Interleaved Micro-LED Array for Color Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RGB light modules with separate red, green, and blue LED chips suffer from center-to-center displacement issues, leading to undesirable color artifacts and increased system complexity due to the need for extra optical components for collimated beam illumination in applications like stage lighting and automobile headlights.
Innovation Solution
The integration of interleaved micro-LED arrays of red, green, and blue LEDs on a thermally conductive substrate reduces center displacement and eliminates the need for additional optical components, enabling more uniform color mixing and adjustment, with the micro-LEDs being electrically connected for unified control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate red, green, and blue LED chips are placed side by side in a conventional RGB light module, then each LED chip can be independently controlled to achieve full color adjustment, but center-to-center displacement between different color sources occurs, resulting in color artifacts and requiring extra optical components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate LED chips into a single integrated LED chip containing red, green, and blue micro-LEDs arranged in an interleaved pattern. This integration eliminates the need for separate optical components and reduces system complexity while maintaining full color adjustment capability through independent control of each micro-LED group.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated LED chip is segmented into multiple micro-LEDs of different colors arranged in interleaved rows and columns. Each micro-LED or group of micro-LEDs can be independently controlled, allowing full color adjustment while maintaining a compact integrated structure that eliminates center displacement issues.
2Device complexity
If separate red, green, and blue LED chips are used with shared projection optics, then the system structure is simplified, but center displacement is magnified by projection optics, creating undesirable color artifacts at the edge of projected patterns
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating all color micro-LEDs into a single chip with interleaved arrangement, the patent eliminates center displacement between different color sources. This merged structure ensures that all colors originate from the same physical location, preventing color artifacts in projected patterns while allowing use of shared projection optics.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional RGB light modules use separate LED chips, then color adjustment is flexible, but extra optical components such as multiple collimating lenses and dichroic mirrors are required to ensure well-overlapped combination of light, increasing system complexity and size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple LED chips into a single integrated chip with interleaved micro-LEDs, eliminating the need for separate collimating lenses and dichroic mirrors. The integrated structure allows all colors to be emitted from the same location, enabling direct coupling with projection optics without additional components, thus reducing system size while maintaining color adjustment flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated LED chip serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides all color emissions (red, green, blue), acts as a single light source for collimation, and enables full color adjustment through independent control of micro-LED groups. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate optical components for each color channel.
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 solution provides a compact, complex-free multi-color LED array light source with improved spatial and angular distribution for collimated beam illumination, suitable for high-power applications, reducing color artifacts and simplifying system design.
Implementation Method 1
multiple arrays of micro-LEDs, with all the micro-LEDs within one array having the same color
Implementation Method 2
interleaved on a thermally conductive substrate
Data Source
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AI summary
Various embodiments include a multi-color micro-LED array light source that enables well-overlapped light beams of different colors. The multi-color micro-LED array light source includes a thermally conductive substrate and multiple arrays of different color micro-LEDs integrated on the thermally conductive substrate. The micro-LEDs within each array are electrically connected so that they can all be driven in unison. The multi-color array light source also includes a controller that is electrically coupled to and that drives the arrays of micro-LEDs. The controller drives the micro-LEDs in a manner that produces an output light distribution with a spatial wavelength and angular distribution that is suitable for use as a light source.