# US 12,015,114 B2 · Light emitting diodes with enhanced thermal sinking and associated methods of operation

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- Number: US 12,015,114 B2
- Document ID: US12015114B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/311,834
- Filed: 2023-05-03
- Published: 2023-08-31
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2010-03-19
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Kevin Tetz; Charles M. Watkins
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015114B2

## CPC

- H10H 20/858: Means for heat extraction or cooling
- H10H 20/84: Coatings, e.g. passivation layers or antireflective coatings
- H10H 20/851: Wavelength conversion means
- H10H 20/8515: {not being in contact with the bodies}
- H10H 20/852: Encapsulations
- H10H 20/8583: {not being in contact with the bodies}
- H10H 20/0361: {of wavelength conversion means}
- H10H 20/0362: {of encapsulations}
- H10H 20/0365: {of means for heat extraction or cooling}
- H10H 20/8516: {having a non-uniform spatial arrangement or non-uniform concentration, e.g. patterned wavelength conversion layer or wavelength conversion layer with a concentration gradient}
- H10H 20/8581: {characterised by their material}
- H10W 90/00: Package configurations
- H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Solid state lighting devices and associated methods of thermal sinking are described below. In one embodiment, a light emitting diode (LED) device includes a heat sink, an LED die thermally coupled to the heat sink, and a phosphor spaced apart from the LED die. The LED device also includes a heat conduction path in direct contact with both the phosphor and the heat sink. The heat conduction path is configured to conduct heat from the phosphor to the heat sink.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solid state lighting (SSL) device, comprising:
a substrate;
an SSL die carried by the substrate, the SSL die including an emissions area;
a partially transparent layer of thermal insulator material encapsulating and in direct contact with the SSL die;
a monolithic layer of conduction material encapsulating the SSL die, the conduction material in direct contact with the substrate in a region laterally adjacent to the SSL die;
a converter material disposed over the monolithic layer of conduction material and positioned in line with the emissions area of the SSL die such that emissions from the SSL die are configured pass through the converter material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The SSL device of claim 1 wherein the substrate has a thermal conductivity greater than about 1.0 W/(mK).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The SSL device of claim 1 wherein the conduction material has a thermal conductivity greater than about 1.0 W/(mK).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The SSL device of claim 1 wherein the conduction material is at least partially transparent.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The SSL device of claim 1 wherein the substrate includes at least one of silicon (Si), gallium nitride (GaN), aluminum nitride (AlN), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), stainless steel (Fe), diamond (C), glass (SiO2), silicon carbide (SiC), and aluminum oxide (Al2O3).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The SSL device of claim 1 wherein the converter material includes a plurality of conductive materials positioned therein.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The SSL device of claim 1 wherein the SSL die includes an N-type gallium nitride (GaN) material, an indium gallium nitride (InGaN) material, and a P-type GaN material on one another in series.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The SSL device of claim 1 wherein the converter material includes a phosphor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The SSL device of claim 8 wherein the phosphor includes at least one of cerium(III)-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (“YAG”), neodymium-doped YAG, neodymium-chromium double-doped YAG, erbium-doped YAG, ytterbium-doped YAG, neodymium-cerium double-doped YAG, holmium-chromium-thulium triple-doped YAG, thulium-doped YAG, chromium(IV)-doped YAG, dysprosium-doped YAG, samarium-doped YAG, and terbium-doped YAG, CaS:Eu, CaAlSiN3:Eu, Sr2Si5N8:Eu, SrS:Eu, Ba2Si5N8:Eu, Sr2SiO4:Eu, SrSi2N2O2:Eu, SrGa2S4:Eu, SrAl2O4:Eu, Ba2SiO4:Eu, Sr4Al14O25:Eu, SrSiAl2O3N:Eu, BaMgAl10O17:Eu, Sr2P2O7:Eu, BaSO4:Eu, and SrB4O7:Eu.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The SSL device of claim 1 wherein the conductive material includes at least one of indium tin oxide (ITO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), and zinc oxide (ZnO).

### Claim 11

A solid state lighting (SSL) device, comprising:
a substrate;
an SSL die carried by the substrate, the SSL die including an emissions area;
a monolithic layer of conduction material encapsulating the SSL die, the conduction material in direct contact with the substrate in a region laterally adjacent to the SSL die;
a partially transparent layer of thermal insulator material in direct contact with the SSL die and spacing the SSL die from the layer of conduction material;
a converter material disposed over the monolithic layer of conduction material and positioned in line with the emissions area of the SSL die such that emissions from the SSL die are configured pass through the converter material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The SSL device of claim 11 wherein the substrate has a thermal conductivity greater than about 1.0 W/(mK).

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The SSL device of claim 11 wherein the conduction material has a thermal conductivity greater than about 1.0 W/(mK).

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The SSL device of claim 11 wherein the conduction material is at least partially transparent.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The SSL device of claim 11 wherein the substrate includes at least one of silicon (Si), gallium nitride (GaN), aluminum nitride (AlN), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), stainless steel (Fe), diamond (C), glass (SiO2), silicon carbide (SiC), and aluminum oxide (Al2O3).

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The SSL device of claim 11 wherein the converter material includes a plurality of conductive materials positioned therein.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The SSL device of claim 11 wherein the SSL die includes an N-type gallium nitride (GaN) material, an indium gallium nitride (InGaN) material, and a P-type GaN material on one another in series.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The SSL device of claim 11 wherein the converter material includes a phosphor.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The SSL device of claim 18 wherein the phosphor includes at least one of cerium(III)-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (“YAG”), neodymium-doped YAG, neodymium-chromium double-doped YAG, erbium-doped YAG, ytterbium-doped YAG, neodymium-cerium double-doped YAG, holmium-chromium-thulium triple-doped YAG, thulium-doped YAG, chromium(IV)-doped YAG, dysprosium-doped YAG, samarium-doped YAG, and terbium-doped YAG, CaS:Eu, CaAlSiN3:Eu, Sr2Si5N8:Eu, SrS:Eu, Ba2Si5N8:Eu, Sr2SiO4:Eu, SrSi2N2O2:Eu, SrGa2S4:Eu, SrAl2O4:Eu, Ba2SiO4:Eu, Sr4Al14O25:Eu, SrSiAl2O3N:Eu, BaMgAl10O17:Eu, Sr2P2O7:Eu, BaSO4:Eu, and SrB4O7:Eu.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The SSL device of claim 11 wherein the conductive material includes at least one of indium tin oxide (ITO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), and zinc oxide (ZnO).