Solid state light emitting device and method of making same

A solid state light emitting device comprising:

• at least one light emitting active layer structure, said light emitting active layer structure having an active layer structure first surface and an active layer structure second surface, a first region of said light emitting active layer structure which includes at least a portion of said active layer structure first surface having an active layer first region index of refraction;
• a first element on said active layer structure first surface;
• and
• at least one second structure selected from (1) at least one lumiphor and (2) at least one encapsulant region, said first element between said second structure and said light emitting active layer structure, so that at least some light emitted from the light emitting active layer passes through the first element and then through the second structure,
• said first surface of said light emitting active layer structure facing said first element,
• a second surface of said second structure facing said first element, a second region of said second structure comprising at least a portion of said second surface of said second structure, said second region of said second structure having a second structure second region index of refraction,
• an entirety of said first element having a first element index of refraction that is of a single value between said active layer first region index of refraction and said second structure second region index of refraction.

A solid state light emitting device comprising:

• a first element;
• at least one light emitting active layer structure, said first element on said light emitting active layer structure;
• and
• at least one second structure selected from (1) at least one lumiphor and (2) at least one encapsulant region,
• said first element between said active layer structure and said second structure,
• a second surface of said second structure facing said first element, a first region of said second structure comprising at least a portion of said second surface of said second structure, said first region of said second structure having a second structure first region index of refraction,
• a first surface of said light emitting active layer structure facing said first element, a first region of said light emitting active layer structure comprising at least a portion of said first surface of said light emitting active layer structure, said first region of said light emitting active layer structure having an active layer first region index of refraction,
• at least a first region of said first element having an index of refraction gradient, said index of refraction gradient ranging from a lower value to an upper value, said upper value not greater than said active layer first region index of refraction, said lower value lower than said upper value, but greater than said second structure first region index of refraction.

A solid state light emitting device comprising:

• at least one light emitting active layer structure, said light emitting active layer structure having an active layer structure first surface and an active layer structure second surface, a first region of said light emitting active layer structure which includes at least a portion of said active layer structure first surface having an active layer first region index of refraction;
• and
• a first element on said active layer structure first surface;
• said first surface of said light emitting active layer structure facing said first element,
• said first element having a first element first surface and a first element second surface, said first element second surface on said active layer structure first surface, said first element first surface exposed to an exterior of said solid state lighting device,
• at least a portion of said first element having an index of refraction gradient that ranges from at least 1.0 to a value that is less than said active layer first region index of refraction.

A solid state light emitting device comprising:

• at least one light emitting active layer structure, said light emitting active layer structure having an active layer structure first surface and an active layer structure second surface, a first region of said light emitting active layer structure which includes at least a portion of said active layer structure first surface having an active layer first region index of refraction;
• a first element on said active layer structure first surface;
• and
• at least one second structure selected from (1) at least one lumiphor and (2) at least one encapsulant region,
• said first element between said active layer structure and said second structure,
• a second surface of said second structure facing said first element, a first region of said second structure comprising at least a portion of said second surface of said second structure, said first region of said second structure having a second structure first region index of refraction,
• at least a first region of said first element having an index of refraction gradient, said index of refraction gradient ranging from a value that is less than said active layer first region index of refraction to a value that is at least said second structure first region index of refraction.