Abstract: A discontinuity-containing, light-diffusing substrate is placed within an LED light source. In one embodiment, the substrate is placed between an LED light source and a light guide. The light diffusing substrate may include a plurality of air bubbles, grooves or both, effective to mix the colored light and yield a white light exiting the light guide. Methods of constructing optical devices and light sources having a bubble-containing substrate are also disclosed.

Abstract: A light source and method for making the same are disclosed. The light source includes a substrate, a die, and a cup. The substrate has a plurality of electrical traces thereon and the die includes an LED that is connected to two of the traces. The cup overlies the substrate and is filled with an encapsulant material. The die is located within the cup and is encapsulated by the substrate and the encapsulant material. The cup and encapsulant material have substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion. The cup can include reflective sidewalls positioned to reflect light leaving the die. The cup, encapsulant and substrate can be constructed from the same material.

Abstract: A light source and a method for operating the same are disclosed. The light source includes a light emitter and a controller. The light emitter generates light in response to a control signal coupled thereto. The light emitter is characterized by an age related to the amount of light that has been cumulatively generated by the light emitter, the generated light for a given control signal changing with the age. The controller measures the age of the light emitter and generates the control signal based on the desired light intensity and the measured age of the light emitter. In one embodiment, the controller stores an age value for the light emitter, and the controller determines the control signal in response to an input signal specifying a desired light intensity from the light emitter, the controller updating the age value each time the control signal is determined.

Abstract: A light source that has improved light mixing. The light source uses a nanolens layer in conjunction with an LED light source to enhance the mixing of the colored light emitting from the LED light source.

Abstract: A light source having a first die with an LED thereon, a substrate, a base layer and a first phosphor layer is disclosed. The first die is characterized by a top surface, a bottom surface and a light generation region at a height above the bottom surface. The substrate includes a depression in which the first die is mounted. The base layer fills the depression in the substrate to a height greater than half the distance from the bottom surface of the first die to the top surface of the first die and less than the light generation height of the first die. The first phosphor layer includes a first light converting material that converts light emitted by the first die to light of a different wavelength. The first phosphor layer is in direct contact with the base layer and covers the first die.

Abstract: A lighting apparatus is described. One embodiment of the lighting apparatus includes a substrate and a lighting element. The lighting element is coupled to the substrate to emit light through a light exit plane. The light exit plane is substantially perpendicular to the substrate. By providing a lighting device with a substrate oriented perpendicular to the light exit plane of the lighting device, the lighting device can enable better mixing of the light from different LEDs. The lighting apparatus facilitates light mixing, generally, to minimize or eliminate dark spots on the diffusion panel. The lighting device also facilitates color mixing to produce relatively consistent white light on the diffusion panel.

Abstract: A light emitting device is disclosed herein. An embodiment of the light emitting device includes a cavity and at least one light emitter located within the cavity. A first transparent material fills at least a portion of the cavity and encapsulates the light emitter. A substantially rigid optical modifying element is located adjacent the first transparent material, the modifying element comprises particles that emit at least one first wavelength of light upon being illuminated by a second wavelength of light. The modifying element has a first side located adjacent the first transparent material and a second side located opposite the first side, wherein the first side is substantially flat. In addition, the modifying element is substantially uniform in thickness.

Abstract: A light source having a circuit carrier and a die is disclosed. The circuit carrier includes top and bottom conducting layers sandwiching an insulating substrate. The bottom layer has a first surface adjacent to the insulating substrate and a second surface includes a portion of a bottom surface of the light source, the substrate having a die bonding region in which the top conducting layer and a portion of the substrate are absent. A portion of the bottom conducting layer is present under the die bonding region and the die is bonded to the top surface of the bottom conducting layer in the die bonding region. The bottom conducting layer is patterned to provide first and second bottom electrodes that are electrically isolated from one another and connected to first and second contacts for powering the LED.

Abstract: A lighting system is described. One embodiment of the lighting system includes a light guide, a first lighting device, and a second lighting device. The light guide receives light along a transmission interface. The first lighting device has a first plurality of lighting elements coupled to a first substrate between a first pair of reflector walls. The first substrate and the first pair of reflector walls define a first exposed side of the first lighting device. The second lighting device has a second plurality of lighting elements coupled to a second substrate between a second pair of reflector walls. The second substrate and the second pair of reflector walls define a second exposed side of the second lighting device configured to match the first exposed side of the first lighting device. Using lighting devices without sidewalls illuminates a diffusion panel so that there are no dark spots.

Abstract: A New Phosphor-converted LED Device (“NPCLD”) is disclosed. The NPCLD may include a lens over a phosphor body, in which the lens and the phosphor body each have a substantially convex upper surface. The NPCLD may alternatively include first and second lenses, the first lens having a substantially flat interface with a phosphor body.

Abstract: A light source having a flexible substrate and a plurality of dies having LEDs is disclosed. The light source can be conveniently utilized to provide an extended light source by bonding the light source to a suitable light pipe. The substrate is divided into first and second regions. The dies are bonded to the substrate in a first region. A portion of the surface of the substrate in the second region is reflective. The substrate is bent such that the second region forms a reflector that reflects light that would otherwise be emitted in a non-useful direction to a more useful direction. The substrate can be constructed from a three layer flexible circuit carrier in which the dies are mounted on a bottom metal layer to provide an improved thermal path for heat generated in the dies.

Abstract: A light source having a flexible substrate and a plurality of dies having LEDs is disclosed. The light source can be conveniently utilized to provide an extended light source by bonding the light source to a suitable light pipe. The substrate is divided into first and second regions. The dies are bonded to the substrate in a first region. A portion of the surface of the substrate in the second region is reflective. The substrate is bent such that the second region forms a reflector that reflects light that would otherwise be emitted in a non-useful direction to a more useful direction. The substrate can be constructed from a three layer flexible circuit carrier in which the dies are mounted on a bottom metal layer to provide an improved thermal path for heat generated in the dies.

Abstract: A light source having a die, a substrate, and a housing is disclosed. The die has a semiconducting light emitting device thereon, the die having a top surface and a bottom surface, light being emitted through the top surface. The die is characterized by a maximum dimension. The substrate has a top surface bonded to the bottom surface of the die. The substrate includes a plurality of electrical traces connected to the die that are used to power the light emitting device. The housing includes a reflector having a reflective inner wall facing the die and an aperture through which light reflected from the inner wall exits the housing. The aperture lies in a plane normal to the top surface of the die and has a height that is less than the maximum dimension of the die. The die is encapsulated in a transparent layer of material.

Abstract: A light source and method for making the same are disclosed. The light source includes a substrate, a die, and a cup. The substrate has a plurality of electrical traces thereon and the die includes an LED that is connected to two of the traces. The cup overlies the substrate and is filled with an encapsulant material. The die is located within the cup and is encapsulated by the substrate and the encapsulant material. The cup and encapsulant material have substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion. The cup can include reflective sidewalls positioned to reflect light leaving the die. The cup, encapsulant and substrate can be constructed from the same material.

Abstract: A light source and method for making the same are disclosed. The light source includes a substrate, a plurality of dies and a transparent layer of encapsulant. The substrate includes an insulating layer having top and bottom surfaces, the top surface having a first metal patterned layer thereon, and the bottom surface having a second metal patterned layer thereon. The first metal patterned layer has a plurality of die mounting areas thereon, and the second metal patterned layer includes a first contact layer that underlies the die mounting area, the die mounting area and the first contact layer being connected by metal lined vias at each of the die mounting areas. The transparent encapsulant covers the plurality of dies and is bonded to the first metal patterned layer and the top surface of the insulating layer.

Abstract: A light source including a die, substrate, and droplet of encapsulating material is disclosed. The die includes a semiconductor light-emitting device that is connected to first and second conducting traces on a first surface of the substrate. The droplet of encapsulate material overlies the die and is formed from a liquid precursor material that is characterized by a surface tension. The droplet has a periphery in contact with the first surface, the periphery having a shape determined by a predefined feature on the first surface and the surface tension of the liquid precursor material. The feature can include a recess in the first surface or a ring having an area that is raised above the first surface.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is an improved light guide having one or more light sources inserted into the light guide such that the light sources are perpendicular to the main axis of the light guide. The light sources are inserted into a cavity within the outer wall of the light guide. The cavity is positioned at one end of the light guide.

Abstract: A light source having a flexible substrate and a plurality of dies having LEDs is disclosed. The light source can be conveniently utilized to provide an extended light source by bonding the light source to a suitable light pipe. The substrate is divided into first and second regions. The dies are bonded to the substrate in a first region. A portion of the surface of the substrate in the second region is reflective. The substrate is bent such that the second region forms a reflector that reflects light that would otherwise be emitted in a non-useful direction to a more useful direction. The substrate can be constructed from a three layer flexible circuit carrier in which the dies are mounted on a bottom metal layer to provide an improved thermal path for heat generated in the dies.

Abstract: A light source and method for making the same are disclosed. The light source includes a substrate having a top surface, a die, and a first encapsulating layer. The die includes an LED attached to the top surface and electrically connected to traces in the substrate that power the LED. The first dome covers the die and is in contact with the top surface, the dome having an angle of contact greater than 90° with respect to the top surface. The first dome has an outer surface that includes a truncated sphere characterized by a center for the spherical portion of the surface, and the die is situated at a position below the center. A second dome can be provided around the outside of the first dome. In addition, the first dome may include light converting and/or scattering materials.

Abstract: A light source having a first die with an LED thereon, a substrate, a base layer and a first phosphor layer is disclosed. The first die is characterized by a top surface, a bottom surface and a light generation region at a height above the bottom surface. The substrate includes a depression in which the first die is mounted. The base layer fills the depression in the substrate to a height greater than half the distance from the bottom surface of the first die to the top surface of the first die and less than the light generation height of the first die. The first phosphor layer includes a first light converting material that converts light emitted by the first die to light of a different wavelength. The first phosphor layer is in direct contact with the base layer and covers the first die.