Patents by Inventor Gerd O. Mueller

Gerd O. Mueller has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20040256974
    Abstract: A system includes a radiation source capable of emitting first light and a fluorescent material capable of absorbing the first light and emitting second light having a different wavelength than the first light. The fluorescent material is a phosphor having the formula (Lu1-x-y-a-bYxGdy)3(Al1-zGaz)5O12:CeaPrb wherein 0<x<1, 0<y<1, 0<z≦0.1, 0<a≦0.2 and 0<b≦0.1. In some embodiments, the (Lu1-x-y-a-bYxGdy)3(Al1-zGaz)5O12:CeaPrb is combined with a second fluorescent material capable of emitting third light. The second fluorescent material may be a red-emitting phosphor, such that the combination of first, second, and third light emitted from the system appears white.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Lumileds Lighting, U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Gerd O. Mueller, T. Juestel, W. Busselt, P. J. Schmidt, W. Mayr
  • Publication number: 20040217383
    Abstract: A structure includes a semiconductor light emitting device including a light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. The light emitting layer emits first light of a first peak wavelength. A wavelength-converting material that absorbs the first light and emits second light of a second peak wavelength is disposed in the path of the first light. A filter material that transmits a portion of the first light and absorbs or reflects a portion of the first light is disposed over the wavelength-converting material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventors: Michael R. Krames, Gerd O. Mueller, Regina B. Mueller-Mach
  • Publication number: 20040164307
    Abstract: A light emitting diode capable of emitting first light having a first peak wavelength is combined with a first phosphor layer overlying the light emitting diode, the first phosphor layer capable of absorbing the first light and emitting second light having a second peak wavelength and a second phosphor layer overlying the light emitting diode, the second phosphor layer capable of emitting third light having a third peak wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Gerd O. Mueller
  • Patent number: 6744077
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a semiconductor light emitting device chip having a top surface and a side surface, a wavelength-converting material overlying at least a portion of the top surface and the side surface of the chip, and a filter material overlying the wavelength-converting material. The chip is capable of emitting light of a first wavelength, the wavelength-converting material is capable of absorbing light of the first wavelength and emitting light of a second wavelength, and the filter material is capable of absorbing light of the first wavelength. In other embodiments, a light emitting device includes a filter material capable of reflecting light of a first wavelength and transmitting light of a second wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Lumileds Lighting U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Troy A. Trottier, Gerd O. Mueller, Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Michael R. Krames
  • Patent number: 6717353
    Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor light emitting device and a wavelength-converting material comprising Sr—SiON:Eu2+. The Sr—SiON:Eu2+ wavelength-converting material absorbs light emitted by the light emitting device and emits light of a longer wavelength. The Sr—SiON:Eu2+ wavelength-converting material may be combined with other wavelength-converting materials to make white light. In some embodiments, the Sr—SiON:Eu2+ wavelength-converting layer is combined with a red-emitting wavelength-converting layer and a blue light emitting device to generate emission in colors, which are not achievable by only mixing primary and secondary wavelengths. In some embodiments, the Sr—SiON:Eu2+ wavelength-converting layer is combined with a red-emitting wavelength-converting layer, a blue-emitting wavelength-converting layer, and a UV light emitting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Lumileds Lighting U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Gerd O. Mueller, Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Peter J. Schmidt, Thomas Jüstel, Gerry Sorce
  • Publication number: 20040061124
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a semiconductor light emitting device chip having a top surface and a side surface, a wavelength-converting material overlying at least a portion of the top surface and the side surface of the chip, and a filter material overlying the wavelength-converting material. The chip is capable of emitting light of a first wavelength, the wavelength-converting material is capable of absorbing light of the first wavelength and emitting light of a second wavelength, and the filter material is capable of absorbing light of the first wavelength. In other embodiments, a light emitting device includes a filter material capable of reflecting light of a first wavelength and transmitting light of a second wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Lumileds Lighting U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Troy A. Trottier, Gerd O. Mueller, Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Michael R. Krames
  • Patent number: 6696703
    Abstract: The present invention provides a phosphor-converted LED device comprising one or more phosphor thin films that convert primary light emitted by the LED into one or more other wavelengths of light to produce light of a particular color. Each phosphor thin film comprises dopant ions that are statistically spatially distributed in such a manner that the phosphor conversion of the primary light is predictable and controlled by the concentration of the dopants and by the thickness of the thin film. Therefore, variations in the color of the light produced by phosphor-converted LED devices can be eliminated, thereby enabling uniformity in the quality of the colored light produced to be ensured. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a single phosphor thin film is comprised by the LED device. The thin film converts a portion of the primary emission into yellow light while allowing a portion of the primary blue light to pass through the thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Lumileds Lighting U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Gerd O. Mueller
  • Patent number: 6686691
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a tri-color lamp for generating white light. In particular, the invention relates to a phosphor mixture comprising two phosphors having host sulfide materials that can absorb radiation emitted by a light emitting diode, particularly a blue LED. This arrangement provides a mixing of three light sources—light emitted from the two phosphors and unabsorbed light emitted from the LED. The phosphors can contain the same dopant, such as a rare earth ion, to allow matching of the phosphors in relation to the LED emitted radiation. Power fractions of each of the light sources can be varied to achieve good color rendering. The present invention also relates to an alternative to a green LED comprising a single green phosphor that absorbs radiation from a blue LED. A resulting device provides green light of high absorption efficiency and high luminous equivalent values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Lumileds Lighting, U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Gerd O Mueller, Regina B Mueller-Mach, Christopher H Lowery
  • Patent number: 6680569
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a light source that emits first light in response to an electrical signal, and a fluorescent layer positioned over the light source. The fluorescent layer includes a first fluorescent material which radiates second light and a second fluorescent material which radiates third light. In one embodiment, the second fluorescent material contains europium activated calcium sulfide. In another embodiment, the second fluorescent material contains europium activated nitrido-silicate. In some embodiments, the device includes a light propagation medium which transmits the first, second, and third light as composite output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Lumileds Lighting U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Gerd O. Mueller, Tomas Jüestel, Peter Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20030227249
    Abstract: Light-emitting devices are disclosed that comprise a light source emitting first light, a first material substantially transparent to and located to receive at least a portion of the first light, and particles of a second material dispersed in the first material. The second material has an index of refraction greater than an index of refraction of the first material at a wavelength of the first light. The particles of the second material have diameters less than about this wavelength. Particles of a third material may also be dispersed in the first material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2002
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Applicant: Lumileds Lighting, U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Gerd O. Mueller, Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Dietrich Bertram, Thomas Juestel, Peter J. Schmidt, Joachim Opitz
  • Patent number: 6630691
    Abstract: The present invention provides an LED device comprising a phosphor-converting substrate that converts primary light emitted by the LED, which is blue light, into one or more other wavelengths of light, which then combine with unconverted primary light to produce white light. The substrate is a single crystal phosphor having desired luminescent properties. The single crystal phosphor has the necessary lattice structure to promote single crystalline growth of the light-emitting structure of the LED device. Moreover, the thermo-mechanical properties of the substrate are such that the introduction of excessive strain or cracks in the epitaxial films of the LED device is prevented. The characteristics of the substrate, i.e., the dopant concentration and thickness, are capable of being precisely controlled and tested before the LED device is fabricated so that the fraction of primary light that passes through the substrate without being converted is predictable and controllable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Lumileds Lighting U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Gerd O. Mueller, David A. Vanderwater
  • Patent number: 6603258
    Abstract: A white-light emitting diode (LED) is provided that emits primary light at a wavelength that is in the range of 485 to 515 nanometers (nm), which corresponds to a bluish-green color. A portion of the primary light is converted into a reddish-colored light that ranges in wavelength from approximately 600 to approximately 620 nm. At least a portion of the converted light combines with the unconverted portion of the primary light to produce white light. A number of phosphor-converting elements are suitable for use with the LED, including a resin admixed with a phosphor powder, epoxies admixed with a phosphor powder, organic luminescent dyes, phosphor-converting thin films and phosphor-converting substrates. Preferably, the phosphor-converting element is a resin admixed with a phosphor powder in such a manner that a portion of the primary light impinging on the resin is converted into the reddish-colored light and a portion of the primary light passes through the resin without being converted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Lumileds Lighting, U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Regina Mueller-Mach, Gerd O. Mueller, Paul S. Martin
  • Publication number: 20030006702
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a light source that emits first light in response to an electrical signal, and a fluorescent layer positioned over the light source. The fluorescent layer includes a first fluorescent material which radiates second light and a second fluorescent material which radiates third light. In one embodiment, the second fluorescent material contains europium activated calcium sulfide. In another embodiment, the second fluorescent material contains europium activated nitrido-silicate. In some embodiments, the device includes a light propagation medium which transmits the first, second, and third light as composite output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Applicant: Lumileds Lighting, U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Gerd O. Mueller, Thomas Juestel, Peter Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6501102
    Abstract: Presented is an LED device that produces white light by performing phosphor conversion on substantially all of the primary light emitted by the light emitting structure of the LED device. The LED device comprises a light emitting structure and at least one phosphor-converting element located to receive and absorb substantially all of the primary light. The phosphor-converting element emits secondary light at second and third wavelengths that combine to produce white light. Some embodiments include an additional phosphor-converting element, which receives light from a phosphor-converting element and emits light at a fourth wavelength. In the embodiments including an additional phosphor-converting element, the second, third, and fourth wavelengths combine to produce white light. Each phosphor-converting element includes at least one host material doped with at least one dopant. The phosphor-converting element may be a phosphor thin film, a substrate for the light emitting structure, or a phosphor powder layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: LumiLeds Lighting, U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Gerd O. Mueller, George M. Craford
  • Publication number: 20020145685
    Abstract: A color, transmissive LCD uses a backlight that supplies a uniform blue light to the back of the liquid crystal layer in an LCD. The blue light, after being modulated by the liquid crystal layer, is then incident on the back surface of phosphor material located above the liquid crystal layer. A first phosphor material, when irradiated with the blue light, generates red light for the red pixel areas of the display, and a second phosphor material, when irradiated with the blue light, generates green light for the green pixel areas of the display. No phosphor is deposited over the blue pixel areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Publication date: October 10, 2002
    Inventors: Regina Mueller-Mach, Gerd O. Mueller
  • Patent number: 6417019
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a light emitting device includes providing a light emitting diode that emits primary light, and locating proximate to the light emitting diode a (Sr1−u−v−xMguCavBax)(Ga2−y−zAlyInzS4):Eu2+ phosphor material capable of absorbing at least a portion of the primary light and emitting secondary light having a wavelength longer than a wavelength of the primary light. The composition of the phosphor material can be selected to determine the wavelengths of the secondary light. In one embodiment, the light emitting device includes the phosphor material dispersed as phosphor particles in another material disposed around the light emitting diode. In another embodiment, the light emitting device includes the phosphor material deposited as a phosphor film on at least one surface of the light emitting diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: LumiLeds Lighting, U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Gerd O. Mueller, Regina B. Mueller-Mach
  • Publication number: 20020030194
    Abstract: Light emitting devices with improved light extraction efficiency are provided. The light emitting devices have a stack of layers including semiconductor layers comprising an active region. The stack is bonded to a transparent optical element having a refractive index for light emitted by the active region preferably greater than about 1.5, more preferably greater than about 1.8. A method of bonding a transparent optical element (e.g., a lens or an optical concentrator) to a light emitting device comprising an active region includes elevating a temperature of the optical element and the stack and applying a pressure to press the optical element and the light emitting device together. A block of optical element material may be bonded to the light emitting device and then shaped into an optical element. Bonding a high refractive index optical element to a light emitting device improves the light extraction efficiency of the light emitting device by reducing loss due to total internal reflection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventors: Michael D. Camras, Michael R. Krames, Wayne L. Snyder, Frank M. Steranka, Robert C. Taber, John J. Uebbing, Douglas W. Pocius, Troy A. Trottier, Christopher H. Lowery, Gerd O. Mueller, Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Gloria E. Hofler
  • Publication number: 20020030444
    Abstract: The present invention provides a phosphor-converted LED device comprising one or more phosphor thin films that convert primary light emitted by the LED into one or more other wavelengths of light to produce light of a particular color. Each phosphor thin film comprises dopant ions that are statistically spatially distributed in such a manner that the phosphor conversion of the primary light is predictable and controlled by the concentration of the dopants and by the thickness of the thin film. Therefore, variations in the color of the light produced by phosphor-converted LED devices can be eliminated, thereby enabling uniformity in the quality of the colored light produced to be ensured. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a single phosphor thin film is comprised by the LED device. The thin film converts a portion of the primary emission into yellow light while allowing a portion of the primary blue light to pass through the thin film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventors: REGINA B. MULLER-MACH, GERD O. MUELLER
  • Publication number: 20020003233
    Abstract: Presented is an LED device that produces white light by performing phosphor conversion on substantially all of the primary light emitted by the light emitting structure of the LED device. The LED device comprises a light emitting structure and at least one phosphor-converting element located to receive and absorb substantially all of the primary light. The phosphor-converting element emits secondary light at second and third wavelengths that combine to produce white light. Some embodiments include an additional phosphor-converting element, which receives light from a phosphor-converting element and emits light at a fourth wavelength. In the embodiments including an additional phosphor-converting element, the second, third, and fourth wavelengths combine to produce white light. Each phosphor-converting element includes at least one host material doped with at least one dopant. The phosphor-converting element may be a phosphor thin film, a substrate for the light emitting structure, or a phosphor powder layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventors: Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Gerd O. Mueller, George M. Craford
  • Patent number: 5811931
    Abstract: An edge emitter with a cap on top of a thin-film stack. The thin film stack includes a top transparent electrode, a bottom electrode, an active film between the two electrodes and an insulating film between the active film and the bottom electrode. Both the refractive indexes of the cap and the top transparent electrode are substantially matched to that of the active film to increase the amount of electroluminescent radiation propagating from the active film into the cap. The cap is thicker than the active film, and is made of a material with an attenuation to the electroluminescent radiation that is lower than that of the active film material. One side surface, the emitting side surface, of the cap is more transmissive to the electroluminescent radiation than the other side surfaces and the top surface of the cap. A significant portion of the electroluminescent radiation from the active film entering the cap is re-directed towards the emitting side surface to be radiated from the edge emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Company
    Inventors: Regina B. Mueller-Mach, Gerd O. Mueller