Light fixture using doped semiconductor nanophosphor in a gas

A light fixture for a general lighting application, comprising:

• a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for producing electromagnetic energy;
• a reflector having at least one diffusely reflective surface forming an optical integrating cavity coupled to receive electromagnetic energy from the LEDs;
• a container at least partially formed of an of optically transmissive material, coupled to the optical integrating cavity;
• a gas filling an interior volume of the container;
• a plurality of doped semiconductor nanophosphors dispersed in the gas in the container, wherein:
• (a) each of the doped semiconductor nanophosphors has an absorption spectrum encompassing at least a substantial portion of the first emission spectrum,
• (b) when excited by electromagnetic energy in its absorption spectrum from the LEDs, each of the doped semiconductor nanophosphors emits visible light in a different emission spectrum that is separated from the absorption spectra of the nanophosphors, into the optical integrating cavity, and
• (c) a light output of the fixture includes visible light of the emission spectra from excitation of the doped semiconductor nanophosphors integrated within the optical integrating cavity.

A light fixture for a lighting application, comprising:

• a near ultraviolet (UV) solid state source, containing a semiconductor chip for producing near UV electromagnetic energy;
• a macro optic outside and coupled to the near UV solid state source, for receiving and processing the near UV electromagnetic energy to produce a light output for the fixture;
• and
• a container having an interior volume associated with the macro optic and apart from the semiconductor chip, positioned to receive near UV electromagnetic energy from the source;
• a gas filling the interior volume of the container;
• a plurality of doped semiconductor nanophosphors dispersed in the gas in the container, each of the doped semiconductor nanophosphors being of a type excited in response to near UV electromagnetic energy from the solid state source for re-emitting visible light of a different spectrum having substantially no overlap with absorption spectra of the doped semiconductor nanophosphors, the doped semiconductor nanophosphors together producing visible light in the output for the fixture from the fixture when excited, wherein:
• (a) the visible light in the output for the fixture produced by near UV excitation of the doped semiconductor nanophosphors is at least substantially white;
• (b) the visible light in the output for the fixture produced by near UV excitation of the doped semiconductor nanophosphors has a color rendering index (CRI) of 75 or higher;
• and
• (c) the visible light in the output for the fixture produced by near UV excitation of the doped semiconductor nanophosphors has a color temperature of one of the following ranges:
• 2,725±145° Kelvin;
• 3,045±175° Kelvin;
• 3,465±245° Kelvin;
• and
• 3,985±275° Kelvin.