Thinned LED Structure with Channels for Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) face issues with heat accumulation and inefficient light extraction due to high thermal resistivity and internal reflection, leading to reduced brightness and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A thinned semiconductor light-emitting device structure with a carrier and channels is developed to decrease thermal resistivity and enhance light extraction efficiency, featuring a substrate thinning process and channel formation using chemical mechanical polishing and laser beams, incorporating materials with high thermal conductivity and refractive index differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the substrate is thinned to decrease thermal resistivity, then heat dissipation is improved, but the mechanical strength and structural stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is segmented by forming through-holes or channels that pass through the thinned substrate. These channels serve dual purposes: they provide thermal conduction paths for heat dissipation while also acting as structural reinforcements that prevent the thinned substrate from becoming too fragile. The segmentation divides the continuous substrate into regions separated by these functional channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures where the thinned substrate is combined with other materials forming the channels or layers. These composite structures provide both the thermal management functionality and the mechanical strength needed to compensate for the reduced substrate thickness. The composite nature allows optimization of thermal and mechanical properties independently.
2Illumination intensity
If the substrate is thinned to improve light extraction efficiency, then light confinement is reduced, but the device becomes more vulnerable to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The formation of through-holes or channels in the thinned substrate segments the optical path and reduces total internal reflection. This segmentation allows light to escape more efficiently at multiple points rather than being confined to reflect within the thick substrate, thereby improving light extraction while the segmented structure itself provides mechanical reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The channels or through-holes act as intermediary structures that mediate between the light-emitting layer and the external environment. These intermediaries provide both optical functionality (reducing light confinement) and mechanical support (reinforcing the thinned substrate), serving dual roles that resolve the contradiction between light extraction and device reliability.
3Temperature
If channels are formed in the thinned substrate to enhance thermal conduction, then heat dissipation is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The channels formed in the thinned substrate serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as thermal conduction paths for heat dissipation, provide structural reinforcement to the thinned substrate, and can also serve as light extraction pathways. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components or processes, thereby managing manufacturing complexity while achieving thermal management goals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the thermal management function with the structural support function by integrating channels that serve both purposes. Instead of adding separate thermal conduction elements to an already-structured substrate, the channels are formed as part of the substrate processing itself, combining multiple functions into a single integrated structure that simplifies the overall manufacturing process.
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 effectively reduces thermal resistivity and improves light extraction efficiency, enhancing the brightness and reliability of high-power LEDs for lighting applications.
Implementation Method 1
the method further includes thinning the substrate by a chemical mechanical polishing
Implementation Method 2
the method further includes forming the channel by laser beam
Implementation Method 3
decreasing the thermal resistivity of the light emitting diode
Implementation Method 4
improving the efficiency of the light extraction
Implementation Method 5
part of the light is confined in the light-emitting diode due to the totally internal reflection
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor light-emitting device having a thinned structure comprises a thinned structure formed between a semiconductor light-emitting structure and a carrier. The manufacturing method comprises the steps of forming a semiconductor light-emitting structure above a substrate; attaching the semiconductor light-emitting structure to a support; thinning the substrate to form a thinned structure; forming or attaching a carrier to the thinned substrate; and removing the support.