Led module

• US 20030178627A1
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OSRAM OLED GMBH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: OSRAM GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Marchl, Werner, Waitl, Gunter, Spath, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 7,439,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/80
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/73 Means for bonding being of different types provided for in two or more of groups H01L24/10, H01L24/18, H01L24/26, H01L24/34, H01L24/42, H01L24/50, H01L24/63, H01L24/71
• 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 2924/01019 Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01068 Erbium [Er]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 LED
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An LED module has a carrier, which contains a semiconductor layer and has a planar main area, on which LED semiconductor bodies are applied. Use is preferably made of LED semiconductor bodies which emit light of differing central wavelengths during operation, so that the LED module is suitable for generating mixed-color light, and in particular for generating white light.

Claims

1. An LED module, comprising:

a carrier having a first main area, a second main area, and at least one semiconductor layer, said first main area having a planar configuration; and

a plurality of LED semiconductor bodies applied on said first main area of said carrier.

2. The LED module according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor layer contains a material selected from the group consisting of silicon and gallium arsenide.

3. The LED module according to claim 1, wherein said carrier is formed in a multilayered fashion.

4. The LED module according to claim 1, wherein said carrier has and is bounded by at least one electrical insulating layer on a side of said first main area.

5. The LED module according to claim 4, wherein said electrical insulating layer is formed in a multilayered fashion.

6. The LED module according to claim 4, wherein said electrical insulating layer contains a material selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide and silicon nitride.

7. The LED module according to claim 1, further comprising conductive regions on which said LED semiconductor bodies are applied, are formed on said first main area of said carrier.

8. The LED module according to claim 7, wherein said conductive regions have a high reflectivity in a spectral region of radiation emitted by said LED semiconductor bodies.

9. The LED module according to claim 7, wherein said conductive regions are formed from aluminum.

10. The LED module according to claim 4, further comprising chip connection regions formed on said electrical insulating layer and said LED semiconductor bodies are disposed on said chip connection regions.

11. The LED module according to claim 7, further comprising chip connection regions formed on said conductive regions and said LED semiconductor bodies are disposed on said chip connection regions.

12. The LED module according to claim 10, wherein each of said chip connection regions are formed as a stack of thin metal layers.

13. The LED module according to claim 12, wherein said thin metal layers contain materials selected from the group consisting of titanium, copper, gold, platinum and other noble metals.

14. The LED module according to claim 1, further comprising a heat sink connected to said carrier on a said second main area.

15. The LED module according to claim 14, wherein said heat sink is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of copper and aluminum.

16. The LED module according to claim 14, wherein said heat sink adjoins said semiconductor layer.

17. The LED module according to claim 16, further comprising a soldering compound connecting said heat sink to said semiconductor layer.

18. The LED module according to claim 1, wherein said LED semiconductor bodies are disposed on said carrier in a matrix form.

19. The LED module according to claim 1, wherein said LED semiconductor bodies emit light of differing central wavelengths during operation.

20. The LED module according to claim 19, wherein the light emitted by individual ones of said LED semiconductor bodies during operation has central wavelengths in the red, green or blue spectral region.

21. The LED module according to claim 19, wherein said LED semiconductor bodies with a same central wavelength in each case are disposed regularly on said carrier.

22. The LED module according to claim 21, wherein said LED semiconductor bodies are disposed in a periodically recurring sequence with regard to the central wavelengths in matrix rows.

23. The LED module according to claim 22, wherein a configuration of said LED semiconductor bodies in said matrix rows have a same periodically recurring sequence with regard to the central wavelengths.

24. The LED module according to claim 23, wherein said LED semiconductor bodies with a same central wavelength are in each case disposed in matrix columns.

25. The LED module according to claim 23, wherein a configuration of said LED semiconductor bodies in said matrix rows with an odd row number is identical and said configuration in said matrix rows with an even row number emerges from an overlying matrix row by displacement by one column width toward the left or toward the right.

26. The LED module according to claim 1, wherein said LED semiconductor bodies are one of soldered on and adhesively bonded on using an adhesion agent.

27. The LED module according to claim 26, wherein said adhesion agent is electrically conductive.

28. The LED module according to claim 26, wherein said adhesion agent is selected from the group consisting of solder, an adhesive, and a silver conductive adhesive.

29. The LED module according to claim 26, further comprising a reservoir formed at least partially around said LED semiconductor bodies for said adhesion agent.

30. The LED module according to claim 11, wherein each of said chip connection regions is formed as a stack of thin metal layers.

31. The LED module according to claim 30, wherein said thin metal layers contain materials selected from the group consisting of titanium, copper, gold, platinum and other noble metals.

32. The LED module according to claim 16, further comprising a thermally conductive adhesive connecting said heat sink to said semiconductor layer.

42. A method of using the LED module according to claim 26, which comprises the step of:

supplying the LED semiconductor bodies having a same central wavelength with a same operating current.

43. A method of using the LED module according to claim 19 for generating white mixed light, which comprises the step of:

choosing frequencies of the LED semiconductor bodies with a same central wavelength such that the white mixed light is generated when all the LED semiconductor bodies are energized identically.

33. A configuration of multiple modules, comprising:

a plurality of LED modules each containing;

a carrier having a first main area, a second main area, and at least one semiconductor layer, said first main area having a planar configuration; and

a plurality of LED semiconductor bodies applied on said first main area of said carrier; and

a common heat sink, said carrier of said LED modules in each case connected to said common heat sink on said second main area.

34. The configuration of multiple modules according to claim 33, wherein said common heat sink is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of copper and aluminum.

35. The configuration of multiple modules according to claim 33, wherein said semiconductor layer of said LED modules in each case adjoins said common heat sink.

36. The configuration of multiple modules according to claim 35, wherein said semiconductor layer of said LED modules is in each case connected to said common heat sink by one of a soldering compound and a thermally conductive adhesive.

37. The configuration of multiple modules according to claim 33, further comprising conductor tracks disposed between said LED modules.

38. The configuration of multiple modules according to claim 37, further comprising a conductor track carrier bearing on said common heat sink and said conductor tracks are formed on said conductor track carrier.

39. The configuration of multiple modules according to claim 38, wherein said conductor track carrier is selected from the group consisting of printed circuit boards, flexible printed circuit boards, printed circuit board sheets and flexboards.

41. A method of using the configuration of multiple modules according to claim 33, which comprises the steps of:

using the configuration of multiple modules for generating white mixed light; and

defining a color locus of the white mixed light by controlling an operating current of the LED semiconductor bodies.

44. A method of using the configuration of multiple modules according to claim 33 for generating white mixed light, which comprises the step of:

choosing frequencies of the LED semiconductor bodies with a same central wavelength such that the white mixed light is generated when all the LED semiconductor bodies are energized identically.

40. A method of using LED modules, which comprises the steps of:

providing an LED module generating white mixed light and containing a carrier having a first main area, a second main area, and at least one semiconductor layer, the first main area having a planar configuration, the LED module further having a plurality of LED semiconductor bodies applied on the first main area of the carrier; and

defining a color locus of the white mixed light by controlling an operating current of the LED semiconductor bodies.