HIGH VOLTAGE MONOLITHIC LED CHIP

• US 20140070245A1
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creeled Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: HABERERN, KEVIN W., DONOFRIO, MATTHEW, LANGSDORF, BENNETT, PLACE, THOMAS, BERGMANN, MICHAEL JOHN
• Granted Patent: US 9,728,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/93
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32257 the layer connector connecting to a bonding area disposed in a recess of the surface of the item
• 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 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 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 33/08 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 33/405 Reflective materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/46 Reflective coating, e.g. dielectric Bragg reflector

Abstract

Monolithic LED chips are disclosed comprising a plurality of active regions on a submount, wherein the submount comprises integral electrically conductive interconnect elements in electrical contact with the active regions and electrically connecting at least some of the active regions in series. The submount also comprises an integral insulator element electrically insulating at least some of the interconnect elements and active regions from other elements of the submount. The active regions are mounted in close proximity to one another with at least some of the active regions having a space between adjacent ones of the active regions that is 10 percent or less of the width of one or more of the active regions. The space is substantially not visible when the LED chip is emitting, such that the LED chips emits light similar to a filament.

Claims

1. A monolithic LED chip, comprising:

a plurality of active regions on a submount;

integral electrically conductive interconnect elements in electrical contact with said active regions and electrically connecting at least some of said active region in series; and

one or more integral insulating layers surrounding at least a portion of said interconnect elements and isolating said portion from other elements of said LED chip.

2. The LED chip of claim 1, wherein said interconnect elements and one or more insulating layers are integral to said submount.

3. The LED chip of claim 1, wherein said interconnect elements and one or more insulating layers are integral to said active regions.

4. The LED chip of claim 1, wherein said interconnect elements comprise a metal layer and a plurality of vias.

5. The LED chip of claim 1, wherein said submount further comprises lower electrically conductive elements, wherein one of said insulation layers is arranged between said lower electrically conductive elements and interconnect elements and active regions.

6. The LED chip of claim 5, wherein said lower electrically conductive elements comprise a mirror and/or a bond metal.

7. The LED chip of claim 1, wherein said active regions are linearly arranged on said submount.

8. The LED chip of claim 1, wherein the operating voltage approximately equals the sum of the junction voltages of said active regions.

9. The LED chip of claim 1, comprising a space between adjacent ones of the active regions that are small enough that said space is substantially not visible when said LED chip is emitting.

10. The LED chip of claim 1, comprising a space between adjacent ones of the active regions that is 10 percent or less of the width of one or more of said active regions.

11. The LED chip of claim 1, wherein said LEDs are separately formed and mounted on said submount.

12. A monolithic LED chip, comprising:

a plurality of emitting active regions on a submount with at least some of said active regions interconnected in series, wherein at least some of said active regions have a space between adjacent ones of the active regions that is percent or less of the width of one or more of said active regions, such that said space is substantially not visible when said LED chip is emitting.

13. The LED chip of claim 12, wherein said space between adjacent ones of said active regions is 2.5% or less of the width of one or more of said active regions.

14. The LED chip of claim 12, wherein said space between adjacent ones of said active regions is 1.5% or less of the width of one or more of said active regions.

15. The LED chip of claim 12, further comprising integral electrically conductive interconnect elements in electrical contact with said active regions and electrically connecting at least some of said active regions in series.

16. The LED chip of claim 15, wherein said interconnect elements comprise a metal layer and a plurality of vias.

17. The LED chip of claim 15, wherein said submount comprises an integral insulator element electrically insulating at least some of said interconnect elements and active regions from other portions of said submount.

18. The LED chip of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of said interconnect elements are buried in said insulator element.

19. The LED chip of claim 17, wherein said insulator element comprises one or more insulation layers.

20. The LED chip of claim 12, wherein said active regions are linearly arranged on said submount.

21. The LED chip of claim 12, wherein the operating voltage of said emitter approximately equals the sum of the junction voltages of said active regions.

22. A light source, comprising:

a housing with an opening; and

a monolithic LED chip mounted within said housing and emitting out said opening, said LED chip comprising;

a plurality of active regions mounted on a submount in close proximity to one another such that the space between said active regions is substantially not visible when said active regions are emitting.

23. The light source of claim 22, wherein said LED chip emits light similar to a filament.

24. The light source of claim 22, wherein at least some of said active regions have a space between adjacent ones of the active regions that is 10 percent or less of the width of one or more of said active regions.

25. The light source of claim 24, wherein said space between adjacent ones of said active regions is 5% or less of the width of one or more of said active regions.

26. The light source of claim 24, wherein said space between adjacent ones of said active regions is 1.5% or less of the width of one or more of said active regions.

27. The emitter of claim 23, wherein said submount comprises integral electrically conductive interconnect elements in electrical contact with said active regions and electrically connecting at least some of said active regions in series.

28. The light source of claim 27, wherein said interconnect elements comprise a metal layer and a plurality of vias.

29. The light source of claim 22, wherein said submount comprises an integral insulator element electrically insulating at least some of said interconnect elements and LEDs from other portions of said submount.

30. The light source of claim 29, wherein said insulator element comprises one or more insulation layers.

31. The light source of claim 22, wherein said active regions are linearly arranged on said submount.

32. The light source of claim 22, having an operating voltage approximately equal to the sum of the junction voltages of said active regions.

33. A monolithic LED chip, comprising:

a plurality of active regions on a submount;

integral electrically conductive interconnect elements at least partially embedded in integral insulation elements, said interconnect elements electrically connecting at least some of said active regions in series.