Color Converting Element for Laser Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light bulbs and lasers face inefficiencies, such as high thermal energy dissipation, filament failure due to thermal expansion, broad spectral emission not perceived by the human eye, and directional issues, while high-power lasers for blue and green wavelengths are inefficient, large, expensive, and fragile, limiting their deployment.
Innovation Solution
The development of high-power laser devices using nonpolar or semipolar gallium-containing substrates like GaN, AlN, InN, InGaN, AlGaN, and AlInGaN for emitting red, green, or blue electromagnetic radiation, integrated onto a substrate, with a color converting device using phosphor material and mechanical patterns to achieve specific spectral and spatial properties, and an optical module with a combiner for combining laser beams with high polarization purity and thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional light bulbs are used for lighting applications, then they provide omnidirectional light emission, but they dissipate more than 90% of energy as thermal energy and have broad spectral emission not perceived by the human eye
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from thermal radiation (incandescent) to electroluminescence (LED) as the light generation mechanism, fundamentally changing the energy conversion parameter from thermal-to-radiant efficiency of ~5% to >50% for LEDs, directly reducing energy loss while improving visible light output
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs phosphor down-conversion to transform blue LED light (430-480nm) into yellow-green light (560-580nm), and uses quantum dot layers to precisely control the spectral output to match human visual perception, converting energy loss into useful visible illumination
2Speed
If high-power blue and green lasers are developed using traditional lamp pumped solid state designs, then they produce directional and focusable light, but they are inefficient, large, expensive, and fragile
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light generation function from complex lamp-pumped solid-state laser systems and concentrates it into simple LED chips, eliminating the need for flash lamps, gain crystals, and frequency conversion crystals, thereby reducing system size, cost, and complexity while maintaining directional control through optical elements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses LED arrays that replicate laser functionality by combining multiple low-power LED emitters with optical combining elements, creating a simplified system that achieves laser-like directionality without the complexity of traditional laser architectures
3Illumination intensity
If conventional light bulbs operate at high power, then they provide sufficient illumination, but they routinely fail due to thermal expansion and contraction of the filament element
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical filament structure with solid-state LED chips that have no moving parts or fragile mechanical components, eliminating thermal expansion-induced failure modes while providing equivalent or superior light output at higher powers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material structures including sapphire substrates, aluminum nitride heat sinks, and phosphor-resin composites to manage thermal stress and protect the LED chips, enabling high-power operation without the reliability issues of conventional filaments
4Loss of energy
If lamp pumped solid state lasers with second harmonic generation are used for visible wavelengths, then they improve efficiency compared to gas lasers, but they remain too inefficient, large, expensive, and fragile for broad deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the laser functionality into discrete LED chips that can be manufactured using standard semiconductor fabrication processes, enabling mass production and broad deployment while achieving the conversion efficiencies needed for visible wavelength applications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inexpensive LED chips with standardized packaging and modular designs that can be easily replaced or upgraded, making the system economically viable for broad deployment across consumer, industrial, and medical applications
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
The solution enables cost-effective, high-power optical devices with improved efficiency, reduced thermal degradation, and directional control, suitable for applications like lighting, displays, and medical uses, with enhanced reliability and reduced size and cost compared to traditional technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a color converting device using phosphor material and mechanical patterns
Implementation Method 2
high-power laser devices using nonpolar or semipolar gallium-containing substrates like GaN, AlN, InN, InGaN, AlGaN, and AlInGaN for emitting red, green, or blue electromagnetic radiation
Data Source
AI summary
A method and device for emitting electromagnetic radiation at high power using a gallium containing substrates such as GaN, AlN, InN, InGaN, AlGaN, and AlInGaN, is provided.