Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide separate optical devices operable to couple to a separate LED, the separate optical device comprising an entrance surface to receive light from a separate LED when the separate optical device is coupled to the separate LED, an exit surface opposite from and a distance from the entrance surface and a set of sidewalls. The exit surface can have at least a minimum area necessary to conserve brightness for a desired half-angle of light projected from the separate optical device. Furthermore, each sidewall is positioned and shaped so that rays having a straight transmission path from the entrance surface to that sidewall reflect to the exit surface with an angle of incidence at the exit surface at less than or equal to a critical angle at the exit surface.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide optical systems utilizing photon conversion materials in conjunction with a light source and an LED. An LED can be positioned in a cavity defined by a base and one or more sidewalls. Phosphors can be disposed on the entrance face of a lens between the entrance face to the lens body and the LED so that light emitted from the LED will be incident on the phosphor and down converted before entering the lens body through the entrance face. The lens can positioned so that the phosphors are separated from the LED by a gap.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide optical systems in which phosphors are used to down-convert light. In general, optical systems can include a light guide configured to propagate light from an entrance face to a distal end along a propagation axis using total internal reflection. A phosphor layer can be disposed orthogonal to the entrance surface of the light guide.

Abstract: Embodiments of an LED disclosed has an emitter layer shaped to a controlled depth or height relative to a substrate of the LED to maximize the light output of the LED and to achieve a desired intensity distribution. In some embodiments, the exit face of the LED may be selected to conserve radiance. In some embodiments, shaping the entire LED, including the substrate and sidewalls, or shaping the substrate alone can extract 100% or approximately 100% of the light generated at the emitter layers from the emitter layers. In some embodiments, the total efficiency is at least 90% or above. In some embodiments, the emitter layer can be shaped by etching, mechanical shaping, or a combination of various shaping methods. In some embodiments, only a portion of the emitter layer is shaped to form the tiny emitters. The unshaped portion forms a continuous electrical connection for the LED.

Abstract: Embodiments provide an LED comprising a quantum well region operable to generate light and a substrate having an interface with the quantum well region, wherein light generated by the quantum well region traverses the interface to enter the substrate and exit the LED through an exit face of the substrate. The exit face may be opposite from and a distance from the interface, with some portion or all of this LED being shaped to optimize the light extraction efficiency of the device. The exit face can have at least 70% of a minimum area necessary to conserve brightness for a desired half-angle of light. Sidewalls of the LED may be positioned and shaped so that rays incident on a sidewall reflect to the exit face with an angle of incidence at the exit face at less than or equal to a critical angle at the exit face.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide LED displays. One embodiment of an LED display can comprise an array of white light units with each white light unit comprising a set of color light sources. The display can further include a controller electrically coupled to the white light units, the controller configured to control the white light units to alter the color of light produced by the white light units to produce images on the display. Another embodiment of a display can comprise an array of red light sources, green light sources and blue light sources configured to provide light to a color combiner in a desired half angle and a color combiner configured to combine light into a common plane for transmission to the projection optic.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide packaged LED devices in which the majority of the emitted light comes out the top of each LED chip with very little side emissions. Because light only comes out from the top, phosphor deposition and color temperature control can be significantly simplified. A package LED may include a housing positioned on a supporting submount, sized and dimensioned to accommodate a single LED chip or an array of LED chips. The LED chip(s) may be attached to the submount utilizing the Gold-to-Gold Interconnect (GGI) process or solder-based approaches. In some embodiments, phosphor may be deposited on top of the LED chip(s) or sandwiched between glass plates on top of the LED chip(s). The phosphor layer may be inside or on top of the housing and be secured to the housing utilizing an adhesive. The housing may be adhered to the submount utilizing a thermal epoxy.

Abstract: A hybrid lighting panel may have a first light guide and a second light guide proximate to the first light guide. The first light guide may receive light from a light source such as an LED array. The first light guide is configured to distribute the light along the length of the first light guide and distribute the light out a first light guide face such that light exiting the first light guide face enters the second light guide. The second light guide is configured to distribute light across the width of the second light guide and distribute light out a second light guide face. Hybrid lighting panels may be used individually or assembled as a system to provide light. A controller can control lighting to each panel to allow for individual dimming. One or more panels may be used to backlight an LCD layer.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein include LEDs that promote photon tunneling. One embodiment of an LED device can have a quantum well layer adapted to generate light having a wavelength, a p-doped alloy layer on a first side of the quantum well layer and an n-doped alloy layer on the other side of the quantum well layer. The device can also include an electrode electrically connected to the p-doped alloy layer and an electrode electrically connected to the n-doped alloy layer. According to one embodiment the thickness of the n-doped alloy layer is less than the wavelength of light generated by the quantum well layer to allow light generated by the quantum well layer to tunnel to the medium (e.g., air). In another embodiment, the entire layer structure can have a thickness that is less than the wavelength.

Abstract: Embodiments of an LED disclosed has an emitter layer shaped to a controlled depth or height relative to a substrate of the LED to maximize the light output of the LED and to achieve a desired intensity distribution. In some embodiments, the exit face of the LED may be selected to conserve radiance. In some embodiments, shaping the entire LED, including the substrate and sidewalls, or shaping the substrate alone can extract 100% or approximately 100% of the light generated at the emitter layers from the emitter layers. In some embodiments, the total efficiency is at least 90% or above. In some embodiments, the emitter layer can be shaped by etching, mechanical shaping, or a combination of various shaping methods. In some embodiments, only a portion of the emitter layer is shaped to form the tiny emitters. The unshaped portion forms a continuous electrical connection for the LED.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide methods for manufacturing an optical device having shaped sidewalls. A substrate material can be shaped to form a substrate portion of an optical device comprising an exit face and sidewalls positioned and shaped to reflect light to the exit face to allow light to escape the exit face. The sidewalls can be polished to a desired degree of polish. Polishing can be done using a polishing tool, etching, particle jet polishing or other polishing method.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide methods for manufacturing an optical device having shaped sidewalls. A desired substrate shape corresponding to an LED or other optical device can be determined. The optical device can have a substrate comprising an exit face and sidewalls positioned and shaped to reflect light to the exit face to allow light to escape the exit face. A substrate material can be shaped based on the desired substrate shape for one or more LEDs. Shaping can be done using a wire saw, etching, ultrasonic shaping or other technique.