Light-emitting module manufacturing method, light-emitting module, and projector

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing method of a light emitting module capable of efficiently corresponding to various specifications, regarding the light to be output, or to provide a light emitting module which has a favorable form in which the number of light emitting elements to be mounted is adjusted.SOLUTION: A manufacturing method of a light emitting module includes the steps of: preparing a first light emitting device 20a and a second light emitting device 20b in which the numbers of light emitting elements to be mounted are different by one, in a light emitting device 20 in which a plurality of light emitting elements are mounted; preparing a first mounting substrate 10a having a mounting surface on which a plurality of same connection patterns, which are connection patterns corresponding to one light emitting device 20, are provided; and mounting the plurality of light emitting devices 20 selected out of the first light emitting devices 20a and the second light emitting devices 20b, with respect to the plurality of connection patterns provided on the mounting surface of the first mounting substrate 10a. A light emitting module 100 can be manufactured in which light emitting elements of an arbitrary number selected at least from the consecutive three numbers are mounted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a light-emitting module, a light-emitting module, and a projector. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, light-emitting modules have been developed in which light-emitting devices, each having a plurality of light-emitting elements mounted in a single package, are mounted on a single mounting substrate. Patent Document 1 discloses an optical unit having a plurality of semiconductor devices, each having four semiconductor elements mounted in a single package, mounted on a unit substrate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-227422 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The light output required for a light-emitting module varies depending on the application and size of the product in which it is installed. Therefore, adjusting the number of light-emitting elements installed in the product is considered as a method for flexibly responding to the required light output. However, there is room for improvement in efficiently responding to various required specifications for light output.

[0005] Therefore, an object of an embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a method for manufacturing a light-emitting module that can efficiently accommodate various specifications regarding output light.

[0006] Alternatively, an object of an embodiment according to the present disclosure is to provide a light-emitting module of a suitable form in which the number of light-emitting elements mounted thereon is adjusted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An optical emitting module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a first optical emitting device including a plurality of first semiconductor laser elements and a first package in which the plurality of first semiconductor laser elements are mounted and aligned in one direction; a second optical emitting device including a plurality of second semiconductor laser elements and a second package in which the plurality of second semiconductor laser elements are mounted and aligned in one direction; and a mounting substrate having a mounting surface on which a first connection pattern on which the first optical emitting device is mounted and a second connection pattern on which the second optical emitting device is mounted, wherein the number of the plurality of second semiconductor laser elements mounted on the second optical emitting device is one more than the number of the first semiconductor laser elements mounted on the first optical emitting device, and the first package and the second package have the same outer shape. A manufacturing method of a light-emitting module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a manufacturing method of a light-emitting module in which one or more light-emitting devices, each having a plurality of light-emitting elements mounted thereon, includes the steps of: preparing a first light-emitting device and a second light-emitting device, the light-emitting devices having one or more light-emitting elements mounted thereon that differ from each other by one; preparing a first mounting substrate having a mounting surface on which a plurality of identical connection patterns are provided, the connection patterns corresponding to one of the light-emitting devices, and mounting a plurality of the light-emitting devices selected from the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device to the plurality of connection patterns provided on the mounting surface of the first mounting substrate, and is capable of manufacturing a light-emitting module having any number of light-emitting elements selected from at least three consecutive numbers mounted thereon.

[0008] A light-emitting module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first light-emitting device that is a light-emitting device having a plurality of light-emitting elements mounted thereon, a second light-emitting device that is a light-emitting device having one more light-emitting element mounted thereon than the first light-emitting device, and a first mounting substrate having a mounting surface on which a plurality of identical connection patterns are provided, the connection patterns corresponding to one of the light-emitting devices, and one or more of the first light-emitting devices and one or more of the second light-emitting devices are connected to the plurality of connection patterns provided on the mounting surface of the first mounting substrate.

[0009] A projector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the light-emitting module described above, a sealing member provided on a mounting substrate of the light-emitting module, a sealing member joined to the mounting substrate via the sealing member to form a sealed space, a light-emitting device mounted on the mounting substrate within the formed sealed space, and an optical unit provided within the formed sealed space. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the manufacturing method of the light emitting module of the embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to efficiently respond to various specifications. Furthermore, according to the light emitting module of the embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a suitable form in which the number of mounted light emitting elements is adjusted. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1A] 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a light-emitting module according to a first embodiment. [Figure 1B] 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a light-emitting module according to a first embodiment. [Figure 1C] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a mounting substrate according to the first embodiment. [Figure 1D] 1D is a plan view showing a state in which the mounting substrate of FIG. 1C is separated into two first mounting substrates. FIG. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of the first light emitting device. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the internal configuration of the package of the first light emitting device. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a second light emitting device. [Figure 3B] 10 is a plan view schematically showing the internal configuration of the package of the second light emitting device. FIG. [Figure 3C] FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIC-IIIC in FIG. 3B. [Figure 3D] 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration of the bottom surface of the second light emitting device. FIG. [Figure 4]4 is a flowchart showing the steps of a method for manufacturing the light-emitting module according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5A] FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a light-emitting module according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5B] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a light-emitting module according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5C] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a mounting board according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5D] 5D is a plan view showing a state in which the mounting board of FIG. 5C is separated into a first mounting board and a second mounting board. FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing the steps of a method for manufacturing a light-emitting module according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7A] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a light-emitting module according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7B] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a light-emitting module according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7C] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a light-emitting module according to a third embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a light-emitting module according to an embodiment. [Figure 9A] FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a light-emitting module according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 9B] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a light-emitting module according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 9C] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating a first mounting substrate according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 9D] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a schematic view for explaining a light emitting device and a thermistor mounted on a second mounting substrate according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 9E] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating a second mounting substrate according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 10A] 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of mounting a light-emitting module according to an embodiment when the light-emitting module is applied to a projector. [Figure 10B] 1 is a perspective cross-sectional view illustrating a sealing structure of a light-emitting module according to an embodiment. [Figure 11A] 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of mounting a light-emitting module according to an embodiment when the light-emitting module is applied to a projector. [Figure 11B] 11B is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of the projector according to the embodiment of FIG. 11A. FIG. [Figure 11C] 11B is a side view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of the projector according to the embodiment of FIG. 11A. FIG. [Figure 12A] 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of mounting a light-emitting module according to an embodiment when the light-emitting module is applied to a projector. [Figure 12B] 12B is a side view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of the projector according to the embodiment of FIG. 12A. FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is a perspective cross-sectional view illustrating another sealing structure of the light emitting module according to the embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments shown below are illustrative of a light-emitting module and a method for manufacturing the light-emitting module for embodying the technical concept of the present embodiment, and are not limited thereto. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, etc. of the components described in the embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Note that the size and positional relationships of components shown in each drawing may be exaggerated for clarity. Furthermore, components in each embodiment that use the same reference numerals as those in other embodiments represent the same or corresponding components, and their description may be omitted.

[0013] First Embodiment FIG. 1A is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a light-emitting module according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1B is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a light-emitting module according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1C is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a mounting board according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1D is a plan view illustrating a state in which the mounting board of FIG. 1C is separated into two first mounting boards. FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a first light-emitting device. FIG. 2B is a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration inside a package of the first light-emitting device. FIG. 3A is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a second light-emitting device. FIG. 3B is a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration inside a package of the second light-emitting device. FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIC-IIIC in FIG. 3B. FIG. 3D is a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration of the bottom surface of the second light-emitting device.

[0014] <Light-emitting module> The light-emitting module 100 is mounted with either a first light-emitting device 20a having three light-emitting elements 22 mounted thereon, or a second light-emitting device 20b having one more light-emitting element 22 than the first light-emitting device 20a, i.e., four light-emitting elements 22 mounted thereon. The light-emitting module 100 also includes a first mounting substrate 10a having two connection patterns 15 provided on its mounting surface, each corresponding to one of the first light-emitting device 20a and the second light-emitting device 20b. A desired light-emitting device 20 selected from the first light-emitting device 20a and the second light-emitting device 20b is connected to the two connection patterns 15 provided on the mounting surface of the first mounting substrate 10a. Specifically, the light-emitting device 20 is connected in any combination of two first light-emitting devices 20a, two second light-emitting devices 20b, or one first light-emitting device 20a and one second light-emitting device 20b. Also, a mounting board 10 using one first mounting board 10a or a mounting board 10 using two first mounting boards 10a arranged side by side is formed.

[0015] When two side-by-side mounting substrates 10 are formed, one of the two, the first mounting substrate 10a, may have only one light emitting device selected from the first light emitting device 20a and the second light emitting device 20b and connected thereto, or may have two light emitting devices selected and connected thereto. Alternatively, the mounting substrate 10 may be formed using a single first mounting substrate 10a, and a light emitting module 100 may be realized in which only one light emitting device selected from the first light emitting device 20a and the second light emitting device 20b is connected to the single first mounting substrate 10a. In the example of Figure 1, a mounting board 10 is formed in which two first mounting boards 10a are arranged side by side, and each of the first mounting boards 10a has two connection patterns 15 each having a light-emitting module 100 in which one first light-emitting device 20a and one second light-emitting device 20b are joined together. Each component of the light-emitting module 100 will be described below.

[0016] The light emitting module 100 includes a mounting substrate 10 and a light emitting device 20 . [Mounting board] The mounting board 10 is composed of one first mounting board 10a or two first mounting boards 10a each having the same configuration. In the example of Fig. 1C, the mounting board 10 is composed of two first mounting boards 10a arranged side by side. The first mounting substrate 10a has a bottom surface, a top surface, and side surfaces, and on the top surface is formed a connection pattern 15 consisting of a metal portion 11 and a first metal film 12, a second metal film 13, and an insulating film 14. The first mounting substrate 10a has a mounting surface on its upper surface where two identical connection patterns 15 are provided. One light emitting device 20 is mounted on each connection pattern 15, and thus the first mounting substrate 10a is formed so that two light emitting devices 20 can be mounted. The first mounting substrate 10a employs the same connection pattern 15 to provide two connection patterns, thereby facilitating the formation of the connection patterns on the first mounting substrate 10a. Note that there may be more than two connection patterns 15; for example, three connection patterns 15 may be provided in a row. A plurality of connection patterns 15 are provided on one first mounting substrate 10a. The connection pattern 15 is composed of a metal portion 11 exposed from the insulating film 14 and a first metal film 12 formed on the insulating film 14, and the metal portion 11 and the first metal film 12 form the mounting surface for the light emitting device. Note that the metal portion 11 may be configured so that a metal film is formed on the upper surface thereof. For example, similar to the first metal film 12, the metal portion 11 may be provided by forming a metal film on the insulating film 14.

[0017] The metal portion 11 is a portion on which the light emitting device 20 is placed, and is formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view, with two metal portions 11 formed side by side in the horizontal direction. The metal portion 11 is formed on the upper surface of the first mounting substrate 10a without the insulating film 14 provided thereon, with the substrate being exposed as is. Note that the metal portion 11 may be formed of multiple metal layers. For example, the metal portion 11 may be formed of multiple metal layers by providing a metal layer in the region of the substrate where the metal portion 11 is located to make it flush with the insulating film 14 or the first metal film 12 provided on the upper surface of the substrate. The insulating film is provided on the upper surface of the first mounting substrate 10a excluding the metal portion 11. The first metal film 12 and the second metal film 13 are provided on the insulating film .

[0018] For each metal portion 11, the first metal films 12 are formed in pairs, three above the metal portion 11 and three below. A second metal film 13 is provided on one of the first metal films 12 provided above and below. No second metal film 13 is provided on the other first metal film 12. The second metal film 13 and the first metal film 12 provided on the second metal film 13 side are connected to form a single metal film provided on an insulating film 14, and the insulating film 14 is provided on top of that to separate the first metal film 12 and the second metal film 13. In other words, the first metal film 12 and the second metal film 13 are connected and electrically connected, although they cannot be seen from the surface. The three first metal films 12 on the side where the second metal film 13 is not provided are connected between the two connection patterns 15. In other words, similarly, a single connected metal film is provided on the insulating film 14, and the insulating film 14 is provided from above so that there are three first metal films 12 in each connection pattern 15. Therefore, the two connection patterns 15 are connected and electrically connected by the first metal films 12 on the side where the second metal film 13 is not provided. The metal portion 11 is not connected to the first metal film 12. The first metal films 12, which are provided in pairs above and below the metal part 11, are joined to the metal film 37 provided on the underside of the light emitting device 20, thereby electrically connecting one to the other. Furthermore, by mounting the light emitting device 20 on the two connection patterns 15, electrical conduction can be established from one second metal film 13 to the other second metal film 13, passing through the two light emitting devices 20.

[0019] In this way, the first mounting substrate 10a and the light emitting device 20 can be electrically connected. Furthermore, since the first metal film 12 is provided in three separate regions on the first mounting substrate 10a, self-alignment can be effectively utilized when mounting the light emitting device 20. When only one light emitting device 20 is mounted, electrical connection can be achieved from the first metal film 12 on the side of the connection pattern 15 to which the light emitting device is not joined, on which the second metal film 13 is not provided. Furthermore, since the second metal film 13 is provided on only one side, the mounting orientation can be identified from the position of the second metal film. The two first mounting substrates 10a in the mounting substrate 10 are arranged side by side so that the side opposite the side on which the second metal film 13 is formed faces each other. The first mounting substrate 10a has through holes formed therein that penetrate through the substrate thickness direction, at positions on the left and right when the direction in which the first metal film 12 is provided across the metal portion 11 is considered as up and down, outside the area where the two connection patterns 15 are arranged side by side. These through holes are provided for fastening positioning pins and fixing screws.

[0020] [Light-emitting device] The light emitting device 20 includes a first light emitting device 20a and a second light emitting device 20b. Each of the first light emitting device 20a and the second light emitting device 20b includes a package 21, a semiconductor laser element 22, a submount 23, a light reflecting member 24, a protective element 25, wires 26, a cover member 27, an adhesive portion 28, and a lens member 29.

[0021] The first light-emitting device 20a and the second light-emitting device 20b have the same external shape but differ in the number of semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted inside the external shape. That is, in this embodiment, a package 21 capable of mounting four semiconductor laser elements 22 is used for both the first light-emitting device 20a and the second light-emitting device 20b. Therefore, the same package 21 is used to manufacture the first light-emitting device 20a, which mounts three semiconductor laser elements 22 as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, and the second light-emitting device 20b, which mounts four semiconductor laser elements 22 as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. By using the same package, the first light-emitting device 20a and the second light-emitting device 20b have the same external shape. Therefore, when bonding the first light-emitting device 20a and the second light-emitting device 20b to a mounting substrate, it is not necessary to consider the different sizes of the light-emitting devices mounted on the mounting substrate. This allows multiple connection patterns to be prepared with a unified layout, as with the first mounting substrate 10a. 3C and 3D show a cross section of the second light emitting device and the bottom surface (rear surface) of the second light emitting device, respectively, but the same is true for the first light emitting device. The number of semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the first light emitting device 20a is not limited to three. For example, it may be two, or four or more. Alternatively, it may be one. The number of semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the second light emitting device 20b is one more than the number of semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the first light emitting device 20a. It is also possible to increase the number by two.

[0022] The three semiconductor laser elements 22 of the first light emitting device 20a are arranged in the same positions as three of the four semiconductor laser elements 22 of the second light emitting device 20b. This allows the mounting positions of the semiconductor laser elements 22 in the package 21 to be the same for both the first light emitting device 20a and the second light emitting device 20b. The arrangement of the four semiconductor laser elements 22 to be removed can be determined arbitrarily. For example, the three semiconductor laser elements 22 of the first light-emitting device 20a can be arranged side by side, biased toward one side of the package 21. That is, the arrangement is such that one of the four semiconductor laser elements 22 arranged in the second light-emitting device 20b is removed from the end of the package 21. This arrangement can limit the light from the first light-emitting device 20a to a small area. Furthermore, for example, the three semiconductor laser elements 22 of the first light-emitting device 20a can be arranged such that one of the four semiconductor laser elements 22 arranged in the second light-emitting device 20b is removed from the other end of the package 21. This arrangement can reduce the difference in the length of the light-emitting region from end to end between the first light-emitting device 20a and the second light-emitting device 20b. However, the arrangement is not limited to this. For example, three semiconductor laser elements 22 may be evenly arranged in the area where four semiconductor laser elements 22 are arranged.

[0023] The package 21 is formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view, and has a recess 30 that is also rectangular in a plan view. Note that the term "rectangle" here includes a shape that is roughly rectangular, such as a shape with corners or parts of the side surfaces cut out like the package 21, or a shape with curved corners like the recess 30. In addition, the package 21 has a step portion 33 formed on part of the inner surface 32 of the recess 30. Specifically, the step portion 33 is provided on two of the four inner surfaces 32 of the recess 30 that are facing each other in the shorter direction. The package 21 can be formed primarily from ceramic. However, the package 21 is not limited to ceramic and may be formed from metal. For example, ceramics such as aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, and silicon carbide can be used as the primary ceramic material for the package 21. Metals such as copper, aluminum, iron, and composites such as copper molybdenum, copper-diamond composite material, and copper tungsten can be used as the primary metal material for the package 21.

[0024] Metal films are provided on the lower surface 34 of the package 21 and on the upper surface of the stepped portion 33. The metal films on the lower surface 34 of the package 21 include metal films 37 provided in pairs at both ends of the package 21 and a metal film 38 provided in the center of the lower surface 34 of the package 21 between the metal films 37 at both ends. Each of the metal films 37 is provided in three approximately rectangular locations along each of two opposing sides, spaced apart from one another. The metal films 37 are formed facing each other so as to be connectable to the first metal film 12 of the first mounting substrate 10a. The metal film 38 provided in the center of the lower surface 34 of the package 21 has a larger area than any of the metal films 37. The metal film 38 is formed facing each other so as to be connectable to the metal portion 11 of the first mounting substrate 10a. In the package 21, the metal film on the upper surface of the stepped portion 33 and the metal film 37 on the lower surface 34 are electrically connected by metal wiring running through the package 21.

[0025] The package 21 may be formed by joining the frame 35 and the bottom 36, which form the frame of the recess 30, made of different main materials. For example, the package 21 may be formed by joining the plate-shaped bottom 36, which is made mainly of metal and has a predetermined thickness, to the frame 35, which is made mainly of ceramic and has a frame of a predetermined height. In this case, instead of providing the metal film 38, the lower surface of the bottom 36 can be connected to the metal part 11 of the first mounting substrate 10a.

[0026] The semiconductor laser element 22 and the protective element 25 are electrically connected to the connection wiring, which is a metal film provided on the upper surface of the step portion 33. Wires 26 are bonded to provide this electrical continuity. FIGS. 2B and 3B show examples of bonding of the wires 26 when the semiconductor laser elements 22 are connected in series. However, the connection method is not limited to this. A plurality of semiconductor laser elements 22 may also be connected in parallel. As a result, the semiconductor laser element 22 and the protective element 25 are electrically connected via the metal film 37 provided on the lower surface 34 of the package 21.

[0027] The two opposing inner surfaces 32 of the package 21 in the longitudinal direction do not have a step portion 33. By not providing the step portion 33 around the entire periphery of the inner surfaces 32, the size of the package 21 can be reduced. The step portion 33 may be provided on the inner surface 32 farther from the light reflecting member 24. By expanding the area in which the step portion 33 is provided, a larger wiring area can be secured. On the other hand, the step portion 33 does not need to be provided on the inner surface 32 closer to the light reflecting member 24. Even if the step portion 33 is provided in this area, the semiconductor laser element 22 must be joined to the wiring area so that the wire 26 does not interfere with the optical path, making it difficult to provide a wiring area for the semiconductor laser element 22. Furthermore, by not providing the step portion 33 on the inner surface 32, the light reflecting member 24 can be disposed closer to the outer surface of the package 21. As will be described in detail later, when two light emitting devices 20 are mounted on the mounting substrate 10, the distance between the lights emitted from the two light emitting devices 20 can be reduced. Note that, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 3B , the inner surface 32 closer to the light reflecting member 24 can also be said to be the inner surface ahead in the direction in which the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element travels.

[0028] In such a light emitting device 20, a pair of metal films 37 provided on the lower surface 34 are bonded to the first metal film 12 of the first mounting substrate 10a. Furthermore, a metal film 38 provided between the pair of metal films 37 is bonded to the metal portion 11 of the first mounting substrate 10a. The light emitting device 20 and the first mounting substrate 10a can be bonded by soldering. In bonding the metal films 37 and 38 on the lower surface 34 of the light emitting device 20 to the first metal film 12 and metal portion 11 of the first mounting substrate 10a, self-alignment is utilized when fixing the light emitting device 20 to the first mounting substrate 10a.

[0029] The semiconductor laser element 22 has a bottom surface, a top surface, and side surfaces, and emits laser light from one of the side surfaces. The laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element 22 has a divergence, and forms an elliptical far-field pattern (hereinafter referred to as "FFP") in a plane parallel to the light emission end surface.

[0030] The semiconductor laser elements 22 are mounted on the bottom surface 31 (top bottom surface) of the recess 30 of the package 21 via submounts 23. A separate submount 23 is provided for each semiconductor laser element 22. Note that the light emitting device 20 may have a plurality of semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the upper surface of one submount 23. Alternatively, the light emitting device 20 may have the semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted directly on the bottom surface 31 of the recess 30 of the package 21 without the submount 23. 2B and 3B, the semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the light emitting device 20 are aligned in one direction. Specifically, they are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the package 21. The orientation of the emitting end faces of the mounted semiconductor laser elements 22 is aligned so that they emit laser light in the same direction. The positions of the emitting end faces of the mounted semiconductor laser elements 22 are designed so that they are arranged on the same plane. However, they do not necessarily have to be aligned on the same plane. The plurality of semiconductor laser elements 22 arranged in one direction are electrically connected in series using wires 26. Laser light is emitted from the light-emitting end faces of the plurality of semiconductor laser elements 22 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the plurality of semiconductor laser elements 22 are arranged.

[0031] The semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the first light emitting device 20a and the second light emitting device 20b are all semiconductor laser elements that emit blue light. However, they may also be semiconductor laser elements that emit light other than blue, such as red or green light. The color of light emitted by the semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the first light emitting device 20a may be different from the color of light emitted by the semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the second light emitting device 20b. For example, the first light emitting device 20a may be mounted with a semiconductor laser element 22 that emits blue light, and the second light emitting device 20b may be mounted with a semiconductor laser element 22 that emits red light. Two first light emitting devices 20a or two second light emitting devices 20b may be mounted on the first mounting substrate 10a by bonding them to two connection patterns 15. In this case, the two mounted light emitting devices 20 may be configured to have semiconductor laser elements 22 that emit different colors.

[0032] Here, blue light refers to light whose peak emission wavelength is in the range of 420 nm to 494 nm, red light refers to light whose peak emission wavelength is in the range of 605 nm to 750 nm, and green light refers to light whose peak emission wavelength is in the range of 495 nm to 570 nm. The semiconductor laser element 22 is an example of a light emitting element that can be mounted in the light emitting module according to the present invention. The light emitting element is not limited to the semiconductor laser element 22.

[0033] The submount 23 is bonded at its bottom surface to the bottom surface 31 of the recess 30 of the package 21, and at its top surface to the semiconductor laser element 22. The semiconductor laser element 22 is mounted on the submount 23 so that the light-emitting end surface of the semiconductor laser element 22 is flush with or protrudes from the side surface of the submount 23. This prevents light emitted from the semiconductor laser element 22 from irradiating the top surface of the submount 23. The submount 23 can be made of, for example, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, or silicon carbide. A metal film is provided on the top surface of the submount 23.

[0034] The light reflecting member 24 is a member that reflects light from the semiconductor laser elements 22. The light reflecting member 24 is placed on the bottom surface of the recess 30 of the package 21. The light reflecting members 24 are arranged separately corresponding to the respective semiconductor laser elements 22. Furthermore, in three or four semiconductor laser elements 22, the distance between the light emitting end surface of each semiconductor laser element 22 and the corresponding light reflecting member 24 is designed to be the same. Note that the distance may be determined depending on the semiconductor laser element 22, or the distance may be different among the multiple semiconductor laser elements 22. Furthermore, the light emitting device 20 may have one light reflecting member 24 arranged corresponding to the multiple semiconductor laser elements 22.

[0035] The light reflecting member 24 has a lower surface, an upper surface, side surfaces, and inclined surfaces, and the inclined surfaces serve as light reflecting surfaces. The light reflecting surfaces are flat and inclined from the upper surface to the lower surface. The light reflecting surfaces are designed to form a 45-degree angle with the lower surface. However, this angle does not have to be limited to 45 degrees, and the light reflecting surfaces may be curved rather than flat.

[0036] The light-reflecting member 24 can be formed by forming its outer shape using a primary material and then forming a light-reflecting film on the surface of the formed outer shape where a light-reflecting surface is desired. The primary material is preferably a heat-resistant material, such as glass, such as quartz or BK7 (borosilicate glass), metal, such as aluminum, or silicon. The light-reflecting film is preferably a material with high light reflectivity, such as metal, such as Ag or Al, or a dielectric multilayer film, such as Ta2O5 / SiO2, TiO2 / SiO2, or Nb2O5 / SiO2. Note that if the outer shape of the light-reflecting member 24 is formed using a primary material, such as a metal, with high light reflectivity, the formation of the light-reflecting film may be omitted.

[0037] A major portion of the light emitted from the semiconductor laser element 22 is irradiated onto the light reflecting surface of the corresponding light reflecting member 24. By passing the light emitted from the semiconductor laser element 22 through the light reflecting member 24, the optical path length of the light before it enters the lens can be made longer compared to when the light reflecting member 24 is not interposed. This longer optical path length can reduce the influence of misalignment in the mounting of the light reflecting member 24 and the semiconductor laser element 22. Note that the light emitting device 20 may not have the light reflecting member 24, and the light emitting end surface of the semiconductor laser element 22 may be directed upward.

[0038] The protective element 25 is placed on the upper surface of the submount 23. The protective element 25 is, for example, a Zener diode. The wire 26 is a metal wiring. Examples of materials for the wire 26 include metals such as Au, Ag, Cu, Pt, and Al, and alloys thereof. Note that the light emitting device 20 may not include the protective element 25.

[0039] The lid member 27 is a member that covers the semiconductor laser element 22 and the light reflecting member 24. The lid member 27 is translucent as a whole, but may have a non-translucent region in part. The lid member 27 can be formed using sapphire as the main material. A metal film is also provided in part of the lid member 27. Note that, other than sapphire, for example, glass or the like can also be used as the main material. The lower surface of the lid member 27 is bonded to the upper surface (upper surface of the frame portion) of the package 21. A metal film is provided in the bonded area of ​​the lid member 27 and the package 21, and the lid member 27 and the package 21 are fixed together via Au-Sn or the like. In the light emitting device 20, a closed space is formed by bonding the package 21 and the lid member 27. This closed space is a hermetically sealed space. By hermetically sealing the light emitting device 20 in this manner, it is possible to prevent organic matter and the like from collecting on the light emitting end surface of the semiconductor laser element 22.

[0040] The adhesive portion 28 is formed on the upper surface of the lid member 27 in a region where the lid member 27 and the lens member 29 are bonded together. For example, an ultraviolet-curable resin can be used as the adhesive portion 28. The adhesive portion 28 is formed so that the lid member 27 and the lens member 29 do not come into contact with each other. The adhesive portion 28 is provided with a thickness to adjust the position and height, and then the lens member 29 is bonded to the lid member 27. The adhesive portion 28 is formed, for example, at a position opposite the outer edge of the lens member 29 so as not to be located in the optical path of the light emitted from the semiconductor laser element 22. Note that although FIGS. 2A and 3A show an example of the shape of the adhesive portion 28 after curing, a soft adhesive can be used for the adhesive portion 28 when it is applied.

[0041] The lens member 29 is provided facing the upper surface of the cover member 27. The lens member 29 is integrally formed with a lens portion 51 having a lens shape and a rectangular support plate portion 52 that supports the lens portion 51. Each lens portion 51 is provided in the lens member 29 at a position facing the optical axis of the semiconductor laser element 22. The arrangement and shape of each lens portion 51 are designed so that light emitted from the corresponding semiconductor laser element 22 and reflected by the light reflecting member 24 passes through the lens portion 51 and is collimated. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 3A, the same lens member 29 is used in both the first light-emitting device 20a and the second light-emitting device 20b, which differ in the number of semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted thereon. In other words, the same lens member 29 as that of the second light-emitting device 20b is also used for the lens member 29 of the first light-emitting device 20a. In this way, even if the first light emitting device 20a is configured in a manner that excludes any of the four semiconductor laser elements 22 in the second light emitting device 20b, it is possible to unify the lens member 29. Furthermore, the first light emitting device 20a and the second light emitting device 20b can use the same lens member 29 design.

[0042] The lens member 29 employed in the first light emitting device 20a may have the number and arrangement of lens portions 51 corresponding to the number and arrangement of the semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the package 21. By matching the number of lens portions 51 to the number of semiconductor laser elements 22, the lens member 29 can be made lighter than the lens member 29 of the second light emitting device 20b, which is matched to the number of semiconductor laser elements 22. The lens member 29 can be made of glass such as BK7 or B270.

[0043] 1A, two first mounting substrates 10a are arranged side by side to form a mounting substrate 10, and two light emitting devices 20 are mounted on each of them, thereby realizing a light emitting module 100 on which four light emitting devices 20 are mounted in a two-row, two-column arrangement. In addition, in the light emitting module 100 of FIG. 1A, the two light emitting devices 20 in the one-row, two-column arrangement structure are mounted in orientations that differ by 180 degrees from each other on the mounting surface. Specifically, in the light emitting module 100, one first light emitting device 20a and one second light emitting device 20b are mounted side by side on each first mounting substrate 10a, and the light reflecting members 24 are mounted side by side. In other words, with respect to the two light emitting devices 20 mounted on one first mounting substrate 10a, the condition is met that the distance to the light reflecting member 24 arranged on one light emitting device 20 is shorter than the distance to the light reflecting member 24 arranged on the other light emitting device 20 and the semiconductor laser element 22, and this condition is also met when one light emitting device 20 and the other light emitting device 20 are swapped. Furthermore, the first light emitting devices 20a and the second light emitting devices 20b are mounted so that the first light emitting devices 20a and the second light emitting devices 20b are positioned diagonally opposite each other in the light emitting module 100. In this way, the four light emitting devices are mounted adjacent to each other in the matrix direction on the mounting substrate 10, and the light reflective members 24 are mounted adjacent to each other in the row direction.

[0044] By arranging two light emitting devices 20 on one first mounting substrate 10a in this manner, it is possible to bring the light emitted from the two light emitting devices 20 closer to each other. In addition, the distance between the semiconductor laser elements 22 of the two light emitting devices 20 can be increased, improving heat dissipation. Furthermore, by arranging the two first mounting substrates 10a in this manner, it is possible to concentrate light toward the center of the mounting substrate 10. In the optical unit disclosed in Patent Document 1, which includes multiple semiconductor devices each having four semiconductor elements mounted in a package, the light emitted from the semiconductor elements passes directly through the semiconductor devices and exits, so there was no need to consider how to best mount the two light emitting devices 20, as in the light emitting module 100, based on the relative positions of the semiconductor laser elements and the light reflecting member mounted in the package. On the other hand, the light emitting device 20 of the light emitting module 100 has a package in which a plurality of semiconductor laser elements 22 and a light reflecting member 24 are mounted. In this case, by mounting the two light emitting devices 20 in a suitable form on the mounting substrate 10, the light emitting module 100 that achieves the above-mentioned effects is realized. Furthermore, when manufacturing a light emitting module 100 in which two first light emitting devices 20a and two second light emitting devices 20b, each having three semiconductor laser elements 22 arranged in the same manner, are mounted, the first light emitting devices 20a can be arranged diagonally to each other, so that the semiconductor laser elements 22 in the two first light emitting devices 20a are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the mounting substrate 10. Although the light emitting devices 20 are mounted here so that the light reflecting members 24 are adjacent to each other in the row direction on the paper, the light emitting devices 20 may also be mounted so that the light reflecting members 24 are adjacent to each other in the column direction on the paper. Furthermore, the light emitting devices 20 may be arranged so that the first light emitting devices 20a and the second light emitting devices 20b are adjacent to each other in the row direction, or so that the first light emitting devices 20a and the second light emitting devices 20b are adjacent to each other in the column direction.

[0045] <Method for manufacturing light-emitting module> Next, an example of a method for manufacturing the light emitting module 100 according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the steps of the method for manufacturing the light emitting module according to the first embodiment. The manufacturing method of the light emitting module according to the first embodiment is the manufacture of a light emitting module 100 that mounts one or more light emitting devices, each of which has a plurality of light emitting elements mounted thereon. The manufacturing method of the light emitting module 100 includes a step S101 of preparing a light emitting device, a step S102 of preparing a first mounting substrate, and a step S103 of mounting the light emitting device, which are performed in this order. Furthermore, the light emitting module 100 manufactured by this manufacturing method can be a light emitting module 100 that mounts any number of light emitting elements 22 selected from at least three consecutive numbers.

[0046] Below, we will explain each step of the manufacturing method for the light emitting module 100. Note that the material, arrangement, etc. of each member are the same as those described in the description of the light emitting module 100 above, so we will omit the description here as appropriate.

[0047] [Step of preparing a light-emitting device] Step S101 of preparing a light emitting device is a step of preparing, as light emitting devices, a first light emitting device and a second light emitting device which are different from each other in the number of semiconductor laser elements mounted thereon by one. In this step S101, a plurality of first light emitting devices 20a each having three semiconductor laser elements 22 and a plurality of second light emitting devices 20b each having four semiconductor laser elements 22 are prepared.

[0048] [Preparing the first mounting board] Step S102 of preparing a first mounting substrate is a step of preparing a first mounting substrate having a mounting surface on which a plurality of identical connection patterns are provided, the connection patterns 15 corresponding to one light emitting device. In this step S102, one or more first mounting substrates 10a are prepared, each having a mounting surface on which two connection patterns 15 corresponding to one light emitting device 20 are provided, and which can accommodate both the first light emitting device 20a and the second light emitting device 20b as light emitting devices.

[0049] [Process for mounting light-emitting devices] The step S103 of mounting the light emitting devices is a step of mounting a plurality of light emitting devices selected from the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device onto a plurality of connection patterns provided on the mounting surface of the first mounting substrate. In this step S103, two desired light emitting devices selected from the first light emitting device 20a and the second light emitting device 20b are mounted on two connection patterns 15 provided on the mounting surface of the first mounting substrate 10a. Furthermore, at least a light emitting module 100 having two first light emitting devices 20a mounted thereon, a light emitting module 100 having one first light emitting device 20a and one second light emitting device 20b mounted thereon, and a light emitting module 100 having two second light emitting devices 20b mounted thereon are manufactured as light emitting modules 100 having the two selected light emitting devices 20 mounted thereon. These three light emitting modules 100 have the number of light emitting elements mounted thereon increasing by one in the order. In this way, three light emitting modules 100 are manufactured, each equipped with two different combinations of light emitting devices 20, thereby making it possible to manufacture a light emitting module 100 equipped with any number of light emitting elements 22 selected from three consecutive numbers.

[0050] Note that the light emitting module 100 mounted with one or more light emitting devices, each having a plurality of light emitting elements mounted thereon, manufactured by the manufacturing method according to the first embodiment is not limited to these three light emitting modules 100. It is possible to manufacture a light emitting module 100 in which one light emitting device 20 is mounted on one first mounting substrate 10a, a light emitting module 100 in which a total of three light emitting devices 20 are mounted on two first mounting substrates 10a, or a light emitting module 100 in which a total of four light emitting devices 20 are mounted on two first mounting substrates 10a. In manufacturing the light-emitting module 100 shown in FIG. 1A, in step S103, two light-emitting devices 20 (first light-emitting device 20a and second light-emitting device 20b) arranged in a one-row, two-column configuration are mounted on the mounting surface in orientations that differ by 180 degrees from each other. Furthermore, in step S103, two first mounting substrates 10a, each having two light-emitting devices 20 (first light-emitting device 20a and second light-emitting device 20b) mounted thereon, are arranged to manufacture a light-emitting module 100 having four light-emitting devices 20 mounted in a two-row, two-column configuration. This allows the four light-emitting devices 20 to be arranged in the center of the light-emitting module 100. Furthermore, through-holes for screw fastening or the like are provided on both ends of the periphery of the four light-emitting devices 20 so as to sandwich the four light-emitting devices 20, and second metal films 13 are provided on both ends. Providing the second metal films 13 on both ends facilitates connection to a power source compared to when the light-emitting devices 20 are sandwiched between two light-emitting devices 20.

[0051] In this way, it is possible to manufacture a light emitting module 100 in which one to four light emitting devices are mounted using the first mounting substrate 10a, the first light emitting device 20a, and the second light emitting device 20b. Furthermore, with such a light emitting module 100, the number of semiconductor laser elements 22 to be mounted can be adjusted to any number between 3 and 16 (excluding 5), making it possible to provide a light emitting module 100 that can efficiently accommodate a variety of specifications. If the number of semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the first light emitting device 20a is 2 and the number of semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the second light emitting device 20b is 3, it is possible to provide a light emitting module 100 whose number can be adjusted to any number between 2 and 12. If the number of semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the first light emitting device 20a is 4 and the number of semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the second light emitting device 20b is 5, it is possible to provide a light emitting module 100 whose number can be adjusted to any number between 4 and 20 (excluding 6, 7, and 11).

[0052] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described. Fig. 5A is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a light emitting module according to a second embodiment. Fig. 5B is a plan view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a light emitting module according to the second embodiment. Fig. 5C is a plan view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a mounting board according to the second embodiment. Fig. 5D is a plan view showing a state in which the mounting board of Fig. 5C has been separated into a first mounting board and a second mounting board. The light emitting module according to the second embodiment differs from the light emitting module according to the first embodiment in that a second mounting board is used in addition to the first mounting board used in the light emitting module according to the first embodiment.

[0053] <Light-emitting module> The light emitting module 100A shown in Fig. 5A includes a mounting substrate 10A and a light emitting device 20. The light emitting module 100A is a light emitting module on which three light emitting devices 20 are mounted. In this case, the mounting board 10A of the light emitting module 100A is made up of a first mounting board 10a and a second mounting board 10b. The second mounting substrate 10b has the same outer shape as the first mounting substrate 10a. The second mounting substrate 10b has a bottom surface, a top surface, and side surfaces, and the top surface has a mounting surface on which one connection pattern 15 identical to the connection pattern 15 provided on the first mounting substrate 10a is provided. By using only one connection pattern 15 while maintaining the same outer shape, the outer shape can be made the same as when mounted using two first mounting substrates 10a.

[0054] In this embodiment, the connection pattern 15 of the second mounting substrate 10b is located near the center, and the region on the top surface where the connection pattern 15 of the second mounting substrate 10b is located partially overlaps with the regions where the two connection patterns 15 are located on the first mounting substrate 10a. Meanwhile, the positions of the second metal film 13 and the through-holes are the same as those of the first mounting substrate 10a. By aligning the position of the second metal film 13, the first mounting substrate 10a and the second mounting substrate 10b can use a common connection method when electrically connecting to an external power supply. For example, the connection to the second metal film 13 can be made through a connector, a flexible substrate, a glass epoxy substrate, a leaf spring terminal, or the like. When using such connection members, the first mounting substrate 10a and the second mounting substrate 10b can be connected using the same connection member. By aligning the positions of the through-holes, screws and the like can be used in the same positions as when mounting two first mounting substrates 10a. In the second mounting substrate 10b, of the three first metal films 12 that are paired with each other sandwiching the metal portion 11, the three first metal films 12 that are provided closer to the second metal films 13 are linked and electrically connected to one of the two second metal films 13. In addition, the three first metal films 12 that are provided farther from the second metal film 13 are linked and electrically connected to the other second metal film 13. One light emitting device 20 is mounted on the second mounting substrate 10b, and in the example of Fig. 5A, one second light emitting device 20b is mounted. The first mounting substrate 10a and the second mounting substrate 10b are arranged so that the side surfaces opposite to the side on which the second metal film 13 is formed face each other. Other details are the same as those of the light emitting module 100 according to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1A.

[0055] <Method for manufacturing light-emitting module> Next, an example of a method for manufacturing the light emitting module 100A according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the steps of a method for manufacturing a light emitting module according to the second embodiment. The manufacturing method of the light emitting module 100A includes the steps of: step S201 of preparing a light emitting device; step S202 of preparing a first mounting substrate; step S203 of preparing a second mounting substrate; step S204 of determining the number of mounting substrates, etc.; step S205 of mounting the light emitting device; and step S206 of forming the light emitting module, which are performed in this order. Note that the materials and arrangement of each component are the same as those described above in the description of the light emitting module 100, and therefore will not be described here as appropriate. Furthermore, step S201 of preparing a light emitting device and step S202 of preparing a first mounting substrate are similar to step S101 of preparing a light emitting device and step S102 of preparing a first mounting substrate in the manufacturing method of the light emitting module 100 according to the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described here as well.

[0056] [Preparing the second mounting board] Step S203 of preparing a second mounting substrate is a step of preparing a second mounting substrate having a mounting surface on which one connection pattern identical to the connection pattern provided on the first mounting substrate is provided. In this step S203, a second mounting substrate 10b is prepared, which has a mounting surface on which one connection pattern 15 identical to the connection pattern 15 provided on the first mounting substrate 10a is provided.

[0057] [Process to determine the number of mounting boards, etc.] Step S204 of determining the number of mounting boards, etc., is a step of determining the number of mounting boards, or the number and combination thereof, to be used in manufacturing the light emitting module from among a plurality of mounting boards including at least the first mounting board and the second mounting board. In step S204, it is determined whether the mounting board 10A of the light-emitting module 100A will be formed using one mounting board or two mounting boards. If one mounting board is used, it is determined whether to use the first mounting board 10a or the second mounting board 10b. If two mounting boards are used, it is determined whether to combine two first mounting boards 10a or one first mounting board 10a and one second mounting board 10b. Note that although it is possible to form the mounting board 10A by combining two second mounting boards 10b, if two light-emitting devices 20 are to be mounted, using one first mounting board 10a allows the light-emitting module 100A to be made smaller. In manufacturing the light emitting module 100A shown in FIG. 5A, it has been decided that two mounting boards, one first mounting board 10a and one second mounting board 10b, will be used in combination to form the mounting board 10A.

[0058] [Process for mounting light-emitting devices] Step S205 of mounting a light emitting device is a step of mounting one light emitting device selected from the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device to a connection pattern of the second mounting substrate when a second mounting substrate is used for the light emitting module. Also, step S205 is a step of mounting a plurality of light emitting devices selected from the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device to a plurality of connection patterns provided on the mounting surface of the first mounting substrate when a first mounting substrate is used for the light emitting module. 5A, one second light emitting device 20b is mounted on the second mounting substrate 10b. Also, one first light emitting device 20a and one second light emitting device 20b are mounted side by side on the first mounting substrate 10a, and the two light emitting devices 20 arranged in one row and two columns are mounted in orientations that differ by 180 degrees from each other on the mounting surface.

[0059] [Process for forming light-emitting module] Step S206 of forming a light emitting module is a step of forming a light emitting module using one or more of the first mounting substrate and the second mounting substrate on which the light emitting devices are mounted in the determined number or number and combination. 5A, the light-emitting module 100A is manufactured by arranging a first mounting substrate 10a on which one first light-emitting device 20a and one second light-emitting device 20b are mounted and a second mounting substrate 10b on which one second light-emitting device 20b is mounted side by side to form the light-emitting module 100A. By using the second mounting substrate 10b when mounting one light-emitting device 20, it is possible to prevent unused connection patterns 15 compared to when using the first mounting substrate 10a. Furthermore, in the first mounting substrate 10a, in order to electrically connect to an external power source, electrical continuity is required between the second metal film 13 on the connection pattern 15 side to which the light-emitting device 20 is bonded and the first metal film 12 of the connection pattern 15 to which the light-emitting device 20 is not bonded. However, in the second mounting substrate 10b, electrical continuity can be achieved using two second metal films 13. By using the first mounting substrate 10a when mounting two light emitting devices 20 on one mounting substrate, and by using the second mounting substrate 10b when mounting one light emitting device 20, it is possible to easily establish electrical continuity with an external power source using two second metal films 13 in either case. As explained in the manufacturing method of the light-emitting module 100 according to the first embodiment, it is clear that the light-emitting module 100A manufactured by the manufacturing method according to the second embodiment can also provide a light-emitting module having any number of light-emitting devices 20 mounted thereon, from 1 to 4.

[0060] <Third embodiment> Next, a third embodiment will be described. Fig. 7A is a plan view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a light emitting module according to a third embodiment, Fig. 7B is a plan view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a light emitting module according to the third embodiment, and Fig. 7C is a plan view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a light emitting module according to the third embodiment.

[0061] In a light-emitting module 100B according to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 7A, the mounting board 10B of the light-emitting module 100B is configured with a single first mounting board 10c having a mounting surface on which four identical connection patterns 15 are arranged in a two-row, two-column array. In the light-emitting module 100B, any number of light-emitting devices 20 (1 to 4) are mounted on the four connection patterns 15. FIGS. 7A to 7C show a light-emitting module 100B having four light-emitting devices 20 mounted thereon, a light-emitting module 100C having three light-emitting devices 20 mounted thereon, and a light-emitting module 100D having two light-emitting devices 20 mounted thereon, respectively. Mounting four light-emitting devices 20 on a single mounting board simplifies the manufacturing process.

[0062] Through the first, second, and third embodiments, we have described exemplary configurations and manufacturing methods of light-emitting modules according to the present invention. Furthermore, in these descriptions, we have described a light-emitting module that includes a first light-emitting device, which is a light-emitting device having a plurality of light-emitting elements mounted thereon; a second light-emitting device, which is a light-emitting device having one more light-emitting element mounted thereon than the first light-emitting device; and a first mounting substrate having a mounting surface on which a plurality of identical connection patterns are provided, each of which corresponds to one light-emitting device. The first mounting substrate's mounting surface is provided with a plurality of connection patterns, and the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device are connected to the plurality of connection patterns. The light-emitting module 100E shown in FIG. 8 illustrates a specific example of such a preferred light-emitting module in which the number of mounted light-emitting elements is adjusted. By realizing such a light-emitting module, a light-emitting module that can efficiently accommodate various specifications regarding the light output can be provided.

[0063] <Fourth embodiment> Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. Fig. 9A is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a light emitting module according to a fourth embodiment. Fig. 9B is a plan view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a light emitting module according to the fourth embodiment. Fig. 9C is a plan view schematically showing a first mounting substrate according to the fourth embodiment. Fig. 9D is a plan view schematically showing a light emitting device and a thermistor mounted on a second mounting substrate according to the fourth embodiment. Fig. 9E is a plan view schematically showing a second mounting substrate according to the fourth embodiment.

[0064] The light-emitting module according to the fourth embodiment differs from the mounting boards described in the first to third embodiments in that a metal film for mounting a thermistor is further provided on the mounting surface of the mounting board. 9C, in the first mounting substrate 10d according to the fourth embodiment, in addition to the metal portion 11, the first metal film 12, the second metal film 13, and the insulating film 14, a third metal film 16 and a fourth metal film 17 are further provided on the mounting surface. The connection pattern 15 constituted by the metal portion 11 and the first metal film 12 is the same as that described in the previous embodiments.

[0065] In the first mounting substrate 10d, the third metal film 16 is provided, and therefore the distance between the first metal film 12 and the second metal film 13 is greater than in the first mounting substrate 10a. The two third metal films 16 are provided between the first metal film 12 and the second metal film 13, and are provided at positions that are the same distance from the light emitted from the two light emitting devices 20. Therefore, in the first mounting substrate 10d, the two third metal films 16 are provided at positions that are the same distance from the two connection patterns 15. In other words, the two third metal films 16 are provided so that the distance from one connection pattern 15 to one third metal film 16 is the same as the distance from the other connection pattern 15 to the other third metal film 16. Furthermore, since the fourth metal film 17 is provided between the two second metal films 13, the distance between the two second metal films 13 is greater than that of the first mounting substrate 10a. Each of the two fourth metal films 17 is provided at a position sandwiched between the two second metal films 13. The third metal film 16 and the fourth metal film 17 are formed by providing a single metal film in which they are connected on an insulating film 14, and then providing another insulating film 14 on top of that to separate the third metal film 16 and the fourth metal film 17. In other words, the third metal film 16 and the fourth metal film 17 are connected and electrically connected, although they cannot be seen from the surface. One third metal film 16 is connected to one fourth metal film 17, and the other third metal film 16 is connected to the other fourth metal film 17.

[0066] 9A and 9B, a light-emitting module 100F according to the fourth embodiment has a thermistor 90 mounted on the third metal film 16. The thermistor 90 is an example of a temperature detection element used to measure the temperature when the light-emitting module 100F is operating. The thermistor 90 is mounted in a state of being connected to both of the two third metal films 16, thereby enabling electrical conduction from one fourth metal film 17 through the thermistor 90 to the other fourth metal film 17. In the light-emitting module 100F, the semiconductor laser elements 22 of the two light-emitting devices 20 mounted on the first mounting substrate 10d are the main heat sources, and therefore the thermistor 90 is preferably disposed in a position close to both of the two light-emitting devices 20 and at the same distance from the light emitted from both of the light-emitting devices 20. In other words, when the two light-emitting devices 20 are designed so that the centers of the light emitted from the semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted on the two light-emitting devices 20 pass through the vertices of the lens portions 51, the thermistor 90 intersects with a midpoint line that is equidistant from the line connecting the vertices of the lens portions 51 of one light-emitting device 20 and the line connecting the vertices of the lens portions 51 of the other light-emitting device 20, as viewed from above.

[0067] 9D and 9E, a second mounting substrate 10e according to the fourth embodiment is provided with a third metal film 16 and a fourth metal film 17, similar to the first mounting substrate 10d, and a thermistor 90 is mounted on the third metal film 16. Also, similar to the first mounting substrate 10d, the third metal film 16 is provided between the first metal film 12 and the second metal film 13, and the fourth metal film 17 is provided at a position sandwiched between two second metal films 13. On the other hand, the thermistor 90 is provided at a position close to the light emitted from the light emitting device 20, and therefore is provided on the second mounting substrate 10e at a position close to the vertex of the lens portion 51 of the lens member 29 of the light emitting device 20. In other words, if the light emitting device 20 is designed so that the centers of the light emitted from the semiconductor laser elements 22 mounted thereon pass through the vertices of the lens portions 51, the thermistor 90 will intersect with a line connecting the vertices of the lens portions 51 in a top view. As described above, in the light-emitting module 100F according to the fourth embodiment, the mounting substrate 10 is provided with a metal film for mounting the thermistor 90, which allows the temperature to be measured when the light-emitting module 100F is operating. Therefore, the operation of the semiconductor laser element 22 can be controlled according to the measured temperature.

[0068] The light-emitting module manufactured in this manner can be used in, for example, various projectors with different specifications. Specifically, a light-emitting module formed using one or more of a first mounting board and a second mounting board on which a determined number or number and combination of light-emitting devices are mounted is mounted on a heat sink to become a component of a projector.

[0069] Next, an example of mounting when the light-emitting module according to this embodiment is applied to a projector will be described. Note that, here, a mounting board configured with one or more first mounting boards 10a will be described as an example, but it goes without saying that this is not limited to this. The mounting board can be configured using the desired first mounting board or second mounting board described in the first to fourth embodiments. FIG. 10A is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of mounting when a light-emitting module according to an embodiment is applied to a projector. FIG. 10B is a perspective cross-sectional view illustrating a sealing structure of the light-emitting module according to an embodiment. FIG. 11A is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of mounting when a light-emitting module according to an embodiment is applied to a projector. FIG. 11B is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of the projector according to the embodiment of FIG. 11A. FIG. 11C is a side view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of the projector according to the embodiment of FIG. 11A. FIG. 12A is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of mounting when a light-emitting module according to an embodiment is applied to a projector. FIG. 12B is a side view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of the projector according to the embodiment of FIG. 12A. FIG. 13 is a perspective cross-sectional view illustrating another sealing structure of the light-emitting module according to an embodiment. For convenience, these drawings show a portion of the inside of the projector in a see-through manner.

[0070] As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the projector 200 includes a sealing member 60. The sealing member 60 is a component for forming a sealed space surrounding the light-emitting device 20 mounted on the mounting substrate 10 in the light-emitting module. The projector's optical system is mounted inside this sealed space. That is, an optical unit for generating a projection image projected by the projector is mounted inside. Examples of the optical unit include lenses, mirrors, DMDs (Digital Mirror Devices), prisms, etc. Other optical units may also be configured using optical units including liquid crystal panels, phosphor wheels, rod integrators, etc., or appropriate components selected from these components, and an appropriate optical system may be designed. The projection image generated by the optical unit is emitted from the sealing member 60 to the outside and projected onto the projector screen. To further reduce the probability of a reduction in projector output due to optical dust, it is preferable that all of the components constituting the optical unit are housed in the sealed space formed by the sealing member 60 and the mounting substrate 10. To reduce the size of the sealing member 60, only some of the components constituting the optical unit may be housed in the sealed space.

[0071] In the projector 200, a light-emitting module is manufactured in which two light-emitting devices 20 are mounted on one first mounting substrate 10a, and is covered with a sealing member 60. Note that although the sealing member 60 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape here, the shape of the sealing member 60 is not particularly limited. In other words, the sealing member 60 can have a shape that corresponds to the shape of the optical unit to be designed. A sealing member 70 is provided on the first mounting substrate 10a, surrounding the two light emitting devices 20. The sealing member 70 is provided between the first metal film 12 and the second metal film 13 so that the second metal film 13 is located outside the sealed space. This allows the light emitting device 20 to be easily connected to an external power source. The sealing member 70 is also provided inside the through holes on both sides of the first mounting substrate 10a so that the through holes are located outside the sealed space. This eliminates the need to consider the influence of the through holes when forming the sealed space. The sealing member 60 is bonded to the first mounting substrate 10a via the sealing member 70 to form the sealed space. This prevents objects that cause light dust, such as dust, resin outgassing, and organic components of grease, from entering the sealing member 60.

[0072] Examples of materials for the sealing member 60 include metal, glass, sapphire, etc. The sealing member 60 only needs to have a portion where light is emitted to the outside formed of a light-transmitting material such as glass or sapphire. Examples of materials for the sealing member 70 include metal, resin, and rubber. Materials that are easily deformed when pressed, such as sponge or clay, may also be used as the material for the sealing member 70. When a metal is used for the sealing member 70, it is preferable to provide a sufficient gap between the sealing member 70 and the first metal film 12, which is located farther from the second metal film 13, to prevent the sealing member 70 from contacting the first metal film 12. This can prevent short circuits caused by the sealing member 70. If an insulating material is used, the sealing member 70 will not be electrically conductive even if it comes into contact with the first metal film 12 or the second metal film 13.

[0073] The projector 200A shown in FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C includes a sealing member 60A. In the projector 200A, a light emitting module is manufactured in which four light emitting devices 20 are mounted on two first mounting substrates 10a, and the light emitting modules are covered with a sealing member 60A. In addition, a sealing member 70 is formed so as to surround two light emitting devices 20 for each first mounting substrate 10a. The sealing member 60A has a convex first pressing portion 63 spanning the boundary between the first mounting substrates 10a. The first pressing portion 63 presses down on the sealing member 70 provided along the boundary of each first mounting substrate 10a and seals the boundary between the two first mounting substrates 10a. Note that if two first mounting substrates 10a are joined at the boundary, the first pressing portion 63 may be omitted. For example, since each mounting substrate has component tolerances, rather than joining two first mounting substrates 10a to form the mounting substrate 10, it is possible to arrange the first mounting substrates 10a side by side with a width that prevents them from touching each other. Note that if the first mounting substrates 10a are placed too far apart, the size of the light-emitting module or projector will increase, so if miniaturization is desired, it is preferable to reduce the width. For example, it is preferable to set the width between the two mounting substrates to between 0.1 mm and 1.0 mm. Alternatively, it can be said that it is preferable that the distance from one mounting board to the other mounting board be 0.1 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less. When mounting with such a gap, providing first pressing portion 63 can prevent outside air from entering through the boundary and ensure airtightness. 10A and 11A are merely examples, and any light-emitting module manufactured by the above-described manufacturing method can be applied. That is, a light-emitting module in which one or two mounting substrates are arbitrarily selected from the first mounting substrate 10a and the second mounting substrate 10b to form the mounting substrate 10 can be applied. Also, a light-emitting module in which any number of first light-emitting devices 20a and any number of second light-emitting devices 20b are mounted on the mounting substrate 10 can be applied.

[0074] Furthermore, the application is not limited to one light emitting module, but a plurality of light emitting modules can also be applied. The projector 200B shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B includes a sealing member 60B. In the projector 200B, two light emitting modules are manufactured, each having two light emitting devices 20 mounted on two first mounting substrates 10a, and two more light emitting modules are arranged side by side. Therefore, a total of eight light emitting devices 20 are covered with the sealing member 60B. In addition, a sealing member 70 is formed for each first mounting substrate 10a. In the projector 200B, two mounting substrates 10 are arranged side by side with their through holes adjacent to each other. In addition to the first pressing portion 63, the sealing member 60B has a convex second pressing portion 64 that straddles the through holes of the two mounting substrates 10. The second pressing portion 64 presses down on the sealing members 70 provided on the two mounting substrates 10 to form a sealed space. Each mounting substrate 10 is fixed by passing a fixing screw 80 through the through hole to fix the mounting substrate 10 to the heat sink. The provision of the second pressing portion 64 prevents outside air from entering through the through hole, ensuring a sealed structure.

[0075] 13 shows another example of a sealing structure using a sealing member and a sealing member. In this way, the sealing member 60C may have protrusions 65 that join to the sealing member 70 at the side and bottom. The protrusions 65 cover the side of the sealing member 70 facing the light emitting device 20. By having the protrusions 65 on the sealing member 60C, the joining portion with the sealing member 70 has a claw structure. With this structure, the adhesion between the sealing member 60C and the sealing member 70 is further improved, and the sealing performance of the sealing member 60C is improved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 10, 10A, 10B, 10C mounting board 10a, 10c, 10d First mounting board 10b, 10e Second mounting board 11 Metal parts 12 First metal film 13 Second metal film 14 insulating film 15 Connection Patterns 16 Third metal film 17 Fourth metal film 20 Light-emitting device 21 packages 22 Light emitting element (semiconductor laser element) 23 Submount 24 Light reflecting member 25 Protection element 26 wires 27 Lid member 28 Adhesive part 29 Lens components 30 recess 31 Bottom of recess 32 Inner surface of recess 33 Step 34 Bottom side 35 Frame 36 Bottom 37 Metal Film 38 Metal Film 51 Lens section 52 Support plate part 60, 60A, 60B, 60C Sealing materials 63 First holding part 64 Second holding part 65 Protrusion 70 Sealing materials 80 fixing screw 90 Thermistor 100, 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F Light Emitting Module L 200, 200A, 200B Projectors

Claims

1. a first light emitting module and a second light emitting module, each of which is mounted with one or more light emitting devices; The first light emitting module includes: one of the light emitting devices; a first mounting substrate having a mounting surface provided with one connection pattern on which the light emitting device is mounted, the light emitting device being mounted on the connection pattern; The second light emitting module is two of the light emitting devices; a second mounting substrate having a mounting surface provided with two connection patterns on which the two light emitting devices are mounted, the two light emitting devices being mounted on the two connection patterns; The light emitting device comprises: a plurality of semiconductor laser elements; a package in which the plurality of semiconductor laser elements are arranged and which forms a sealed space in which the plurality of semiconductor laser elements are arranged, the first mounting substrate and the second mounting substrate have the same outer shape when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface, A first light-emitting module and a second light-emitting module, wherein the position of the connection pattern on the mounting surface of the first mounting substrate is different from either of the two connection patterns on the mounting surface of the second mounting substrate.

2. The first light emitting module and the second light emitting module described in claim 1, wherein the number of the plurality of semiconductor laser elements provided in the light emitting device mounted in the first light emitting module is the same as the number of the plurality of semiconductor laser elements provided in at least one of the two light emitting devices mounted in the second light emitting module.

3. 3. The first light emitting module and the second light emitting module according to claim 1, wherein the number of the plurality of semiconductor laser elements provided in the light emitting device mounted in the first light emitting module is different from the number of the plurality of semiconductor laser elements provided in at least one of the two light emitting devices mounted in the second light emitting module.

4. 3. The first light emitting module and the second light emitting module according to claim 1, wherein the two light emitting devices mounted in the second light emitting module each include the same number of semiconductor laser elements.

5. 3. The first light emitting module and the second light emitting module according to claim 1, wherein the two light emitting devices mounted in the second light emitting module each include a different number of the semiconductor laser elements.

6. The first light emitting module and the second light emitting module according to claim 1 , wherein the connection pattern on the first mounting substrate and the two connection patterns on the second mounting substrate are the same pattern.

7. The light emitting module according to claim 1 , wherein the package of the light emitting device included in the first light emitting module and the package of the light emitting device included in the second light emitting module are packages having the same external shape.

8. The first light-emitting module and the second light-emitting module described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the light-emitting device further comprises a metal film provided on the underside of the package and electrically connecting the plurality of semiconductor laser elements and the connection pattern.

9. A light emitting module comprising the first light emitting module and the second light emitting module according to claim 1 .

10. the first mounting substrate has, on the mounting surface, a first metal film included in the connection pattern and a second metal film provided at a position spaced apart from the connection pattern in a first direction and electrically connected to the first metal film; the second mounting substrate has, on the mounting surface, a first metal film included in at least one of the two connection patterns, and a second metal film provided at a position spaced apart from the connection pattern in a second direction and electrically connected to the first metal film; the first light emitting module is disposed at a position spaced apart from the second light emitting module in a direction opposite to the second direction; The light emitting module according to claim 9 , wherein the second light emitting module is disposed at a position spaced apart from the first light emitting module in a direction opposite to the first direction.

11. The light emitting module according to claim 10 , wherein the position of the second metal film on the mounting surface of the first mounting substrate is the same as the position of the second metal film on the mounting surface of the second mounting substrate.

12. the first mounting substrate has, on the mounting surface, two or more first through holes provided so as to sandwich the connection pattern in a direction perpendicular to the first direction; the second mounting substrate has, on the mounting surface, two or more second through holes provided so as to sandwich the two connection patterns in a direction perpendicular to the second direction; The light-emitting module according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the positions of the two or more first through holes on the mounting surface of the first mounting substrate are the same as the positions of the two or more second through holes on the mounting surface of the second mounting substrate.

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