Back-to-Back Solid State Emitters for Multi-Plane Lighting and Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solid state lights (SSLs) emit light from a single plane, complicating manufacture and increasing size, and are prone to heat-sensitive component deterioration due to heat generated by solid state emitters, which affects light color and lifespan.
Innovation Solution
The use of back-to-back solid state emitters oriented on multiple surfaces of a carrier substrate with through-substrate interconnects and a reflective material to redirect light, combined with a converter material for wavelength adjustment, allows for multi-plane light emission and efficient heat transfer using an aluminum nitride carrier substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional SSLs use a single-plane emitter configuration, then the device structure is simpler, but the light emission is limited to one direction and requires larger package size to achieve multi-directional illumination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by transitioning from a single-plane (2D) emitter configuration to a multi-plane (3D) configuration. Multiple light-emitting surfaces are arranged in different spatial planes, allowing light to be emitted in multiple directions simultaneously. This enables the device to achieve multi-directional illumination without requiring multiple separate packages, effectively resolving the contradiction between illumination intensity and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple emitter planes and their support structures into a single integrated package. The carrier substrate holds emitters on multiple surfaces, and a single heat sink manages thermal dissipation for all emitters. This merging approach achieves multi-plane light emission while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate packages, resolving the technical contradiction.
2Illumination intensity
If multiple SSL packages are combined to achieve multi-plane emission, then light emission from multiple planes is achieved, but the vertical and lateral size of the package increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple emitter planes into a single compact package by mounting light-emitting surfaces on opposite sides and edges of a carrier substrate. This integration allows the device to achieve multi-plane light emission from a unified structure, significantly reducing the overall package volume compared to using multiple separate SSL packages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangement by placing emitters on multiple surfaces (front, back, and edges) of the carrier substrate. This 3D configuration enables efficient use of space, achieving multi-directional light emission from a compact volume rather than requiring extended vertical or lateral dimensions.
3Device complexity
If heat-sensitive components are placed near SSEs, then the device structure is more compact, but the heat causes components to deteriorate and fail over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat-sensitive converter materials from immediate proximity to the heat-generating SSEs by positioning them on the outer surfaces of the package. This spatial separation allows the converter materials to be exposed to ambient air for cooling, reducing thermal stress and preventing deterioration while maintaining a compact overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces ambient air as a thermal intermediary between the heat-generating SSEs and the heat-sensitive converter materials. By positioning converter materials on exposed outer surfaces, ambient air acts as a cooling mediator that carries heat away from these components, protecting them from thermal damage while maintaining structural compactness.
4Illumination intensity
If converter material is deposited on SSE to generate white light, then the desired wavelength is achieved, but the converter material deteriorates faster at higher temperatures causing color change over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts converter materials from the immediate vicinity of heat-generating SSEs and positions them on exposed outer surfaces of the package. This spatial separation reduces thermal exposure to the converter materials, slowing their deterioration rate and extending their operational lifespan while maintaining their wavelength conversion function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of heat by using the same light-emitting structures to provide controlled thermal exposure. The converter materials are positioned to receive sufficient light for wavelength conversion while being exposed to ambient air that carries away excess heat, transforming the thermal challenge into a manageable condition that maintains both color accuracy and material longevity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enables SSLs to emit light from multiple planes, increasing intensity and reducing size, while maintaining heat-sensitive component longevity by efficient heat transfer, thus addressing the challenges of conventional SSLs.
Implementation Method 1
efficient heat transfer using an aluminum nitride carrier substrate
Implementation Method 2
a reflective material to redirect light
Implementation Method 3
a converter material for wavelength adjustment
Data Source
AI summary
Solid state lights (SSLs) including a back-to-back solid state emitters (SSEs) and associated methods are disclosed herein. In various embodiments, an SSL can include a carrier substrate having a first surface and a second surface different from the first surface. First and second through substrate interconnects (TSIs) can extend from the first surface of the carrier substrate to the second surface. The SSL can further include a first and a second SSE, each having a front side and a back side opposite the front side. The back side of the first SSE faces the first surface of the carrier substrate and the first SSE is electrically coupled to the first and second TSIs. The back side of the second SSE faces the second surface of the carrier substrate and the second SSE is electrically coupled to the first and second TSIs.