Magnetically Aligning Color-Converting Particles for LED Performance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Solid-state radiation transducer (SSRT) devices often exhibit variable performance characteristics, such as correlated color temperature (CCT) and lumen output, making it challenging to meet specified requirements, leading to reduced profitability due to discarded or discounted products.
Innovation Solution
The use of magnetically adjustable color-converting particles within a matrix, where a magnetic field aligns and positions the particles to optimize light conversion and emission, allowing for precise control over CCT and lumen output by adjusting the orientation and position of color-converting particles within the matrix.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If color-converting particles are randomly distributed in the matrix, then manufacturing is simpler, but performance characteristics (CCT and lumen output) vary significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies magnetic fields during the manufacturing process to pre-align color-converting particles in the matrix before the resin cures. This preliminary action ensures that particles are positioned in optimal orientations for consistent light conversion, resulting in uniform CCT and lumen output across all devices without requiring complex post-manufacturing adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical mixing and positioning methods with magnetic field application to control particle orientation. Instead of using complex mechanical fixtures or manual alignment processes, a magnetic field is applied to the liquid resin containing color-converting particles, causing them to align automatically according to the magnetic field direction, simplifying the manufacturing system while improving precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If magnetic field alignment is applied to color-converting particles, then performance characteristics are optimized and controlled, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls performance characteristics by changing the orientation and position parameters of color-converting particles through magnetic field application. By adjusting the magnetic field strength, direction, and timing, manufacturers can precisely control particle alignment to achieve target CCT and lumen output values, transforming a quality control problem into a controllable manufacturing parameter.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic field application process serves multiple functions simultaneously: it aligns particles for optimal optical performance, ensures uniform distribution throughout the matrix, and can be applied to various types of color-converting particles and resin compositions, making the process universally applicable across different device configurations without requiring separate mechanisms for each case.
3Reliability
If particle orientation is controlled to optimize light conversion, then spectral power distribution improves, but manufacturing time and process steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the magnetic field continuously during the resin curing process rather than as a separate step. The magnetic field remains active throughout the entire curing duration, maintaining particle alignment as the resin transitions from liquid to solid state, ensuring consistent spectral power distribution without requiring additional time beyond the already-necessary curing period.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic field alignment is performed preliminarily during the liquid resin stage before curing completes, when particles are still mobile and can respond to magnetic forces. This timing ensures particles are properly oriented before the matrix solidifies, locking in the optimal configuration without requiring prolonged magnetic field application after curing begins.
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 approach enhances the percentage of SSRT devices meeting specified performance characteristics, improving product binning and reducing waste by optimizing the spectral power distribution and efficiency of the devices.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic field aligns and positions the particles to optimize light conversion and emission, allowing for precise control over CCT and lumen output by adjusting the orientation and position of color-converting particles within the matrix
Implementation Method 2
Color-converting materials (e.g., phosphor materials) absorb light at certain wavelengths and emit light at different wavelengths
Implementation Method 3
a color-converting material that absorbs some of the blue light and converts it into yellow light
Data Source
AI summary
Magnetically adjusting color-converting particles within a matrix and associated devices, systems, and methods are disclosed herein. A magnetic-adjustment process can include applying a magnetic field to a mixture including a non-solid matrix and a plurality of color-converting particles (e.g. magnetically anisotropic color-converting particles). The magnetic field can cause the plurality of color-converting particles to move into a generally non-random alignment (e.g., a generally non-random magnetic alignment and/or a generally non-random shape alignment) within the non-solid matrix. The non-solid matrix then can be solidified to form a solid matrix. A magnetic-adjustment process can be performed in conjunction with testing and/or product binning of solid-state radiation transducer devices. For example, a position, direction, strength, or duration of a magnetic field used to perform a magnetic-adjustment process can be controlled according to optical output collected from a solid-state radiation transducer device. Measuring the optical output and performing the magnetic-adjustment process can be at least partially concurrent.