Ceramic LED Substrates Surface Modification Adhesion

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional light emitter components face challenges in achieving improved adhesion strength and thermal efficiency, particularly with ceramic-based substrates that have porous and rough surfaces, which affect the attachment and thermal resistance of LED chips.

Innovation Solution

The use of surface modifications such as lapping, polishing, or applying coatings on ceramic substrates to enhance the contact area and thermal contact, combined with non-metallic layers for electrical connections, improves adhesion and thermal efficiency without compromising reflection properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional ceramic substrates with porous and rough surfaces are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but adhesion strength and thermal efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary surface modification treatments (lapping, polishing, or coating) to ceramic substrates before LED chip attachment. This preliminary action creates a smoother, more uniform surface that enhances adhesion strength and thermal contact, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and adhesion performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the surface parameters of ceramic substrates by modifying surface roughness and porosity through lapping, polishing, or coating processes. These parameter changes improve both adhesion strength and thermal efficiency while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Temperature

If conventional ceramic substrates with porous and rough surfaces are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but thermal efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary surface modification treatments (lapping, polishing, or coating) to ceramic substrates before LED chip attachment. This preliminary action creates a smoother, more uniform surface that enhances adhesion strength and thermal contact, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and adhesion performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the surface parameters of ceramic substrates by modifying surface roughness and porosity through lapping, polishing, or coating processes. These parameter changes improve both adhesion strength and thermal efficiency while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If surface modifications such as lapping, polishing, or coating are applied, then adhesion strength and thermal contact improve, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidprocessing steps

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies surface modifications (lapping, polishing, or coating) selectively to specific regions of the ceramic substrate where LED chips will be attached. This local quality approach improves adhesion and thermal contact at critical interfaces without unnecessarily complicating the entire substrate processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

These modifications result in increased adhesion strength and better thermal contact, leading to improved brightness and manufacturability of LED components by reducing the need for resource-intensive processing steps and minimizing contamination.

Implementation Method 1

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) or LED chips are solid state devices that convert electrical energy into light

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectroluminescence: Electroluminescence

Implementation Method 2

A ceramic or ceramic-based substrate can be used in association with the one or more LED chips

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS9806246B2Ceramic-based light emitting diode (LED) devices, components, and methods

Publication Date: 2017.10.31 CREELED INC

AI summary

A light emitter device component containing one or more light emitter devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) or LED chips, can include a body that can be ceramic and have a top surface, one or more light emitting devices mounted directly or indirectly on the top surface, and one or more electrical components mounted on the top surface and electrically coupled to the one or more light emitting devices. At least a portion of the top surface of the body to which the light emitting devices are mounted can be modified to have a reduced porosity compared to an as-fired ceramic body. Such components can result in improved adhesion strength and thermal management of the light emitting devices.