Illumination devices using externally interconnected arrays of light emitting devices, and methods of fabricating same

A high voltage light emitter, comprising:

• a first plurality of light emitting devices on a first substrate;
• and
• an interconnection submount to which the plurality of light emitting devices are electrically connected, the interconnection submount having electrical circuitry thereon;
• and
• wherein the light emitting devices are electrically interconnected by the interconnection submount to provide a series of parallel-connected subsets of light emitting devices, in which for each parallel-connected subset of light emitting devices, the light emitting devices are electrically connected in parallel within the subset,
• the interconnection submount comprising at least a first interconnection pattern,
• the first interconnection pattern electrically connected to respective cathodes of each of at least three light emitting devices in a first subset of light emitting devices and to respective anodes of each of at least three light emitting devices in a second subset of light emitting devices,
• the first interconnection pattern extending sequentially:
• from a cathode of a first light emitting device in the first subset to an anode of a first light emitting device in the second subset,
• from the anode of the first light emitting device in the second subset to a cathode of a second light emitting device in the first subset,
• from the cathode of the second light emitting device in the first subset to an anode of a second light emitting device in the second subset,
• from the anode of the second light emitting device in the second subset to a cathode of a third light emitting device in the first subset,
• and from the cathode of the third light emitting device in the first subset to an anode of a third light emitting device in the second subset.

A method of fabricating a high voltage light emitter, comprising:

• providing a first plurality of light emitting devices on a first substrate;
• providing an interconnection submount, the interconnection submount having electrical circuitry thereon;
• and
• mounting the first substrate on the interconnection submount to electrically connect the light emitting devices to provide an array comprising a series of subsets of parallel-connected light emitting devices, in which for each subset of parallel-connected light emitting devices, the light emitting devices are electrically connected in parallel within the subset,
• the interconnection submount comprising at least a first interconnection pattern,
• the first interconnection pattern electrically connected to respective cathodes of each of at least three light emitting devices in a first subset of light emitting devices and to respective anodes of each of at least three light emitting devices in a second subset of light emitting devices,
• the first interconnection pattern extending sequentially:
• from a cathode of a first light emitting device in the first subset to an anode of a first light emitting device in the second subset,
• from the anode of the first light emitting device in the second subset to a cathode of a second light emitting device in the first subset,
• from the cathode of the second light emitting device in the first subset to an anode of a second light emitting device in the second subset,
• from the anode of the second light emitting device in the second subset to a cathode of a third light emitting device in the first subset,
• and from the cathode of the third light emitting device in the first subset to an anode of a third light emitting device in the second subset.

A light emitter, comprising:

• a first n-type layer;
• a first p-type layer;
• a first n-type contact;
• a second n-type contact;
• a third n-type contact;
• a fourth n-type contact;
• a fifth n-type contact;
• a sixth n-type contact;
• a first p-type contact;
• a second p-type contact;
• a third p-type contact;
• a fourth p-type contact;
• a fifth p-type contact;
• a sixth p-type contact;
• and
• at least a first interconnection element,
• the first n-type layer comprising a first n-type region, a second n-type region, a third n-type region, a fourth n-type region, a fifth n-type region, and a sixth n-type region,
• the first n-type region, the second n-type region, the third n-type region, the fourth n-type region, the fifth n-type region, and the sixth n-type region do not directly contact each other,
• the first p-type layer comprising a first p-type region, a second p-type region, a third p-type region, a fourth p-type region, a fifth p-type region, and a sixth p-type region,
• the first p-type region, the second p-type region, the third p-type region, the fourth p-type region, the fifth p-type region, and the sixth p-type region do not directly contact each other,
• the first n-type region and the first p-type region together comprising a first light emitting device,
• the second n-type region and the second p-type region together comprising a second light emitting device,
• the third n-type region and the third p-type region together comprising a third light emitting device,
• the fourth n-type region and the fourth p-type region together comprising a fourth light emitting device,
• the fifth n-type region and the fifth p-type region together comprising a fifth light emitting device,
• the sixth n-type region and the sixth p-type region together comprising a sixth light emitting device,
• the first n-type contact electrically connected to the first n-type region,
• the second n-type contact electrically connected to the second n-type region,
• the third n-type contact electrically connected to the third n-type region,
• the fourth n-type contact electrically connected to the fourth n-type region,
• the fifth n-type contact electrically connected to the fifth n-type region,
• the sixth n-type contact electrically connected to the sixth n-type region,
• the first p-type contact electrically connected to the first p-type region,
• the second p-type contact electrically connected to the second p-type region,
• the third p-type contact electrically connected to the third p-type region,
• the fourth p-type contact electrically connected to the fourth p-type region,
• the fifth p-type contact electrically connected to the fifth p-type region,
• the sixth p-type contact electrically connected to the sixth p-type region,
• the first interconnection element comprising a first interconnection element first p-type contact, a first interconnection element second p-type contact, a first interconnection element third p-type contact, a first interconnection element fourth p-type contact, a first interconnection element fifth p-type contact, a first interconnection element sixth p-type contact, a first interconnection element first n-type contact, a first interconnection element second n-type contact, a first interconnection element third n-type contact, a first interconnection element fourth n-type contact, a first interconnection element fifth n-type contact, and a first interconnection element sixth n-type contact,
• the first interconnection element first p-type contact electrically connected to the first p-type contact,
• the first interconnection element second p-type contact electrically connected to the second p-type contact,
• the first interconnection element third p-type contact electrically connected to and the third p-type contact,
• the first interconnection element fourth p-type contact electrically connected to the fourth p-type contact,
• the first interconnection element fifth p-type contact electrically connected to the fifth p-type contact,
• the first interconnection element sixth p-type contact electrically connected to the sixth p-type contact,
• the first interconnection element first n-type contact electrically connected to the first n-type, contact,
• the first interconnection element second n-type contact electrically connected to the second n-type, contact,
• the first interconnection element third n-type contact electrically connected to the third n-type, contact,
• the first interconnection element fourth n-type contact electrically connected to the fourth n-type, contact,
• the first interconnection element fifth n-type contact electrically connected to the fifth n-type, contact,
• the first interconnection element sixth n-type contact electrically connected to the sixth n-type, contact,
• the first light emitting device electrically in parallel with the second light emitting device,
• the first light emitting device electrically in parallel with the third light emitting device,
• the second light emitting device electrically in parallel with the third light emitting device,
• the fourth light emitting device electrically in parallel with the fifth light emitting device,
• the fourth light emitting device electrically in parallel with the sixth light emitting device, and
• the fifth light emitting device electrically in parallel with the sixth light emitting device,
• a contact surface of the first n-type contact, a contact surface of the second n-type contact, a contact surface of the third n-type region contact, a contact surface of the fourth n-type contact, a contact surface of the fifth n-type contact, and a contact surface of the sixth n-type contact are all substantially coplanar with a first plane,
• a contact surface of the first p-type contact, a contact surface of the second p-type contact, a contact surface of the third p-type contact, a contact surface of the fourth p-type contact, a contact surface of the fifth p-type contact, and a contact surface of the sixth p-type contact are all substantially coplanar with a second plane,
• a contact surface of the first interconnection element first n-type contact, a contact surface of the first interconnection element second n-type contact, and a contact surface of the first interconnection element third n-type contact are all substantially coplanar with a third plane,
• a contact surface of the first interconnection element first p-type contact, a contact surface of the first interconnection element second p-type contact and a contact surface of the first interconnection element third p-type contact are all substantially coplanar with a fourth plane,
• the first plane is substantially parallel to the second plane, and
• the first plane is spaced from the second plane.

A method of fabricating a high voltage light emitter, comprising:

• providing a plurality of light emitting devices on a substrate;
• and
• mounting the substrate on an interconnection submount to electrically connect the plurality of light emitting devices,
• wherein the light emitting devices are electrically interconnected by the interconnection submount to provide an array of at least two serially connected subsets of light emitting devices, each subset comprising at least three light emitting devices electrically connected in parallel within the subset,
• the interconnection submount comprising at least a first interconnection pattern,
• the first interconnection pattern electrically connected to respective cathodes of each of at least three light emitting devices in a first subset of light emitting devices and to respective anodes of each of at least three light emitting devices in a second subset of light emitting devices,
• the first interconnection pattern extending sequentially:
• from a cathode of a first light emitting device in the first subset to an anode of a first light emitting device in the second subset,
• from the anode of the first light emitting device in the second subset to a cathode of a second light emitting device in the first subset,
• from the cathode of the second light emitting device in the first subset to an anode of a second light emitting device in the second subset,
• from the anode of the second light emitting device in the second subset to a cathode of a third light emitting device in the first subset,
• and from the cathode of the third light emitting device in the first subset to an anode of a third light emitting device in the second subset.