Light module and method for generating wavelength-converted light in the red spectral range, and method for providing a wavelength conversion element

• US 9,726,346 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2014
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
• Original Assignee: OSRAM GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Mehl, Oliver, Hoehmann, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US14/331,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20150049456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 362231
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/08 by movement of the screens or filters
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/08 for producing coloured light, e.g. monochromatic; for reducing intensity of light with provision for controlling the colour F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/204 using secondary light emission, e.g. luminescence or fluorescence using different colours G03B33/00; if related to video signals H04N9/3197
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 33/08 Sequential recording or projection G03B33/02, G03B33/04, G03B33/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3158 for controlling the spectrum

Abstract

A light module includes a wavelength conversion element and an excitation radiation source to emit excitation radiation having the first wavelength and arranged such that excitation radiation emitted by the excitation radiation source can be radiated onto the wavelength conversion element. The element has an emission spectrum having a red spectral component and a second dominant wavelength, which is less than a first dominant wavelength of the wavelength spectrum of the light to be generated by a predefinable value. The light module includes a long-pass filter arranged such that light emitted by the element can be radiated onto the long-pass filter. The long-pass filter is designed to filter the light emitted by the element and radiated onto the long-pass filter such that the filtered light has the wavelength spectrum of the light to be generated having the predefinable dominant wavelength.

Claims

1. A light module for generating wavelength-converted light in the red spectral range having a predefinable first dominant wavelength of a wavelength spectrum by means of a wavelength conversion element, the light module comprising:

a wavelength conversion element designed to absorb excitation radiation having at least one first wavelength, to convert it into light having at least one second wavelength greater than the first wavelength, and to emit said light;

an excitation radiation source designed to emit excitation radiation having at least the first wavelength and arranged in such a way that excitation radiation emitted by the excitation radiation source can be radiated at least indirectly onto the wavelength conversion element;

wherein the wavelength conversion element has an emission spectrum having a red spectral component and having a second dominant wavelength, which is less than the first dominant wavelength of the wavelength spectrum of the light to be generated at least by a predefinable value;

wherein the wavelength conversion element is embodied in such a way that the second dominant wavelength of the emission spectrum of the wavelength conversion element lies in a yellow or yellow-green spectral range;

wherein the light module furthermore comprises a long-pass filter arranged in such a way that light emitted by the wavelength conversion element can be radiated at least partly and at least indirectly onto the long-pass filter, wherein the long-pass filter is designed to filter the light emitted by the wavelength conversion element and radiated onto the long-pass filter in such a way that the filtered light has the wavelength spectrum of the light to be generated having the predefinable dominant wavelength.

2. The light module of claim 1,

wherein the wavelength conversion element is embodied as a Ce:

YAG phosphor, in particular with a Co doping, in order to provide a predefinable emission characteristic of the wavelength conversion element.

3. The light module of claim 1,

wherein the excitation radiation source is designed to radiate excitation radiation having an excitation radiation surface power density of at least 1 kW/cm² onto the wavelength conversion element, and is configured in particular in such a way that the excitation radiation source radiates excitation radiation having an excitation radiation surface power density of at least 1 kW/cm² onto the wavelength conversion element during the operation of the light module.

4. The light module of claim 1,

wherein a wavelength which is greater than 590 nm, in particular greater than 600 nm, is predefined as the predefinable first dominant wavelength.

5. The light module of claim 1, further comprising:

a phosphor wheel, which is rotatable about a rotation axis of the phosphor wheel, wherein at least the wavelength conversion element is arranged at least in a segment of a ring-shaped region of the phosphor wheel running around the rotation axis of the phosphor wheel, wherein at least one second wavelength conversion element is arranged at least in a second segment of the region running in a ring-shaped fashion around the rotation axis of the phosphor wheel.

6. The light module of claim 5,

wherein the phosphor wheel has a through opening in at least one third segment of the region running in a ring-shaped fashion around the rotation axis, wherein the light module is configured in such a way that excitation radiation emitted by the excitation radiation source, at least indirectly, during a rotation of the phosphor wheel, can be radiated sequentially onto each segment of the region of the phosphor wheel running in a ring-shaped fashion around the rotation axis.

7. The light module of claim 1, further comprising:

a phosphor wheel, which is rotatable about a rotation axis of the phosphor wheel, wherein the wavelength conversion element is arranged as the sole wavelength conversion element on the phosphor wheel.

8. The light module of claim 1,

wherein the wavelength conversion element is arranged on a carrier, which is arranged non-movably at least relative to the excitation radiation source.

9. The light module of claim 5,

wherein the phosphor wheel has a through opening in at least one third segment of the region running in a ring-shaped fashion around the rotation axis, wherein the light module is configured in such a way that excitation radiation emitted by the excitation radiation source, at least indirectly, during a rotation of the phosphor wheel, can be radiated sequentially onto each segment of the region of the phosphor wheel running in a ring-shaped fashion around the rotation axis;

and

wherein the light module further comprises a filter wheel comprising at least the long-pass filter, wherein the long-pass filter is arranged in at least one first region of the filter wheel, wherein the filter wheel is rotatable about a rotation axis of the filter wheel in a manner corresponding to the phosphor wheel in such a way that at least part of the light emitted by the wavelength conversion element and having the second dominant wavelength can be radiated at least indirectly onto the at least one first region of the filter wheel in which the long-pass filter is arranged.

10. The light module of claim 9,

wherein the filter wheel has at least one second region in which the long-pass filter is not arranged, wherein the filter wheel is rotatable in a manner corresponding to the phosphor wheel in such a way that part of the light emitted by the wavelength conversion element and having the second dominant wavelength can be radiated at least indirectly onto the at least one second region of the filter wheel in which the long-pass filter is not arranged.

11. A method for generating wavelength-converted light in the red spectral range having a predefinable first dominant wavelength of a wavelength spectrum by means of a wavelength conversion element, the method comprising:

a) providing a wavelength conversion element, which, upon absorbing excitation radiation having at least one first wavelength, converts this into light having at least one second wavelength and emits said light, wherein the second wavelength is greater than the first wavelength;

b) radiating excitation radiation comprising radiation having the first wavelength up to the wavelength conversion element;

wherein in a) a wavelength conversion element is provided which has an emission spectrum having a second dominant wavelength, which is less than the first dominant wavelength of the wavelength spectrum of the light to be generated at least by a predefinable value, wherein the wavelength conversion element is embodied in such a way that the second dominant wavelength of the emission spectrum of the wavelength conversion element lies in a yellow or yellow-green spectral range, and has a red spectral component, wherein after b);

c) the light emitted by the wavelength conversion element is filtered at least partly by a long-pass filter in such a way that the filtered light has the wavelength spectrum of the light to be generated having the predefinable dominant wavelength.

12. A method for providing a wavelength conversion element, the method comprising:

a) predefining an excitation radiation surface power density for exciting the wavelength conversion element;

b) providing an assignment of luminous fluxes depending on excitation radiation surface power densities for a plurality of long-pass-filtered wavelength spectra having in each case an identical dominant wavelength from a plurality of phosphors having in each case different doping proportions, said phosphors being formed from a wavelength-converting basic material and being doped with doping atoms;

c) on the basis of the assignment provided in b), determining a phosphor from the plurality of phosphors which has the highest luminous flux value for the excitation radiation surface power density predefined in a); and

d) providing the wavelength conversion element as the phosphor determined in c).