-metallic body.

6. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, wherein the non-metallic body comprises a plurality of scattering particles contained therein.

7. The light emitter device component according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of scattering particles comprise TiO2 particles.

8. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, wherein the non-metallic body comprises a low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) material.

9. The light emitter device component according to claim 8, wherein LTCC materials comprise aluminum oxide (Al2O3) having 0.3 to 0.5 weight percent glass frits.

10. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, wherein the non-metallic body comprises a high temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC) body.

11. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, wherein the one or more light emitter devices comprise light emitting diode (LED) chips.

12. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, wherein the one or more light emitter devices is mounted indirectly on the top surface with one or more intervening layer between the one or more light emitter devices and the top surface.

13. The light emitter device component according to claim 12, wherein the one or more intervening layer is non-metallic.

14. The light emitter device component according to claim 12, comprising a plurality of intervening layers.

15. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, wherein the one or more light emitter devices is mounted directly on the top surface without any intervening layer other than a thin adhesive layer.

16. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-metallic layers comprise an adhesive.

17. The light emitter device component according to claim 16, wherein the adhesive comprises an epoxy.

18. The light emitter device component according to claim 16, wherein the adhesive comprises a silicone adhesive.

19. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-metallic layers comprise one or more dielectric layers.

20. The light emitter device component according to claim 19, wherein the one or more dielectric layers comprise a polyimide-based polymer.

21. The light emitter device component according to claim 19, wherein the one or more dielectric layers comprise a printed circuit board (PCB).

22. The light emitter device component according to claim 21, wherein the printed circuit board comprises FR-4, CEM-3, CEM-4, or a related composite material.

23. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, comprising one or more intervening substrate layer having a comparatively higher thermal conductivity than the non-metallic body.

24. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, comprising one or more reflective layers positioned on a bottom surface of the non-metallic body opposing the top surface or within the non-metallic body.

25. The light emitter device component according to claim 24, wherein the one or more reflective layers comprise a metallic reflective layer.

26. The light emitter device component according to claim 24, wherein the one or more reflective layers comprise a white thermal compound.

27. The light emitter device component according to claim 1, comprising a fillet applied around a perimeter of a light-emitting area.

28. The light emitter device component according to claim 27, wherein the fillet comprises silicone.

29. The light emitter device component according to claim 27, wherein the fillet comprises a plurality of scattering particles contained therein.

30. The light emitter device component according to claim 29, wherein the plurality of scattering particles comprise TiO2 particles.