Laterally Adjacent LED Structures with Shared Output
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor light sources, such as LEDs, face a challenge in achieving high luminance while maintaining miniaturization, as reducing their size decreases the generated light flux, and existing solutions like small apertures can limit light output and increase material and manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
The arrangement of laterally adjacent semiconductor diode structures sharing a common light output section with a light reflecting structure, where the light output section area is less than the combined diode structures, allows for increased luminance and reduced material and space usage by directing light through a smaller output area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the size of semiconductor light source is reduced for miniaturization, then the device size is reduced, but the generated light flux decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple semiconductor diode structures (first and second diodes) are combined and positioned adjacent to each other within a shared mix box cavity, allowing their light output to be merged and directed through a common light output section, thereby increasing total light flux while maintaining compact device size
Solution Approach 2:
The light sources are arranged in a lateral configuration within the mix box cavity rather than stacking vertically, utilizing horizontal space to accommodate multiple diodes while maintaining a compact overall device footprint
2Illumination intensity
If a small aperture is used to increase luminance, then the luminance is improved, but the light output is limited and material complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single light output section serves as the common output for multiple semiconductor diode structures, replacing what would otherwise require multiple separate output apertures and associated optical components, thereby reducing material complexity while maintaining high luminance
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple light paths from different diodes are merged into a single light output section, allowing consolidated light extraction that reduces the number of required optical components and simplifies the overall device structure
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 enhances luminance and reduces material and manufacturing complexity by allowing a single light output section to serve multiple diode structures, achieving high luminance with reduced size and complexity, suitable for applications like automotive lighting and projectors.
Implementation Method 1
a light reflecting structure at least partially enclosing side surfaces of the first and second semiconductor diode structures and the light output section and adapted to reflect light from the semiconductor diode structures towards the light output section
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Proposed is a light source comprising: first and second semiconductor diode structures adapted to generate light, the first and second semiconductor diode structures being laterally adjacent to each other; a light output section at least partially overlapping both of the first and second semiconductor diode structures and adapted to output light from the first and second semiconductor diode structures; and a light reflecting structure at least partially enclosing side surfaces of the first and second semiconductor diode structures and the light output section and adapted to reflect light from the semiconductor diode structures towards the light output section. The area of the light output section is less than the combined area of the first and second semiconductor diode structures.