Multi-chip LED devices

An LED device comprising:

• a submount;
• a plurality of LED chips fixed to the submount, at least some of the plurality of LED chips having connection points for both an anode and a cathode on one side, each of the plurality of LED chips having a first terminal connected to a metal portion of the submount to which the plurality of LED chips is fixed;
• a plurality of wire bonds, each connected between a second terminal of an LED chip and the submount, the plurality of wire bonds arranged so that all the wire bonds connect to the submount to the outside of the plurality of LED chips;
• and
• an optical element disposed to affect light from the plurality of LED chips.

An LED device comprising:

• a ceramic submount;
• a plurality of LED chips fixed to the submount, at least some of the plurality of LED chips having connection points for both an anode and a cathode on one side,
• wherein each of the LED chips has a first terminal connected to a metal portion of the ceramic submount to which the LED chips are fastened and a second terminal connected with a wire bond so that the wire bonds connected to second terminals connect to the ceramic submount to the outside of the plurality of LED chips;
• and
• a silicone lens disposed to affect light from the plurality LED chips.

A method of assembling an LED device, the method comprising:

• selecting a plurality of LED chips;
• fixing the plurality of LED chips to a ceramic submount, each of the plurality of LEDs having a first terminal connected to a metal portion of the submount to which the plurality of LED chips is fixed;
• interconnecting the plurality of LED chips at least in part with wire bonds, each of a plurality of the wire bonds connected between a second terminal of an LED chip and the submount, the plurality of wire bonds arranged so that the wire bonds connect to the submount to the outside of the plurality of LED chips;
• and
• attaching a silicone lens to the ceramic submount to affect light from the LED chips, wherein the silicone lens is less than 5 mm in diameter while maintaining a clearance between a circle circumscribing the LED chips at their widest point and an edge of the silicone lens such that the clearance is from approximately 0.2 to 0.8 the width of the circle.