LED lighting system, method for manufacturing LED lighting system, and LED module

Abstract

An LED lighting system, an LED module and a method of manufacture are described. An LED lighting system includes a ceramic interposer (314). Phosphor-converted SMD LEDs (312) are spaced less than 200 microns on the ceramic interposer. Each LED includes a light emitting top surface, a bottom surface opposite the light emitting top surface, side surfaces, and a reflective side coating on at least one of the side surfaces adjacent another LED on the ceramic interposer. A controller (308) is disposed on a top surface of the PCB (306), which is configured to control the LEDs to be powered on and off individually or in groups when the LED lighting system is powered on. A conductive connector (310) is electrically coupled between a top surface of the PCB (306) and a top surface of the ceramic interposer (314).

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 440,305, filed January 20, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0002] For some lighting applications, such as some automotive headlights, a single row of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or an array of multiple rows and columns of LEDs may be used to generate appropriate light output to illuminate the road. This may be because, for example, a single LED may not provide sufficient light output for the headlight, and / or because the LEDs may be individually addressable or group-addressable to generate and / or project a desired beam shape and / or steerable beam onto the road (e.g., so-called adaptive headlights). However, manufacturing such headlights presents numerous challenges, including optical issues that may prevent the LEDs from being spaced closely enough to effectively function as adaptive headlights, heat dissipation issues, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatches, and expense due to the fact that some headlights are manufactured as aftermarket solutions and / or due to the sheer cost of the raw materials required to address some of these issues for any application. Summary of the Invention

[0003] An LED lighting system, an LED module, and a manufacturing method are described. The LED lighting system includes a ceramic interposer. Phosphor-converted SMD LEDs are spaced less than 200 micrometers apart on the ceramic interposer. Each LED includes a light-emitting top surface, a bottom surface opposite the light-emitting top surface, side surfaces, and a reflective side coating on at least one of the side surfaces adjacent to another LED on the ceramic interposer. A controller is provided on the top surface of a PCB and is configured to control the LEDs to be powered on and off individually or in groups when the LED lighting system is powered on. A conductive connector is electrically coupled between the top surface of the PCB and the top surface of the ceramic interposer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] A more detailed understanding may be obtained from the following description, which is given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a top view of an example LED with a side reflector; Figure 2a is a top view of an example LED module including a plurality of LEDs having a Figure 1 side reflectors; Figure 2b A more detailed top view of another example LED module including a plurality of LEDs having a plurality of LEDs on an interposer. Figure 1 side reflectors; Figure 2c FIG2 is a top view of the interposer 200 showing the solder pads and solder pad spacing of the LED; Figure 2d is a top view of a substrate to which an interposer may be attached; Figure 3 is a side view of an example LED lighting system including an LED module (such as Figure 2a and Figure 2b ); Figure 4 is a side view of another example LED lighting system including an LED module (such as Figure 2a and Figure 2b ); Figure 5 is a top view of another example LED lighting system, which includes an LED module (such as Figure 2a and Figure 2b ) and a controller for addressing the LEDs individually or in groups; Figure 6a To illustrate a side view of an optical device that can be used with any of the LED systems described herein; Figure 6b A graph showing the radiation patterns of the LED modules and LED lighting systems described herein when all LEDs are turned on and when some intermediate LEDs are turned off; Figure 7 is a top view of an example LED lighting system showing a top conductive connector between an interposer and PCB-A; Figure 8 is a flow chart of an example method of manufacturing an LED lighting system; Figure 9 is a side view of another LED lighting system including an LED module (such as Figure 2a and Figure 2b ); Figure 10 is a side view of another example LED lighting system including an LED module (such as Figure 2a and Figure 2b ); Figure 11 is a side view of another example LED lighting system including an LED module (such as a FR4 board) on a FR4 board with metal-filled through-holes. Figure 2a and Figure 2b ); Figure 12 is a side view of another example LED lighting system including an LED module (such as Figure 2a and Figure 2b ); Figure 13 is a side view of another example LED lighting system including an LED module (such as Figure 2a and Figure 2b ); Figure 14 is a side view of another example LED lighting system including an LED module (such as Figure 2a and Figure 2b ); Figure 15 is a side view of another example LED lighting system including an LED module (such as Figure 2a and Figure 2b ); Figure 16 is a side view of another example LED lighting system including an LED module (such as a Figure 2a and Figure 2b ); and Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of another example vehicle headlamp system that may incorporate any of the LED modules and / or LED lighting systems described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0005] Examples of various lighting system and / or light emitting diode ("LED") embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These examples are not mutually exclusive, and features found in one example can be combined with features found in one or more other examples to implement additional embodiments. It should be understood that the examples shown in the accompanying drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure in any way. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0006] It will be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. can be used to describe various elements in this article, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms can be used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, a first element can be referred to as a second element and a second element can be referred to as a first element without departing from the scope of the present invention. As used herein, the term "and / or" can include any and all combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0007] It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as being "on" or "extending onto" another element, it may be directly on or directly extending onto the other element, or there may be intervening elements. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" or "extending directly onto" another element, there may be no intervening elements. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element and / or connected or coupled to the other element via one or more intervening elements. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, there may be no intervening elements between the element and the other element. It will be understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of elements in addition to any orientation depicted in the figures.

[0008] Relative terms such as "below," "above," "upper," "lower," "horizontal," or "vertical" may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element, layer, or region to another element, layer, or region illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.

[0009] Figure 1 FIG is a top view of an example LED 102 with a side reflector 104. Figure 1 In the example shown in FIG, an LED 102 has a light emitting top surface 100, and outer surfaces 105, 106, 107, and 108 of the LED are covered with a side reflector 104. In an embodiment, the side reflector 104 can be a dichroic mirror that can be made thin enough to enable close spacing of the LEDs while also preventing optical crosstalk between such closely spaced LEDs. For example, the width w1 of the side reflector can be made as thin as approximately 2 to 10 microns, thereby giving the LED 102 the largest possible light emitting surface, wherein the thin side coating enables the LEDs to be closely spaced with sharp contrast between adjacent LEDs.

[0010] LED 102 may be a phosphor converted LED, such as an LED that emits blue pump light that is converted to white light of a certain wavelength range. In an embodiment, LED 102 may be a die on sapphire with a ceramic converter attached to the die, which may include a phosphor material.

[0011] In some embodiments, LEDs 102 may be square and may be available in various sizes (such as 1.00 mm 2 and / or 0.5 mm 2 ) are provided, but other shapes and sizes are possible within the scope of the embodiments described herein. Figure 1 The side coating 104 is shown completely surrounding the light emitting surface 100 on all outer surfaces 104, 105, 106 and 107 of the LED 102, but in some embodiments, the side reflector 104 may be disposed only on outer surfaces 104, 105, 106 and / or 107 that will be adjacent to another LED 102 in the arrangement.

[0012] Although such as Figure 1 The LEDs shown in the can theoretically achieve close spacing between LEDs, but in practice, there have been several obstacles that have prevented such LEDs from being used in this way to create temperature-stable, fully addressable, and affordable headlights. First, the alignment of the LEDs relative to the optical system is critical in automotive lighting. Figure 1 The LEDs 102 shown in FIG. 1 are typically mounted using standard pick and place techniques, which make precise alignment very complex and can therefore only be performed by the most sophisticated laboratories.

[0013] Secondly, such as Figure 1 The LEDs 102 shown in FIG1 present CTE mismatch issues with standard substrates. However, the close spacing of these LEDs requires that stress on the LEDs be minimized, because any movement of the LEDs can cause alignment issues, in addition to issues with very closely adjacent LEDs. Especially in automotive applications, where any product must withstand thermal cycling, for example, between -40°C and 125°C, stress must be carefully managed to enable the closely spaced LEDs 102 to be used in automotive applications.

[0014] Third, ceramic substrates, or even substrates with ceramic inlays that have a similar CTE as LEDs 102, are extremely expensive, and increasing the number of LEDs in the array and the potential addition of other circuitry on the substrate (if desired or required) means that the size of the substrate will only increase, forcing the cost of such substrates even higher. Furthermore, for various reasons, some automotive headlamp implementations may require the use of LEDs on different types of substrates, so a global CTE mismatch solution that can work with all different types of substrates, regardless of their CTE, would be ideal.

[0015] Fourth, in some applications, it may be desirable to address the LEDs in an array individually or in groups. However, the electrical wiring required to implement this addressability must compete for space on the substrate with heat sink wiring and other electronics, which must be placed near the LEDs, possibly on the same substrate. Therefore, a simple solution for the electrical wiring that provides both individual and group addressability is crucial to achieving this addressability in practice.

[0016] Figure 2a 2 is a top view of an example LED module 250 including a plurality of LEDs 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, and 102e with side reflectors on an interposer 200. The dots on either side of the rows and columns of LEDs 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, and 102e indicate that more LEDs may be included within the scope of embodiments to form longer or shorter rows and / or multiple rows of LEDs. Additionally or alternatively, it is also within the scope of the embodiments described herein to include fewer than five LEDs and / or multiple rows of varying numbers of LEDs.

[0017] Interposer 200 may be made of ceramic or some other material with a ceramic inlay. Some suitable ceramics may include aluminum nitride (AlN) and / or aluminum oxide (Al2O3), which have a CTE similar to that of LED 102. For example, an LED may have a CTE of approximately 7×10 -6 / °C, and Al2O3 and / or AlN may have a CTE of approximately 4×10 -6 / °C to 9×10 -6 / °C. LEDs 102 can be mechanically and electrically coupled to interposer 200 by soldering them directly to pads (not shown) on interposer 200. Due to side reflectors 104 on LEDs 102, LEDs 102 can be spaced very close together, such as by having an LED-to-LED spacing w2 of less than 200 microns, less than 100 microns, and even less than 50 microns in some embodiments. This allows for very clear contrast between adjacent LEDs, so that when LEDs 102 are individually addressed and driven in a pattern where their light output is projected onto a road, a favorable beam shape can be projected to illuminate specific areas of the road, thereby better assisting drivers without adversely affecting other road users.

[0018] Figure 2b is a more detailed top view of another example LED module 290 that includes a plurality of LEDs 102 with side reflectors (such as Figure 1 ). The interposer 200 may have Figure 2a The intermediary layer has the same properties as the one in Figure 1, and therefore, these details will not be repeated here. However, Figure 2b The top surface (not labeled) of interposer 200 is shown in greater detail. Figure 2bAs can be seen in FIG, electrical wiring for each LED 102 can be provided, for example, as metallization / traces 202 on the top surface (not labeled) of the interposer 200. Bond pads 204 can also be provided on the top surface (not labeled) of the interposer 200, which can be used to electrically connect the LEDs 102 on the interposer 200 to an external board (not shown), which can be any type of board known in the art (such as an FR4 board). In embodiments, the external board can be a less expensive board than the ceramic interposer or ceramic-embedded interposer, thereby enabling as many components as possible to be placed on the less expensive board, reducing the required size of the expensive ceramic material.

[0019] At the same time, the interposer 200 must be made large enough to accommodate any desired number of LEDs and their associated metallization. Figure 2b In the example shown in FIG, the interposer 200 is approximately 20 mm by approximately 5 mm and accommodates 18 LEDs 102 in a single row. Given the desired size of the interposer 200 (which depends on the number of LEDs required for the application), CTE mismatch may also be an issue when attaching the interposer 200 to another substrate. As will be discussed below with reference to FIG. Figure 8 As explained in more detail, a special glue can be used to attach the interposer 200 to another substrate, which can mitigate any thermal mismatch between the interposer 200 and the other substrate. The low-CTE ceramic interposer 200 can experience relatively large movement when glued to a potentially high-CTE substrate (as described in more detail below). The special glue can be formed from a very soft silicone, epoxy, or other similar substance that is soft enough to handle the relatively large movement of the ceramic interposer 200 without transferring any stress to the components on the interposer (e.g., LEDs 102 and possibly other components, as described in more detail below).

[0020] In applications where LED 102 can get very hot, such as automotive headlights, silicone or epoxy by themselves are not particularly good adhesive choices because they can have high electrical resistance. However, applicants have discovered a method for thinning the bond lines of silicone glue or epoxy to approximately 20 to 40 microns, which reduces the adverse effect of the silicone or epoxy's high electrical resistance on the total heat generated by LED 102 when energized. The glue can additionally or alternatively be filled with particles (such as silver particles or another good thermal conductor), which can enhance the thermal conductivity of the silicone or epoxy. Furthermore, in the embodiments described herein, the thermal path from the LED to the cooling element (e.g., a heat sink) is very short. Therefore, there may be no poor thermal conductors between them, as may be the case with other technologies.

[0021] Figure 2cFIG is a top view of interposer 200 showing pads 240 and 242 of LED 102 (not shown) and the pad spacing. Figure 2c In the example shown in , and corresponds to Figure 2a In the embodiment shown in FIG, the interposer 200 includes five pairs 244 of cathode electrode pads 240 and anode electrode pads 242. As described above with reference to Figure 2a As described above, any number of pad pairs 244 may be included, depending on the number of LEDs required for the application, and the pad pairs 244 may be arranged in a single row or in an array of multiple rows and columns. In an embodiment, the LED 102 may be mechanically and electrically coupled to one of the pad pairs 244 on the interposer 200 by surface mount device (SMD) reflow soldering. In an embodiment, the solder may be lead-free solder.

[0022] The pad pairs 244 can be spaced apart from other pad pairs 244 on the interposer 200 by a distance w3, which, as described above, can enable LED-to-LED spacing of less than 200 microns, less than 100 microns, and / or even less than 50 microns. Furthermore, while the pads are referred to above as cathode pads 240 and anode pads 242, the cathode pads do not necessarily need to be to the left of the anode pads (e.g., Figure 2c In some embodiments, LEDs 102 may alternately have cathodes on the left and cathodes on the right (e.g., Figure 2c orientation in ) to allow the LEDs 102 to be driven using a common anode and / or cathode.

[0023] In some embodiments, the interposer 200 can include reference or other alignment features (not shown) to align the LEDs 102 on the interposer 200. As mentioned above, in some applications (such as automotive headlights), alignment is critical, and only some laboratories can perform the pick-and-place procedures for mounting such LEDs with such high precision. Therefore, in the embodiments described herein, all pick-and-place processing can be completed in one laboratory, for example, before the product is shipped to the customer, as customer laboratories are generally not capable of performing the required specialized processing. In embodiments, an external mechanism, such as a foil transfer, can be used to maintain a consistent distance between the LEDs 102 on the interposer 200 during the reflow process.

[0024] Figure 2d FIG. 2 is a top view of a substrate 299 on which an interposer 200 may be attached. Figure 2dAs shown in FIG, a substrate 299 can have an attachment portion 297 to which the interposer 200 can be attached in a subsequent processing step. As will be described in more detail below with respect to specific embodiments, the substrate 299 can be made of several different materials (such as aluminum, copper, or FR4), depending on the application in which the LED module is used. Therefore, as described above, a solution is needed for attaching the interposer 200 to the substrate 299 that may have a range of potential different CTE mismatches. As described in detail above, a special silicone glue or epoxy can be used for this purpose. The attachment portion 297 of the substrate 299 can be roughened to support adhesive attachment of the ceramic interposer 200 to the substrate 299.

[0025] As will be described in various embodiments below, the substrate 299 may include reference or alignment features (not shown) that may ensure proper alignment of the LEDs 102 on the substrate 299. The substrate 299 may also include reference or alignment features (not shown) for aligning optical components with the LEDs 102 (example optical components are described below with reference to FIG. Figure 6a describe).

[0026] See below Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 5 、 Figure 9 、 Figure 10 、 Figure 11 、 Figure 12 、 Figure 13 、 Figure 14 、 Figure 15 、 Figure 16 and Figure 17Examples of LED lighting systems are described. As described above, in each of these different examples, the material of substrate 299 can vary, as can the arrangement of components within the system and the placement of the electronic components on the various system boards. In some embodiments, the LED lighting system also includes a separate PCB-A, which can house some of the LED lighting system's electronic components, such as a controller and any circuitry required to drive and individually address the LEDs, circuitry to sense the LED operating temperature, and transient voltage suppression (TVS) diodes. In some embodiments, substrate 299 can be the PCB-A itself, eliminating the need for an additional PCB-A. In such embodiments, more electronic components will need to be placed on substrate 299 and / or interposer 200, and heat dissipation mechanisms (such as copper-filled vias or copper inlays) can be provided in the PCB to facilitate heat dissipation between interposer 200 and the bottom of the FR4 board, which may otherwise be lacking in the FR4 board. In some embodiments, PCB-A can be attached to substrate 299. In such embodiments, PCB-A can be attached to substrate 299 via, for example, gluing, riveting, or soldering. If solder is used, the pads on the PCB may extend beyond the edge of the substrate. In an embodiment, the base plate 299 may include additional mechanisms, such as holes, to attach the base plate 299 directly or indirectly to a headlamp body (not shown).

[0027] As described above, the embodiments described herein provide a modular approach by which LEDs with side reflectors can be closely spaced on an interposer that is thermally matched to the LEDs. In this way, the LEDs can be attached to the interposer in a first step, and the interposer can be attached to various types of different substrates in a variety of different arrangements, regardless of their thermal expansion properties. In this way, all of the precision pick and place processing can be performed in a single lab that can handle precise installation, and the module can then be used in any number of different applications. The glue used can even enable the interposer to be attached to substrates that have a large CTE mismatch with the ceramic interposer without transferring stress to the LEDs and any other components provided thereon. Additionally, the interposer can be made just large enough to accommodate the LEDs and any electrical wiring or other components that need or are desired to be included thereon, thereby reducing the expense that would otherwise be required to purchase an even larger piece of ceramic material.

[0028] Figure 3 FIG. 3 is a side view of an example LED lighting system 300 including an LED module 301 on an aluminum sheet substrate 302, such as in FIG. Figure 2a and Figure 2b The LED modules 250 and / or 290 are shown in FIG. Figure 3In the example shown in FIG, LED module 301 includes LED 312 on ceramic interposer 314. As described above, LED 312 can be attached to ceramic interposer 314. LED 312 and ceramic interposer 314 can have the same properties as LED 102 and interposer 200 described above, and therefore, these details will not be repeated here.

[0029] As described above, the LED module 301 can be mechanically coupled to the aluminum sheet substrate 302 via an adhesive 318, which can have properties similar to the specialized silicone glue or epoxy described above. As described above, this adhesive 318 can mitigate the CTE mismatch between the ceramic interposer 314 and the aluminum sheet substrate 302 and has properties that reduce any adverse thermal effects of the silicone or epoxy. The aluminum sheet substrate 302 can include reference holes 316 for later alignment and attachment of the LED lighting system 300 to a headlamp body (not shown).

[0030] Aluminum sheet substrate 302 can be formed from stamped aluminum sheet, which can be formed during the stamping process to have reference features 304. However, in some embodiments, reference features 304 can be formed in other ways, as will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. PCB-A 306 (such as an FR4 board) can be attached to aluminum sheet substrate 302 by, for example, inserting reference features 304 through reference holes (not labeled) in PCB-A 306. This can ensure proper alignment of PCB-A 306 relative to the rest of LED lighting system 300. A controller 308 can be provided on PCB-A, which can be used to, among other things, individually address LEDs 312 on interposer 314.

[0031] As described above, the interposer 314 can provide electrical routing for the LEDs 312 (such as by including metallization on the top surface of the interposer 314). The interposer 314 can be electrically and communicatively coupled to the PCB-A 306 so that power and control signaling can be provided from the PCB-A 306 to the LEDs 312 on the interposer 314 via top contact electrical conductors 310 (such as ribbon bonds or wire bonds). Figure 7 The top contact electrical conductor is described in more detail.

[0032] Figure 4 FIG. 4 is a side view of another example LED lighting system 400 including an LED module 401 (such as an aluminum insulated metal substrate (IMS) 402) on an aluminum insulated metal substrate (IMS). Figure 2a and Figure 2b ). Similar to Figure 3 ,exist Figure 4In the example shown in FIG, LED module 401 includes LED 412 on ceramic interposer 414. As described above, LED 412 can be attached to ceramic interposer 414. LED 412 and ceramic interposer 401 can have the same properties as LED 102 and interposer 200 described above, and therefore, these details will not be repeated here.

[0033] As described above, the LED module 401 can be mechanically coupled to the aluminum IMS 402 via an adhesive 418, which can have properties similar to the specialized silicone glue or epoxy described above. As described above, this adhesive 418 can mitigate the CTE mismatch between the ceramic interposer 414 and the aluminum IMS 402 and has properties that reduce any adverse thermal effects of the silicone or epoxy. The aluminum IMS 402 can include reference holes 416 for later alignment and attachment of the LED lighting system 400 to a headlamp body (not shown).

[0034] and Figure 3 In contrast, the aluminum IMS 402 may not have the reference features that the aluminum sheet substrate 302 has. Instead, as shown, a thin circuit board 406 may be provided on the aluminum IMS 402. The circuit board 406 may be or include, for example, a dielectric material (such as an epoxy-based material) with metal (e.g., copper) traces and solder mask on top. The dielectric under the interposer may be removed. However, similar to Figure 3 , a controller 408 may be provided on the thin substrate 406, which may be used to, among other things, individually address the LEDs 412 on the interposer 414, similar to Figure 3 The embodiment shown in .

[0035] As described above, the interposer 414 can provide electrical wiring for the LEDs 412 (such as by including metallization on the top surface of the interposer 414). The interposer 414 can be electrically and communicatively coupled to the thin substrate 406 so that power and control signaling can be provided from the thin substrate 406 to the LEDs 412 on the interposer 414 via top contact electrical conductors 410 (such as ribbon bonds or wire bonds). Figure 7 The top contact electrical conductor is described in more detail.

[0036] Figure 5 FIG. 5 is a top view of another example LED system 550, which includes an LED module 500 (such as Figure 2a and Figure 2b ); and a controller 504 for individually addressing the LEDs on the LED module 500 or addressing the LEDs on the LED module 500 in groups. As can be seen, the interposer 500 may include several LEDs 502. Figure 5 As shown in , LEDs 502 may be arranged in two rows in some embodiments, and may include LEDs of different sizes in some embodiments. Figure 5 In the example shown in FIG, the LED module 500 is located on the same substrate 506 (eg, FR4 board) as the controller 504. However, it will be clear that Figure 5 The embodiments may be applicable to different board types and arrangements, and different components may be added to the same or different substrates depending on the application.

[0037] Figure 6a 6 is a side view of an optical device 600 that can be used in any of the LED systems described herein. Figure 6a In the example shown in FIG, optics 600 includes a first optic 604 mechanically coupled to an LED illumination system 606, such as described above. As described above, first optic 604 can be mechanically coupled to LED illumination system 606 using reference or alignment features. Projection optics 602 can also be included. In an embodiment, projection optics 602 can be a 52 mm x 35 mm dual PMMA projection lens (as shown) with a focal length of 55 mm, which conforms to mass production molding design rules, although different types of projection lenses could potentially be used in other ways.

[0038] In embodiments, optical device 600 can be used to create automotive beam profiles such as high beam, low beam, or adaptive driving beam (ADB). Here, the LED array can be placed at or near the focal point of optical device 600. To achieve sufficient beam smoothness, densely packed light emitting areas (LEAs) are required. In embodiments, for example, the LEAs can be the light emitting areas 100 of LED 102, with the LEAs covering nearly the entire top surface of LED 102 (e.g., the LEAs of LED 102 extend nearly from edge to edge of LED 102). If the gaps between LEAs are less than ten percent of the LEA size, moderate defocusing can be used to render the gaps invisible. Alternatively, or in addition, microstructures can be applied to the lens surface to soften the sharpness of the beam. Alternatively, the softening function can be generated by the lens design. However, the smoothing should not be so extensive that the gaps in the beam become invisible if one LED is turned off. Smoothing should bridge gaps of 200, 100, or 50 µm, rather than gaps the width of the LED. This works better when the gap is on the smaller side (e.g. 50 µm). For this application, closely spaced LEDs with high-contrast side coatings as described herein are required.

[0039] Figure 6bare graphs 600 and 650 showing the emission spectra and patterns for any of the LED modules and LED lighting systems described herein when all LEDs are on and with some LEDs in between turned off. In graph 600, the spectrum shown is the spectrum when all LEDs in the LED lighting system are on. As can be seen, the beam pattern is fairly continuous across the emission areas of all LEDs in the LED lighting system. Graph 650 represents the emission spectra and patterns when two LEDs (or two groups of LEDs) are off and the remaining LEDs or groups are on. Such a beam pattern may be desirable, for example, for high beams, where the high beams can be projected everywhere except where the opposing driver will be, thereby enabling the use of potentially brighter light without blinding oncoming traffic. As described above, a controller (e.g., controller 306, 408, or 504) can individually control all of the LEDs on the interposer so that, for example, Figure 6b The beam pattern shown in Figure 6a The optical device 600 projects from the vehicle. Other beam patterns that can be produced by the embodiments described herein will be known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0040] Currently, controllers are limited to a certain number of channels (e.g., 5 or 6). Therefore, for individual addressing of a larger number of LEDs (such as 18 LEDs), a second controller may be required if individual addressability is desired. However, in some embodiments, the LEDs can be driven in groups (such as two), so that each channel can be used to drive a group of two LEDs to power them on or off together. Therefore, in some embodiments, multiple controllers can be provided to individually address a larger number of LEDs, or fewer controllers (or a single controller) can be provided to control groups of LEDs. In some embodiments, individual addressability can also enable color control, such as where different colored LEDs (such as a combination of red and amber LEDs) are provided on an interposer.

[0041] Figure 7 FIG. 7 is a top view of an example LED lighting system 700 showing the top electrical connections between the interposer and the PCB. Figure 7In the example shown in FIG, LED module 702 is adhered to substrate 714. As described above, substrate 714 can be any type of substrate or combination of substrates, including aluminum sheet substrate, aluminum IMS, copper sheet substrate, copper IMS, and / or FR4 board, with or without metal inlays and / or through-holes. LED module 702 includes LED 704 soldered to solder pads (not shown). Solder pads (not shown) are electrically coupled to bond pads 716 via metallization 706. Bond pads 710 may also be provided on substrate 714. Bond pads 716 of LED module 702 can be electrically coupled to bond pads 710 of substrate 714 via top electrical conductors 708, such as ribbon bonds or wire bonds. This type of bonding can be complex, such as in the pick-and-place alignment of closely spaced LEDs in automotive applications. Therefore, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to package substrate 714 with LED module 702 so that ribbon bonding or wire bonding can be performed in one location, for example, in a high-tech laboratory. As described above, additional circuitry may be provided on the interposer or substrate 714. Figure 7 In FIG. 7 , the temperature sensor 712 is disposed on the substrate 714 , although it may alternatively be disposed as part of the LED module 702 or entirely on another substrate.

[0042] In embodiments, substrate 714 may be a PCB-A, such as an FR4 board. As described above, different applications may utilize the PCB-A in addition to the substrate, or may utilize only the PCB-A. Regardless, the PCB-A or PCB-A assembly, including additional substrates and / or components, may include the components necessary to individually drive the LEDs on the interposer. As described above, this may be or include a controller (such as a microcontroller or multiple microcontrollers) that controls a driver to individually drive the LEDs. In some embodiments, the driver may also be included (in whole or in part) on the PCB-A, or may be included on a different substrate remote from the PCB-A. In embodiments, switches (e.g., CMOS) that may be used to address the LEDs may also be located on the PCB-A, although they may be located elsewhere. However, it may be desirable to limit routing on the interposer where feasible.

[0043] The size and spacing of the bonding pads 716 of the LED assembly 702 along the LED row or LED array can be comparable to the size and spacing of two adjacent bonding pads of the LED assembly 702 (the bonding pads are described in more detail above). Additionally, there can be one more bonding pad 716 in the LED assembly 702 than the number of LEDs 704 in the LED assembly 702. In other words, the number of bonding pads 716 can be equal to half the number of bonding pads plus one. The spacing of the bonding pads 710 of the substrate 714 can be comparable to the spacing of the bonding pads 716 of the LED module 702. However, in some embodiments, for example, the bonding pads 710 on the substrate 714 can be made smaller or larger than the bonding pads 714 of the LED module 702 to facilitate ribbon bonding.

[0044] The PCB-A in this and other embodiments may additionally include (not shown) connectors to connect the PCB-A to the vehicle wiring harness / ECU, current supply lines, and signal inputs to operate the microcontroller. As described, the temperature resistor 712 is provided at Figure 7 714 and is disposed on a copper pad (not labeled). Figure 7 Not shown, metallization 706 may include: copper traces and pads to accommodate additional electronic components (such as resistors, capacitors, coils, diodes and / or transistors) to form circuits that support the electrical drive functions of the microcontroller; one or more ESD protection devices (such as TVS diodes); and / or fuses to protect the electronic devices.

[0045] Figure 8 Flowchart 800 of an example method for manufacturing an LED lighting system. Figure 8 In the example shown in , the method includes mechanically coupling an LED to an interposer (802). As described in detail above, the LED may be Figure 1 The LEDs 102 can be closely spaced, such as less than 200 microns, less than 100 microns, or even less than 50 microns. Pads can be provided on the interposer with spacing to allow for such LED-to-LED spacing. The LEDs can be soldered to the pads on the interposer, for example, using SMD reflow soldering. The interposer can be formed from a ceramic having a CTE that closely matches the CTE of the LEDs.

[0046] The interposer (to which the LEDs are mechanically coupled) can be mechanically coupled to the substrate (804). As described above, it may be desirable for the interposer to be used with (i.e., mounted on or beneath) a variety of substrates having different CTEs, some of which may have a CTE that is significantly different from that of the ceramic interposer. Thus, in some embodiments, a special silicone glue or epoxy (as described in more detail above) can be used that is soft enough to manage any thermal mismatch between the ceramic interposer and the other substrate, and thin enough so that the high electrical resistance of the silicone or epoxy does not significantly inhibit heat dissipation. The glue can additionally or alternatively be filled with particles having good thermal properties (such as silver) to help dissipate heat through the glue.

[0047] The substrate on which the interposer is mounted can be combined with at least one other substrate (such as PCB-A) (806), which can house at least some of the electronics for the LED lighting system. As described above, it may be desirable to locate as many of the electronic components and other components of the LED lighting system as possible on a board (such as an FR4 board) that is less expensive than the interposer. In some embodiments, the substrate can be a PCB-A, which can include metal inlays or metal-filled or lined through-holes, which can help dissipate heat. Both the PCB-A and the interposer can include pads that can be used to make electrical connections between the two boards. In embodiments, top contact electrical conductors (such as wire bonds or ribbon bonds) can be used to electrically couple the bonding pads (808) on the two boards.

[0048] Figure 9 is a side view of another LED lighting system 900, which includes an LED module 901 (such as Figure 2a and Figure 2b ). Figure 9 In the example shown in FIG, LED module 901 includes LED 912 on ceramic interposer 914. As described above, LED 912 can be attached to ceramic interposer 914. LED 912 and ceramic interposer 914 can have the same properties as LED 102 and interposer 200 described above, and therefore, these details will not be repeated here.

[0049] As described above, the LED module 901 can be mechanically coupled to the copper substrate 902 via an adhesive 918, which can have properties similar to the specialized silicone glue or epoxy described above. As described above, the adhesive 918 can mitigate the CTE mismatch between the ceramic interposer 914 and the copper substrate 902 and has properties that reduce any adverse thermal effects of the silicone or epoxy. The copper substrate 902 can include reference holes 916 for later alignment and attachment of the LED lighting system 900 to a headlamp body (not shown).

[0050] The LED lighting system 900 may additionally include a PCB-A 906 (such as an FR4 board), which may be attached to the copper sheet substrate 902 via reference features 904. The PCB-A 906 may be attached to the copper sheet substrate 902 by, for example, inserting the reference features 904 through reference holes (not labeled) in the PCB-A 906. This may ensure proper alignment of the PCB-A 906 relative to the rest of the LED lighting system 900. A controller 908 may be provided on the PCB-A, which may be used to, among other things, individually address the LEDs 912 on the interposer 914.

[0051] As described above, the interposer 914 can provide electrical routing for the LEDs 912 (such as by including metallization on the top surface of the interposer 914). The interposer 914 can be electrically and communicatively coupled to the PCB-A 906 so that power and control signaling can be provided from the PCB-A 906 to the LEDs 912 on the interposer 914 via top contact electrical conductors 910 (such as ribbon bonds or wire bonds), as described above with reference to FIG. Figure 7 As stated.

[0052] Figure 10 FIG. 1 is a side view of another example LED lighting system 1000 including an LED module 1001 (such as a copper IMS) on a copper IMS 1002. Figure 2a and Figure 2b ). Similar to Figure 9 ,exist Figure 10 In the example shown in FIG, LED module 1001 includes LED 1012 on ceramic interposer 1014. As described above, LED 1012 can be attached to ceramic interposer 1014. LED 1012 and ceramic interposer 1001 can have the same properties as LED 102 and interposer 200 described above, and therefore, these details will not be repeated here.

[0053] As described above, the LED module 1001 can be mechanically coupled to the copper IMS 1002 via an adhesive 1018, which can have properties similar to the specialized silicone glue or epoxy described above. As described above, this adhesive 1018 can mitigate the CTE mismatch between the ceramic interposer 1014 and the copper IMS 1002 and has properties that reduce any adverse thermal effects of the silicone or epoxy. The copper IMS 1002 can include reference holes 1016 for later alignment and attachment of the LED lighting system 1000 to a headlamp body (not shown).

[0054] and Figure 9In contrast, the copper IMS 1002 may not have the reference features that the copper sheet substrate 1002 has. Instead, as shown, a thin circuit board 1006 may be provided on the copper IMS 1002. The circuit board 1006 may be or include, for example, a dielectric material (such as an epoxy-based material) with metal (e.g., copper) traces and solder mask on top. The dielectric under the interposer may be removed. However, similar to Figure 9 , a controller 1008 may be provided on the thin substrate 1006, which may be used to, among other things, individually address the LEDs 1012 on the interposer 1014, similar to Figure 9 The embodiment shown in .

[0055] As described above, the interposer 1014 can provide electrical wiring for the LEDs 1012 (such as by including metallization on the top surface of the interposer 1014). The interposer 1014 can be electrically and communicatively coupled to the thin substrate 1006 so that power and control signaling can be provided from the thin substrate 1006 to the LEDs 1012 on the interposer 1014 via top contact electrical conductors 1010 (such as ribbon bonds or wire bonds), as described above with reference to FIG. Figure 7 As stated.

[0056] Figure 11 FIG. 1 is a side view of another example LED lighting system 1100 including an LED module 1101 (such as an FR4 board with metal-filled through-holes 1104) on a PCB-A 1102 (such as an FR4 board with metal-filled through-holes 1104). Figure 2a and Figure 2b As with other embodiments, the LED lighting module 1101 may include LEDs 1114 on a ceramic substrate 1114, which may be similar to those described above with respect to Figure 1 In addition to the LED 102 described above, the LED lighting module 1101 can have similar properties to the LED lighting module described above. This embodiment can completely eliminate the substrate of the previous embodiment. To this end, a through hole 1104 can be formed in the PCB-A 1102 and filled or lined with a good thermally conductive metal (such as copper), and the LED module 1101 can be placed over the through hole 1104 to enable heat to be conducted directly from the LED module 1101 to a cooling element (not shown) below the PCB-A 1102. If the through hole 1104 is completely filled, this can also provide better mechanical support for the LED lighting module 1101. As with the above embodiment, the LED 1112 on the interposer 1214 can be electrically coupled to the PCB-A 1102 via a top electrical conductor (such as a ribbon bond or a wire bond), as described above with respect to Figure 7As in other embodiments, the controller 1108 may also be disposed on the PCB-A 1102. The PCB-A 1102 may include a reference hole 1016 for aligning and attaching the LED lighting system 1100 to a headlamp body (not shown) at a later point in time.

[0057] Figure 12 is a side view of another example LED lighting system 1200 that includes an LED module 1201 (such as an FR4 board) on a PCB-A 1204 (such as an FR4 board with a metal inlay 1202). Figure 2a and Figure 2b As with other embodiments, the LED lighting module 1101 may include LEDs 1114 on a ceramic substrate 1114, which may be similar to those described above with respect to Figure 1 The LED 102 described above, the LED lighting module 1101 can have similar properties to the LED lighting module described above. As can be seen, except that the metal block 1202 can be embedded in the PCB-A 1204, Figure 12 The embodiment shown in is similar to Figure 11 The embodiment shown in . Similar to Figure 11 The metal block 1202, which may be formed of a metal with good thermal conductivity such as copper, can allow the heat generated by the LED lighting device 1201 to be directly dissipated to a cooling element (not shown) below the PCB-A 1204 via the metal block 1202. As in the above embodiment, the LED 1212 of the LED lighting device 1200 can be electrically coupled to the PCB-A 1202 via the top electrical conductor 1210 (such as a ribbon bond or a wire bond), as described above with respect to Figure 7 As in other embodiments, the controller 1208 may also be disposed on the PCB-A 1202. The PCB-A 1202 may include a reference hole 1216 for aligning and attaching the LED lighting system 1200 to a headlamp body (not shown) at a later point in time.

[0058] Figure 13 FIG1 is a side view of another example LED lighting system 1300 including an LED module 1301 (such as a copper IMS 1302) embedded in a PCB-A 1304 (such as an FR4 board). Figure 2a and Figure 2b ). Figure 13In the example shown in FIG, LED module 1301 includes LED 1312 on ceramic interposer 1314. As described above, LED 1312 can be attached to ceramic interposer 1314. LED 1312 and ceramic interposer 1314 can have the same properties as LED 102 and interposer 200 described above, and therefore, these details will not be repeated here.

[0059] As described above, LED module 1301 can be mechanically coupled to copper IMS 1302 via adhesive 1322, which can have properties similar to the specialized silicone glue or epoxy described above. As described above, adhesive 1322 can mitigate the CTE mismatch between ceramic interposer 1314 and copper IMS 1302 and has properties that reduce any adverse thermal effects of the silicone or epoxy. Copper IMS 1302 can include reference holes 1316 for later alignment and attachment of LED lighting system 1300 to a headlamp body (not shown).

[0060] The copper IMS 1302 may be embedded in a PCB-A 1304, such as an FR4 board. Although not shown, in embodiments, the entire structure including the copper IMS 1302 and PCB-A 1304 may be placed on a cooling element, such as a heat sink (not shown) or some other common structure. Thus, no reference features are required to mechanically couple the copper IMS 1302 to the PCB-A 1304. A controller 1308 may be provided on the PCB-A 1304, which may be used to individually address the LEDs 1312 on the interposer 1314, possibly among other things. As described above, in some embodiments, additional system components may be provided on the copper IMS 1302 (or other substrate). Figure 13 In the example shown in FIG, a TVS diode 1324 is provided on the substrate, which can protect the electronic devices.

[0061] As described above, the interposer 1314 can provide electrical routing for the LEDs 1312 (such as by including metallization on the top surface of the interposer 1314). The interposer 1314 can be electrically and communicatively coupled to the PCB-A 1304 so that power and control signaling can be provided from the PCB-A 1304 to the LEDs 1312 on the interposer 1314. Figure 13In the embodiment shown in , this can be achieved by making top electrical connections between the ceramic interposer 1314 and the copper IMS 1302 and between the copper IMS 1302 and the PCB-A 1304. A surface mount technology (SMT) bridge 1320 can be used to make electrical connections between the copper IMS 1302 and the PCB-A 1304. Top contact electrical conductors 1310 (such as ribbon bonds or wire bonds) can be used to make electrical connections between the ceramic interposer 1314 and the copper IMS 1302. Figure 7 The top contact electrical conductor is described in detail.

[0062] Figure 14 FIG14 is a side view of another example LED lighting system 1400 including an LED module 1401 (such as a lead frame 1402) on a lead frame 1402 (which may be a lead frame covered with a material such as plastic 1424). Figure 2a and Figure 2b ). Figure 14 In the example shown in FIG, LED module 1401 includes LED 1412 on ceramic interposer 1414. As described above, LED 1412 can be attached to ceramic interposer 1414. LED 1412 and ceramic interposer 1414 can have the same properties as LED 102 and interposer 200 described above, and therefore, these details will not be repeated here.

[0063] exist Figure 14 In the example shown in FIG, lead frame 1402 includes conductive connectors 1420. To form LED lighting system 1400, interposer 1414 can be mechanically and thermally coupled to lead frame 1402 (such as by soldering interposer 1414 to lead frame 1402). Lead frame 1402 can then be electrically coupled to PCB-A 1404 (such as by soldering conductive connectors 1420 to pads (not shown) on PCB-A 1404).

[0064] Figure 15 FIG1 is a side view of another example LED lighting system 1500 including an LED module 1501 (such as a lead frame 1502) on a lead frame 1502 (which may be a lead frame covered with a material such as plastic 1524). Figure 2a and Figure 2b ). This embodiment is similar to Figure 14 In the embodiment shown in FIG, in addition to the configuration of the lead frame 1502, as can be Figure 15 As seen in. Figure 15In the example shown in FIG, LED module 1501 includes LED 1512 on ceramic interposer 1514. As described above, LED 1512 can be attached to ceramic interposer 1514. LED 1512 and ceramic interposer 1514 can have the same properties as LED 102 and interposer 200 described above, and therefore, these details will not be repeated here.

[0065] exist Figure 15 In the example shown in FIG, lead frame 1502 includes conductive connectors 1520. To form LED lighting system 1500, interposer 1514 can be mechanically and thermally coupled to lead frame 1502 (such as by soldering interposer 1514 to lead frame 1502). Lead frame 1502 can then be electrically coupled to PCB-A 1504 (such as by soldering conductive connectors 1520 to pads (not shown) on PCB-A 1504).

[0066] Figure 16 FIG1 is a side view of another example LED lighting system 1600 including an LED module (such as a 1602) on a single-part metal substrate 1602 having a raised platform 1650. Figure 2a and Figure 2b As in other embodiments, the LED lighting module 1601 may include an LED 1612 on a ceramic substrate 1614. The LED 1612 may be similar to the one described above with respect to FIG. Figure 1 102, LED lighting module 1601 can have similar properties to the LED lighting module described above. Single-part metal substrate 1602 with raised platform 1650 can be formed from a metal with good thermal conductivity (such as copper). This allows heat generated by LED lighting module 1601 to be directly dissipated to a cooling element (not shown) beneath single-part metal substrate 1602, as single-part metal substrate 1602 can be placed in direct contact with the cooling element or in contact with the cooling element via a thermally conductive material. PCB-A 1604 can be positioned above single-part substrate 1602, such that PCB-A 1604 can be positioned adjacent to raised platform 1650, or even surround raised platform 1650 on more than one side.

[0067] As with the above embodiments, the LED 1612 of the LED lighting device 1600 may be electrically coupled to the PCB-A 1602 via a top electrical conductor 1610 (such as a ribbon bond or a wire bond), as described above with reference to FIG. Figure 7As in other embodiments, the controller 1608 may also be disposed on the PCB-A 1602. The PCB-A 1602 may include a reference hole 1616 for aligning and attaching the LED lighting system 1600 to a headlamp body (not shown) at a later point in time.

[0068] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of an example vehicle headlamp system 1700 that may incorporate any of the LED modules and / or LED lighting systems described herein. Figure 17 The example vehicle headlamp system 1700 shown in FIG includes an application platform 1702, two LED lighting systems 1706 and 1708, and secondary optics 1710 and 1712. LED lighting systems 1710 and 1712 may be or include any embodiment of the LED lighting systems described herein.

[0069] LED lighting system 1708 can emit a light beam 1714 ( Figure 17 between arrows 1714a and 1714b). LED lighting system 1706 may emit a light beam 1716 ( Figure 17 shown between arrows 1716a and 1716b). Figure 17 In the embodiment shown in FIG, secondary optics 1710 is adjacent to LED illumination system 1708, and light emitted from LED illumination system 1708 passes through secondary optics 1710. Similarly, secondary optics 1712 is adjacent to LED illumination system 1706, and light emitted from LED illumination system 1706 passes through secondary optics 1712. In alternative embodiments, secondary optics 1710 / 1712 are not provided in the vehicle headlamp system.

[0070] Where included, secondary optics 1710 / 1712 may be or include one or more light guides. The one or more light guides may be edge-lit or may have an internal opening defining the inner edge of the light guide. LED illumination systems 1708 and 1706 may be inserted into the inner opening of the one or more light guides so that they inject light into the inner edge (inner opening light guides) or outer edge (edge-lit light guides) of the one or more light guides. In embodiments, the one or more light guides may shape the light emitted by LED illumination systems 1708 and 1706 in a desired manner, such as, for example, having a gradient, a beveled distribution, a narrow distribution, a wide distribution, or an angular distribution.

[0071] Application platform 1702 can provide power and / or data to LED lighting system 1706 and / or 1708 via line 1704. One or more sensors (which may be sensors in vehicle headlight system 1700 or other additional sensors) can be inside or outside the housing of application platform 1702. Alternatively or additionally, Figure 17 As shown in example vehicle headlamp system 1700 , each LED lighting system 1708 and 1706 may include its own sensor module, connection and control module, power module, and / or LED array.

[0072] In an embodiment, vehicle headlight system 1700 may represent a motor vehicle with a steerable light beam, wherein LEDs can be selectively activated to provide steerable light. For example, an array of LEDs or emitters can be used to define or project a shape or pattern, or illuminate only selected portions of a roadway. In an example embodiment, infrared cameras or detector pixels within LED lighting systems 1706 and 1708 may be sensors that identify portions of a scene requiring illumination.

[0073] As will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art, based on the description herein, embodiments of the present invention can be designed in software using a hardware description language (HDL), such as, for example, Verilog or VHDL. An HDL design can simulate the behavior of an electronic system, where the design can be synthesized and ultimately fabricated into a hardware device. Furthermore, an HDL design can be stored in a computer product and loaded into the computer system before the hardware is manufactured.

[0074] Having described the embodiments in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, given this description, modifications may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising: a ceramic interposer comprising a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a plurality of side surfaces; A plurality of phosphor-converted surface mount device (SMD) LEDs spaced less than 200 microns apart on a ceramic interposer, each of the plurality of phosphor-converted SMD LEDs comprising: a light emitting top surface, a bottom surface opposite to the light emitting top surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, and a reflective side coating on at least one of the plurality of side surfaces, the reflective side coating being adjacent to another one of the plurality of phosphor-converted SMD LEDs on the ceramic interposer; Printed circuit boards (PCBs); a controller on a top surface of the PCB configured to control the plurality of phosphor-converted SMD LEDs to be powered on and off individually or in groups when the LED lighting system is powered on; and A plurality of conductive connectors are electrically coupled between the top surface of the PCB and the top surface of the ceramic interposer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of LEDs has a 1.0 mm 2 or 0.5 mm 2 The surface area of ​​one. 3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic interposer is formed of at least one of aluminum nitride (AlN) or aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ).

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of phosphor-converted SMD LEDs are spaced one of: less than 100 microns or less than 50 microns apart on the ceramic interposer.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein: The system further includes a metal substrate, The ceramic substrate is adhered to the metal substrate via an adhesive, and The adhesive is a thermally conductive silicone-based glue or epoxy.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the substrate is formed of at least one of aluminum or copper.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein: The PCB further includes a metal inlay or one of a plurality of conductive vias, and A ceramic substrate is disposed on the PCB and is in thermal contact with the metal inlay or one of the plurality of conductive vias.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least a portion of a driver for the plurality of phosphor-converted SMD LEDs on a top surface of the PCB comprising at least one of a resistor, a capacitor, a coil, a diode, or a transistor.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising, on a top surface of the PCB, at least one of: at least one temperature sensor, At least one ESD protection device, or At least one fuse.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the PCB is one of Al-IMS, Cu-IMS, or FR4 PCB.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the PCB further comprises at least one of: an electrical connector configured for electrical coupling to receive power from an external source; a current supply line; copper traces and pads configured to accommodate electronic components; or a signal input line configured to transmit a control signal to manipulate the controller.

12. A method for manufacturing an LED lighting system, the method comprising: providing a plurality of phosphor-converted LEDs, each phosphor-converted LED comprising a light-emitting top surface, a bottom surface opposite the light-emitting top surface, a plurality of side surfaces, and a reflective side coating on at least one of the plurality of side surfaces; soldering a plurality of phosphor-converted LEDs to the top surface of the ceramic interposer at locations spaced less than 200 microns apart from one another, and wherein the reflective side coating faces adjacent phosphor-converted LEDs of the plurality of phosphor-converted LEDs; gluing the ceramic interposer to the first substrate; providing a controller on the second substrate, the controller being configured to control the plurality of phosphor-converted LEDs to be powered on and off individually or in groups when the LED lighting system is powered on; and A plurality of conductive connectors are electrically coupled between the top surface of the ceramic interposer and the top surface of the second substrate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein electrically coupling the plurality of conductive connectors comprises one of ribbon bonding or wire bonding. 14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein gluing the ceramic interposer to the first substrate compensates for a mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion between the ceramic interposer and the first substrate.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the gluing creates a bond line less than 100 microns thick to minimize the impact of thermal resistance on thermal performance of the LED lighting system.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the gluing creates a bond line less than 50 microns thick to minimize the impact of thermal resistance on thermal performance of the LED lighting system.

17. An LED module, comprising: Ceramic interposer; a plurality of first pads arranged in pairs on a top surface of the ceramic interposer; an LED soldered to each pair of the plurality of first solder pads such that each LED is spaced apart from an adjacent LED by a distance of less than 200 microns, the LED comprising: a light emitting top surface, a bottom surface opposite to the light emitting top surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, and A reflective side coating is provided on at least one of the plurality of side surfaces, the reflective side coating being adjacent to another one of the plurality of phosphor-converted SMD LEDs on the ceramic interposer.

18. The LED module of claim 17, wherein at least two of the LEDs are phosphor converted LEDs, including amber phosphor converters or red phosphor converters.

19. The LED module according to claim 17, further comprising a plurality of second solder pads on the top surface of the ceramic interposer, the plurality of second solder pads being configured to electrically couple the LEDs on the ceramic interposer to an external control board for individual control or group control of the LEDs.

20. The LED module of claim 19, wherein the ceramic interposer further comprises a copper trace on the top surface, the copper trace electrically coupling the first bond pad to the second bond pad.

21. The LED module of claim 17, further comprising an attachment area on a bottom surface of the ceramic interposer for adhering the LED module to a metal substrate.

Images