Light emitting, photovoltaic or other electronic apparatus and system

• US 9,236,528 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2013
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• 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.
• 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): Jung, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIU, MIKKA H
• Application Number:
  US13/763,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20130146905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,067 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/30 Treatment of semiconductor bodies using processes or apparatus not provided for in groups H01L21/20 - H01L21/26 manufacture of electrodes thereon H01L21/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/142 Energy conversion devices photovoltaic modules or arrays of single photovoltaic cells comprising bypass diodes integrated or directly associated with the devices H01L31/0443; photovoltaic modules composed of a plurality of thin film solar cells deposited on the same substrate H01L31/046
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/156 two-dimensional arrays
• 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 31/028 including, apart from doping material or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0304 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03044 comprising a nitride compounds, e.g. GaN
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0328 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, semiconductor materials provided for in two or more of groups H01L31/0272 - H01L31/032
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0352 characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
• 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 31/05 Electrical interconnection means between PV cells inside the PV module, e.g. series connection of PV cells electrodes H01L31/0224; electrical interconnection of thin film solar cells formed on a common substrate H01L31/046; particular structures for electrical interconnecting of adjacent thin film solar cells in the module H01L31/0465; electrical interconnection means specially adapted for electrically connecting two or more PV modules H02S40/36
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0504 specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module
• 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 31/0543 comprising light concentrating means of the refractive type, e.g. lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0547 : comprising light concentrating means of the reflecting type, e.g. parabolic mirrors, concentrators using total internal reflection
• 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: H01L 33/00 : Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof H10K50/00 takes precedence; devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor components formed in or on a common substrate and including semiconductor components having potential barriers, specially adapted for light emission H01L27/15; semiconductor lasers H01S5/00
• 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 33/20 : with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/30 : containing only elements of Group III and Group V of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 : containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/34 : containing only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 : Optical field-shaping elements
• 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: H10K 2102/331 : Nanoparticles used in non-emissive layers, e.g. in packaging layer
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/87 : Light-trapping means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/80 : Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 : Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/852 : comprising a resonant cavity structure, e.g. Bragg reflector pair
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/856 : comprising reflective means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/858 : comprising refractive means, e.g. lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/00 : Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one organic light-emitting element covered by group H10K50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/17 : Passive-matrix OLED displays
• 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 10/52 : PV systems with concentrators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/544 : Solar cells from Group III-V materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 : Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 : Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The present invention provides an electronic apparatus, such as a lighting device comprised of light emitting diodes (LEDs) or a power generating apparatus comprising photovoltaic diodes, which may be created through a printing process, using a semiconductor or other substrate particle ink or suspension and using a lens particle ink or suspension. An exemplary apparatus comprises a base; at least one first conductor; a plurality of substantially spherical or optically resonant diodes coupled to the at least one first conductor; at least one second conductor coupled to the plurality of diodes; and a plurality of substantially spherical lenses suspended in a polymer attached or deposited over the diodes. The lenses and the suspending polymer have different indices of refraction. In some embodiments, the lenses and diodes have a ratio of mean diameters or lengths between about 10:1 and 2:1. The diodes may be LEDs or photovoltaic diodes, and in some embodiments, have a junction formed at least partially as a hemispherical shell or cap.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a base;

at least one first conductor coupled to the base;

a plurality of spherical diodes coupled to the at least one first conductor, wherein fifteen percent to fifty-five percent of a surface of each diode of the plurality of spherical diodes has a penetration layer or region having a first majority carrier or dopant and a remaining surface of each diode and diode substrate of the plurality of spherical diodes has a second majority carrier or dopant, wherein each diode of the plurality of spherical diodes is singulated and separate from other diodes of the plurality of spherical diodes and wherein a mean diameter of the plurality of diodes is between twenty microns and forty microns;

at least one second conductor coupled to the plurality of spherical diodes; and

a plurality of lenses suspended in a first polymer and coupled to the plurality of spherical diodes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lenses are embodied as a lens structure optically coupled to the plurality of spherical diodes.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lenses are spherical and have at least a first index of refraction and the first polymer has at least a second, different index of refraction.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lenses are spherical and a ratio of a mean diameter of the plurality of spherical lenses to a mean diameter of the plurality of spherical diodes is between ten to one (10:

1) and two to one (2;

1).

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lenses are spherical.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lenses comprise either borosilicate glass or polystyrene latex.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spherical diodes are selected from the group consisting of:

semiconductor light emitting diodes, organic light emitting diodes, encapsulated organic light emitting diodes, polymer light emitting diodes, photovoltaic diodes, and mixtures thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spherical diodes comprise a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of:

gallium nitride, gallium arsenide, silicon, and mixtures thereof.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one third conductor coupled to the at least one second conductor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises a reflector or a refractor.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one conductive via extending between a first side and a second side of the base and coupled at the first side to the at least one first conductor.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the base further comprises a conductive backplane coupled to the at least one conductive via and coupled to or integrated with the second side of the base.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one insulator coupled to the plurality of spherical diodes and comprising a plurality of inorganic dielectric particles suspended with a photoinitiator compound in a second polymer or resin.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base has a flat overall form factor with or without surface features and has a thickness of less than two millimeters.

15. The apparatus 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 thereof.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first conductor comprises either a cured conductive ink or a cured conductive polymer.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first conductor comprises a sputtered, coated, vapor deposited or electroplated metal, metal alloy, or combination of metals.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one second conductor comprises either an optically transmissive conductor or an optically transmissive conductive compound suspended in a polymer, resin or other media.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spherical diodes are annealed, or alloyed, or chemically coupled to the at least one first conductor.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a base;

at least one first conductor coupled to the base;

a plurality of optically resonant diodes coupled to the at least one first conductor, wherein fifteen percent to fifty-five percent of a surface of each diode of the plurality of optically resonant diodes has a penetration layer or region having a first majority carrier or dopant and a remaining surface of each diode and diode substrate of the plurality of optically resonant diodes has a second majority carrier or dopant, wherein each diode of the plurality of optically resonant diodes is singulated and separate from other diodes of the plurality of optically resonant diodes and wherein a mean diameter or length of the plurality of optically resonant diodes is between twenty microns and forty microns;

at least one second conductor coupled to the plurality of optically resonant diodes; and

a plurality of lenses suspended in a first polymer and coupled to the plurality of optically diodes.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the plurality of lenses are embodied as a lens structure optically coupled to the plurality of optically resonant diodes.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the lens structure provides a mode coupling to the plurality of optically resonant diodes.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the plurality of lenses have at least a first index of refraction and the first polymer has at least a second, different index of refraction.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the plurality of lenses are selected from the group consisting of spherical, hemispherical, faceted, elliptical, oblong, cubic, prismatic, trapezoidal, triangular, pyramidal, and mixtures thereof.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the plurality of lenses comprise either borosilicate glass or polystyrene latex.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the plurality of optically resonant diodes are selected from the group consisting of:

spherical diodes, toroidal diodes, cylindrical diodes, and mixtures thereof.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the plurality of optically resonant diodes are selected from the group consisting of:

semiconductor light emitting diodes, organic light emitting diodes, encapsulated organic light emitting diodes, polymer light emitting diodes, photovoltaic diodes, and mixtures thereof.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the plurality of optically resonant diodes comprise a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of:

gallium nitride, gallium arsenide, silicon, and mixtures thereof.

29. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising at least one conductive via extending between a first side and a second side of the base and correspondingly coupled at the first side to the at least one first conductor.

30. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the base further comprises a conductive backplane coupled to the at least one conductive via and coupled to or integrated with the second side of the base.

31. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

at least one insulator coupled to the plurality of optically resonant diodes and comprising a plurality of inorganic dielectric particles suspended with a photoinitiator compound in a second polymer or resin.

32. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the base has a flat overall form factor with or without surface features and has a thickness of less than two millimeters.

33. The apparatus of claim 20, 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 thereof.

34. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one first conductor comprises at least one conductor selected from the group consisting of:

a cured conductive ink, a cured conductive polymer, a metal, a metal alloy, a combination of metals, and mixtures thereof.

35. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one second conductor comprises either an optically transmissive conductor or an optically transmissive conductive compound suspended in a polymer, resin or other media.

36. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the plurality of optically resonant diodes are annealed, or alloyed, or chemically coupled to the at least one first conductor.

37. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the apparatus is flexible, or foldable, or creasable.

38. An apparatus, comprising:

a base having a flat overall form factor with or without surface features and a thickness of less than two millimeters;

at least one first conductor coupled to the base;

a plurality of optically resonant diodes coupled to the at least one first conductor, wherein fifteen percent to fifty-five percent of a surface of each diode of the plurality of optically resonant diodes has a penetration layer or region having a first majority carrier or dopant and a remaining surface of each diode and diode substrate of the plurality of optically resonant diodes has a second majority carrier or dopant, wherein each diode of the plurality of optically resonant diodes is singulated and separate from other diodes of the plurality of optically resonant diodes and wherein a mean diameter or length of the plurality of optically resonant diodes is between twenty microns and forty microns;

at least one second conductor coupled to the plurality of optically resonant diodes; and

a lens structure optically coupled to the plurality of optically resonant diodes, the lens structure comprising a plurality of lenses suspended in a polymer.