Single-Diode White Light Disinfection With Phosphor Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light-emitting devices struggle to simultaneously provide white or hue of white light and effectively inactivate microorganisms, often compromising on luminous efficacy or color characteristics to achieve disinfection capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A light-emitting device comprising a light emitter and a light-converting material that converts a portion of the emitted light in the 380 nm to 420 nm range, with a proportion of spectral energy greater than 20%, to produce a combined white light with specific properties, including a high color rendering index and correlated color temperature, while maintaining antimicrobial efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional LED lighting uses blue light-emitting semiconductors combined with phosphor materials to achieve high luminous efficacy and desirable color characteristics, then white light illumination is provided effectively, but the ability to inactivate microorganisms is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lighting function into two distinct components: a blue light-emitting semiconductor junction for illumination and a separate UV-C emitting component for disinfection. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the blue LED for high luminous efficacy and the UV-C source for maximum microbial inactivation, resolving the contradiction between illumination quality and antimicrobial effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the blue light-emitting semiconductor junction with a UV-C emitting component into a single integrated device. The blue light provides white illumination when combined with phosphor materials, while the UV-C light simultaneously provides microbial inactivation. This merging allows the device to achieve both high luminous efficacy and reliable antimicrobial efficacy without compromise
2Reliability
If alternative LED technologies use UV, near UV, or violet light-emitting semiconductor junctions to provide disinfection capabilities, then antimicrobial efficacy is improved, but luminous efficacy and color characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the disinfection function (UV-C emission) from the illumination function (blue light emission). By using a blue light-emitting semiconductor junction combined with phosphor materials rather than UV or violet LEDs, the device achieves high luminous efficacy for white light while incorporating a dedicated UV-C component for microbial inactivation. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing UV-C disinfection without sacrificing illumination quality
3Reliability
If lighting devices are tuned to provide increased outputs of certain regions of radiation for disinfection, then antimicrobial efficacy is improved, but color characteristics and luminous efficacy worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the radiation output into two distinct spectral regions: blue light (440-480 nm) for illumination that converts to white light with desirable color characteristics, and UV-C (200-280 nm) for disinfection. This segmentation allows each spectral region to be optimized independently - the blue LED with phosphor for excellent color rendering and the UV-C component for maximum microbial inactivation, resolving the contradiction between disinfection effectiveness and color 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
The device achieves a balanced white light emission with high color fidelity and gamut, effectively inactivating microorganisms while maintaining desirable color characteristics and luminous efficacy, making it suitable for general illumination and disinfection.
Implementation Method 1
Some common LEDs for general illumination use a semiconductor junction that is energized to emit blue light and that is combined with a phosphor material, such as cerium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Ce) to convert a portion of that blue light to other wavelengths of light, such as yellow wavelengths
Implementation Method 2
Some alternative LED technologies use semiconductor junctions that emit UV, near UV, or violet light instead of blue light. A phosphor material is combined to convert a portion of the blue, violet, or UV light to other wavelengths of light
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for inactivating microorganisms are disclosed. An example light emitting device that inactivates microorganisms on a surface comprises a light emitter configured to emit a first light comprising a first wavelength in a range of 380 nanometers (nm) to 420 nm, a first light-converting material configured to convert a first portion of the first light to at least a second light comprising a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, and a second light-converting material configured to convert a second portion of the first light to at least a third light comprising a third wavelength different from the first wavelength, wherein at least the first light, the second light, and the third light mix to form a disinfecting white light.