Patents by Inventor Kurt Ulmer
Kurt Ulmer 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: 20200006613Abstract: A system and method are provided for repairing an emissive display. Following assembly, the emissive substrate is inspected to determine defective array sites, and defect items are removed using a pick-and-remove process. In one aspect, the emissive substrate includes an array of wells, with emissive elements located in the wells, but not electrically connected to the emissive substrate. If the emissive elements are light emitting diodes (LEDs), then the emissive substrate is exposed to ultraviolet illumination to photoexcite the array of LED, so that LED illumination can be measured to determine defective array sites. The defect items may be determined to be misaligned, mis-located, or non-functional emissive elements, or debris. Subsequent to determining these defect items, the robotic pick-and-remove process is used to remove them. The pick-and-remove process can also be repurposed to populate empty wells with replacement emissive elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2019Publication date: January 2, 2020Inventors: Kenji Sasaki, Paul J. Schuele, Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Patent number: 10520769Abstract: A multi-color emissive display is presented with printed light modifier structures. A fabrication method provides an emissive substrate with a plurality of wells formed in the emissions substrate top surface, and a plurality of emissive elements populating the wells. The method prints light modifier structures overlying the emissive elements. Some examples of light modifier material include light scattering materials, phosphors, and quantum dots. In one aspect, the emissive substrate wells have a first shape, with sidewalls and a first perimeter. Likewise, the emissive elements have the first shape, with sides and a second perimeter, less than the first perimeter. The light modifier structures fill the space between the emissive element sides and the well sidewalls with light modifier material. If the first shape is circular, the method prints the light modifier structures overlying the emissive elements in the circular shape having a first diameter defined by the well sidewalls.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2017Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: eLux, Inc.Inventors: Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee, Kenji Sasaki, Paul J. Schuele
-
Publication number: 20190355708Abstract: A hybrid light emitting diode (LED) display and fabrication method are provided. The method forms a stack of thin-film layers overlying a top surface of a substrate. The stack includes an LED control matrix and a plurality of pixels. Each pixel is made up of a first subpixel enabled using an inorganic micro LED (uLED), a second subpixel enabled using an organic LED (OLED), and a third subpixel enabled using an OLED. The first subpixel emits a blue color light, the second subpixel emits a red color light, and the third subpixel emits a green color light. In one aspect, the stack includes a plurality of wells in a top surface of the stack, populated by the LEDs. The uLEDs may be configured vertical structures with top and bottom electrical contacts, or surface mount top surface contacts. The uLEDs may also include posts for fluidic assembly orientation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2019Publication date: November 21, 2019Inventors: Kenji Sasaki, Paul J. Schuele, Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Publication number: 20190319015Abstract: Planar surface mount (SM) micro light emitting diodes (?LEDs) are presented. The fabrication method provides a MOCVD LED structure with a stack including a first doped semiconductor in a first plane, a MQW layer overlying the first doped semiconductor in a second plane, and a second doped semiconductor overlying the MQW layer in a third plane. An electrical insulator is conformally deposited over the etched stack in a fourth plane, and etched to expose the second doped semiconductor, creating a first via. Etching exposes the first doped semiconductor, creating a second via. A first electrode is connected to the second doped semiconductor through the first via, and has a substrate interface surface in a fifth plane with an average planarity tolerance of less than 10 nanometers. A second electrode is connected to the first doped semiconductor through the second via, and has a substrate interface surface in the fifth plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2019Publication date: October 17, 2019Inventors: Paul J. Schuele, Changqing Zhan, Kenji Sasaki, Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Publication number: 20190319163Abstract: Planar surface mount (SM) micro light emitting diodes (?LEDs) are presented. The fabrication method provides a MOCVD LED structure with a stack including a first doped semiconductor in a first plane, a MQW layer overlying the first doped semiconductor in a second plane, and a second doped semiconductor overlying the MQW layer in a third plane. An electrical insulator is conformally deposited over the etched stack in a fourth plane, and etched to expose the second doped semiconductor, creating a first via. Etching exposes the first doped semiconductor, creating a second via. A first electrode is connected to the second doped semiconductor through the first via, and has a substrate interface surface in a fifth plane with an average planarity tolerance of less than 10 nanometers. A second electrode is connected to the first doped semiconductor through the second via, and has a substrate interface surface in the fifth plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2019Publication date: October 17, 2019Inventors: Paul J. Schuele, Changqing Zhan, Kenji Sasaki, Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Patent number: 10446728Abstract: A system and method are provided for repairing an emissive display. Following assembly, the emissive substrate is inspected to determine defective array sites, and defect items are removed using a pick-and-remove process. In one aspect, the emissive substrate includes an array of wells, with emissive elements located in the wells, but not electrically connected to the emissive substrate. If the emissive elements are light emitting diodes (LEDs), then the emissive substrate is exposed to ultraviolet illumination to photoexcite the array of LED, so that LED illumination can be measured to determine defective array sites. The defect items may be determined to be misaligned, mis-located, or non-functional emissive elements, or debris. Subsequent to determining these defect items, the robotic pick-and-remove process is used to remove them. The pick-and-remove process can also be repurposed to populate empty wells with replacement emissive elements.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2017Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: eLux, Inc.Inventors: Kenji Sasaki, Paul J. Schuele, Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Patent number: 10418527Abstract: Fluidic assembly methods are presented for the fabrication of emissive displays. An emissive substrate is provided with a top surface, and a first plurality of wells formed in the top surface. Each well has a bottom surface with a first electrical interface. Also provided is a liquid suspension of emissive elements. The suspension is flowed across the emissive substrate and the emissive elements are captured in the wells. As a result of annealing the emissive substrate, electrical connections are made between each emissive element to the first electrical interface of a corresponding well. A eutectic solder interface metal on either the substrate or the emissive element is desirable as well as the use of a fluxing agent prior to thermal anneal. The emissive element may be a surface mount light emitting diode (SMLED) with two electrical contacts on its top surface (adjacent to the bottom surfaces of the wells).Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2017Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: eLux, Inc.Inventors: Kenji Sasaki, Paul J. Schuele, Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Patent number: 10381335Abstract: A hybrid light emitting diode (LED) display and fabrication method are provided. The method forms a stack of thin-film layers overlying a top surface of a substrate. The stack includes an LED control matrix and a plurality of pixels. Each pixel is made up of a first subpixel enabled using an inorganic micro LED (uLED), a second subpixel enabled using an organic LED (OLED), and a third subpixel enabled using an OLED. The first subpixel emits a blue color light, the second subpixel emits a red color light, and the third subpixel emits a green color light. In one aspect, the stack includes a plurality of wells in a top surface of the stack, populated by the LEDs. The uLEDs may be configured vertical structures with top and bottom electrical contacts, or surface mount top surface contacts. The uLEDs may also include posts for fluidic assembly orientation.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: ehux, Inc.Inventors: Kenji Sasaki, Paul J. Schuele, Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Patent number: 10381332Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating an emissive display substrate with a light management system. The method provides a transparent first substrate with a top surface and forms a plurality of emissive element wells. The well sidewalls are formed from a light absorbing material or a light reflector material. In one aspect, a light blocking material film layer is formed overlying the first substrate top surface, and the emissive element sidewalls are formed in the light blocking material film layer. In another aspect, a transparent second substrate is formed overlying the first substrate top surface. Then, the emissive element wells are formed in the second substrate with via surfaces, and the light blocking material is deposited overlying the well via surfaces. Additionally, the light blocking material may be formed on the bottom surface of each well. An emissive display substrate with light management system is provided below.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2018Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: eLux Inc.Inventors: Kurt Ulmer, Paul J. Schuele, Kenji Sasaki, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Patent number: 10333036Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating an emissive display color conversion film. An emissive substrate top surface is conformally coated with an optically transparent carrier film, covering an array of emissive elements. A suspension, including a fluid and a color conversion material (e.g., QDs), is then selectively deposited in absorption regions overlying the emissive elements, for example, using inkjet patterning. After the suspension is absorbed into the absorption regions, the fluid is removed from the suspension, leaving the color conversion material in the absorption regions, and forming the color conversion film. The removal of the fluid encapsulates the color conversion material in the absorption regions. Typically, the conformal coating is thick enough to form a planar top surface. The conformally coating of carrier film may also act to encapsulate both properly aligned emissive elements, as well as misaligned emissive elements that may be located on the emissive substrate top surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2018Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: eLux Inc.Inventor: Kurt Ulmer
-
Patent number: 10319878Abstract: A method is presented for fabricating a light emitting diode (LED) device with a stratified quantum dot (QD) structure. The method provides an LED and a stratified QD structure is formed as follows. A first liquid precursor is deposited overlying the LED emission surface to form a transparent first barrier layer. A second liquid precursor is deposited overlying the first barrier layer to form a first layer of discrete QDs. A third liquid precursor is deposited overlying the first layer of QDs to form a transparent second barrier layer. Subsequent to each barrier layer liquid precursor deposition, an annealing is performed to cure the deposited precursor. The first and second barrier layers act to encapsulate the first layer of QDs. The LED emits a first wavelength of light, and the first layer of QDs converts the first wavelength of light to a first color of light in the visible spectrum.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2017Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: eLux, Inc.Inventors: Kurt Ulmer, Alexey Koposov
-
Patent number: 10276755Abstract: Fluidic assembly methods are presented for the fabrication of emissive displays. An emissive substrate is provided with a top surface, and a first plurality of wells formed in the top surface. Each well has a bottom surface with a first electrical interface. Also provided is a liquid suspension of emissive elements. The suspension is flowed across the emissive substrate and the emissive elements are captured in the wells. As a result of annealing the emissive substrate, electrical connections are made between each emissive element to the first electrical interface of a corresponding well. A eutectic solder interface metal on either the substrate or the emissive element is desirable as well as the use of a fluxing agent prior to thermal anneal. The emissive element may be a surface mount light emitting diode (SMLED) with two electrical contacts on its top surface (adjacent to the bottom surfaces of the wells).Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2018Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: eLux, Inc.Inventors: Kenji Sasaki, Paul J. Schuele, Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Patent number: 10276754Abstract: Fluidic assembly methods are presented for the fabrication of emissive displays. An emissive substrate is provided with a top surface, and a first plurality of wells formed in the top surface. Each well has a bottom surface with a first electrical interface. Also provided is a liquid suspension of emissive elements. The suspension is flowed across the emissive substrate and the emissive elements are captured in the wells. As a result of annealing the emissive substrate, electrical connections are made between each emissive element to the first electrical interface of a corresponding well. A eutectic solder interface metal on either the substrate or the emissive element is desirable as well as the use of a fluxing agent prior to thermal anneal. The emissive element may be a surface mount light emitting diode (SMLED) with two electrical contacts on its top surface (adjacent to the bottom surfaces of the wells).Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2018Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: eLux, Inc.Inventors: Kenji Sasaki, Paul J. Schuele, Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Patent number: 10262978Abstract: Embodiments are related generally to electronic displays and, more particularly, to emissive displays made with transparent sheets having phosphor dots on the surface for the purpose of color conversion.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2017Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: eLux, Inc.Inventor: Kurt Ulmer
-
Patent number: 10249599Abstract: Embodiments are related generally to electronic displays and, more particularly, to emissive displays made with transparent sheets having phosphor dots on the surface for the purpose of color conversion.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2016Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: eLux, Inc.Inventor: Kurt Ulmer
-
Patent number: 10236279Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating an emissive display substrate with a light management system. The method provides a transparent first substrate with a top surface and forms a plurality of emissive element wells. The well sidewalls are formed from a light absorbing material or a light reflector material. In one aspect, a light blocking material film layer is formed overlying the first substrate top surface, and the emissive element sidewalls are formed in the light blocking material film layer. In another aspect, a transparent second substrate is formed overlying the first substrate top surface. Then, the emissive element wells are formed in the second substrate with via surfaces, and the light blocking material is deposited overlying the well via surfaces. Additionally, the light blocking material may be formed on the bottom surface of each well. An emissive display substrate with light management system is provided below.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2017Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: eLux, Inc.Inventors: Kurt Ulmer, Paul J. Schuele, Kenji Sasaki, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Patent number: 10211364Abstract: A surface mount emissive element is provided with a top surface and a bottom surface. A first electrical contact is formed exclusively on the top surface, and a second electrical contact is formed exclusively on the top surface. A post extends from the bottom surface. An emissive display is also provided made from surface mount emissive elements and an emissions substrate. The emissions substrate has a top surface with a first plurality of wells formed in the emissions substrate top surface. Each well has a bottom surface, sidewalls, a first electrical interface formed on the bottom surface, and a second electrical interface formed on the bottom surface. The emissions substrate also includes a matrix of column and row conductive traces forming a first plurality of column/row intersections, where each column/row intersection is associated with a corresponding well. A first plurality of emissive elements populates the wells.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2018Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: eLux, Inc.Inventors: Paul J. Schuele, Kenji Sasaki, Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Patent number: 10170664Abstract: A surface mount emissive element is provided with a top surface and a bottom surface. A first electrical contact is formed exclusively on the top surface, and a second electrical contact is formed exclusively on the top surface. A post extends from the bottom surface. An emissive display is also provided made from surface mount emissive elements and an emissions substrate. The emissions substrate has a top surface with a first plurality of wells formed in the emissions substrate top surface. Each well has a bottom surface, sidewalls, a first electrical interface formed on the bottom surface, and a second electrical interface formed on the bottom surface. The emissions substrate also includes a matrix of column and row conductive traces forming a first plurality of column/row intersections, where each column/row intersection is associated with a corresponding well. A first plurality of emissive elements populates the wells.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2017Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: eLux, Inc.Inventors: Paul J. Schuele, Kenji Sasaki, Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee
-
Publication number: 20180366622Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating an emissive display color conversion film. An emissive substrate top surface is conformally coated with an optically transparent carrier film, covering an array of emissive elements. A suspension, including a fluid and a color conversion material (e.g., QDs), is then selectively deposited in absorption regions overlying the emissive elements, for example, using inkjet patterning. After the suspension is absorbed into the absorption regions, the fluid is removed from the suspension, leaving the color conversion material in the absorption regions, and forming the color conversion film. The removal of the fluid encapsulates the color conversion material in the absorption regions. Typically, the conformal coating is thick enough to form a planar top surface. The conformally coating of carrier film may also act to encapsulate both properly aligned emissive elements, as well as misaligned emissive elements that may be located on the emissive substrate top surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2018Publication date: December 20, 2018Inventor: Kurt Ulmer
-
Publication number: 20180219138Abstract: Fluidic assembly methods are presented for the fabrication of emissive displays. An emissive substrate is provided with a top surface, and a first plurality of wells formed in the top surface. Each well has a bottom surface with a first electrical interface. Also provided is a liquid suspension of emissive elements. The suspension is flowed across the emissive substrate and the emissive elements are captured in the wells. As a result of annealing the emissive substrate, electrical connections are made between each emissive element to the first electrical interface of a corresponding well. A eutectic solder interface metal on either the substrate or the emissive element is desirable as well as the use of a fluxing agent prior to thermal anneal. The emissive element may be a surface mount light emitting diode (SMLED) with two electrical contacts on its top surface (adjacent to the bottom surfaces of the wells).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2018Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Kenji Sasaki, Paul J. Schuele, Kurt Ulmer, Jong-Jan Lee