WO2020150744A1

WO2020150744A1 - Laser-based waveguide-coupled white light system for a lighting application

Info

Publication number: WO2020150744A1
Application number: PCT/US2020/014479
Authority: WO
Inventors: James W. Raring; Paul Rudy; Sten Heikman; Ryan GRESBACK; Julian Carey
Original assignee: Soraa Laser Diode, Inc.
Priority date: 2019-01-18
Filing date: 2020-01-21
Publication date: 2020-07-23
Also published as: JP3236102U; CN216450931U; DE212020000510U1

Abstract

A laser-based fiber-coupled white light system is provided. The system includes a laser device comprising a gallium and nitrogen containing emitting region having an output facet configured to output a laser emission with a first wavelength ranging from 385 nm to 495 nm. The system further includes a phosphor member integrated with light collimation elements. The phosphor member converts the laser emission with the first wavelength to a phosphor emission with a second wavelength in either reflective or transmissive mode and mixed partially with laser emission to produce a white light emission. The system includes a transport fiber coupled to the phosphor member via the light collimation elements to receive the white light emission and deliver the white light emission remotely to one or more passive luminaries substantially free of electrical or moving parts disposed at remote distances from a dedicated source area.

Description

LASER-BASED WAVEGUIDE-COUPLED WHITE LIGHT SYSTEM

FOR A LIGHTING APPLICATION

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application No. 16/597,795, filed October 9, 2019, and U.S. Application No. 16/597,791, filed on October 9, 2019, each of which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application No. 16/380,217, filed April 10, 2019, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application No. 16/252,570, filed January 18, 2019, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Due to the high efficiency, long lifetimes, low cost, and non-toxicity offered by solid state lighting technology, light emitting diodes (LED) have rapidly emerged as the illumination technology of choice. On October 7, 2014, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura for "the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources" or, less formally, LED lamps.

SUMMARY

[0003] In accordance with an embodiment, a light system includes one or more white light source modules located at a source position, each comprising: a laser device comprising a gallium and nitrogen containing material and configured as an excitation source, the laser device comprising an output facet configured to output a laser emission with a first wavelength ranging from 385 nm to 495 nm; a phosphor member configured as a wavelength converter and an emitter and disposed to allow the laser electromagnetic radiation being optically coupled to a primary surface of the phosphor member; an angle of incidence configured between the laser electromagnetic radiation and the primary surface of the phosphor member, the phosphor member configured to convert at least a fraction of the laser electromagnetic radiation with the first wavelength landed in a spot greater than 5 pm on the primary surface to a phosphor emission with a second wavelength that is longer than the first wavelength; and a light-emission mode characterizing the phosphor member with a white light emission being generated from at least an interaction of the laser electromagnetic radiation with the phosphor emission, the white light emission comprising of a mixture of wavelengths characterized by at least the second wavelength from the phosphor member.

The light system also includes one or more fibers configured to have first ends to couple with the one or more white light source modules to output the white light emission to respective second ends; and one or more passive luminaries substantially free of electrical power supply disposed at an illumination location coupled to the respective second ends to distribute the white light emission to one or more illumination patterns, wherein the illumination location is separated from the one or more white light source module location by a remote distance.

[0004] In accordance with another embodiment, a lighting system with distributed white light that includes one or more laser-based white light sources disposed at one or more dedicated source areas, each light source comprising: a laser device comprising a gallium and nitrogen containing material and configured as an excitation source, the laser device comprising an output facet configured to output a laser electromagnetic emission with a first wavelength ranging from 385 nm to 495 nm; a phosphor member configured as a wavelength converter and an emitter and disposed to convert the laser electromagnetic emission to emit a second electromagnetic radiation with a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength; and a light-emission mode characterizing the phosphor member with a white light emission being generated from at least an interaction of the laser electromagnetic radiation with the second electromagnetic emission as a mixture of wavelengths characterized by at least the second wavelength from the phosphor member. The lighting system also includes a white light supply member configured to couple with the one or more laser-based white light sources to form a directed white light emission; an optical switching module configured to couple the directed white light emission to one or more of multiple channels to control the light intensity level to a predetermined level to be inserted into the one or more multiple channels; and multiple transport fibers configured to respectively couple with the multiple channels to receive the white light emission from any channel with the predetermined light level status and deliver the white light emission to one or multiple distributed illumination areas.

[0005] In accordance with another embodiment, a smart lighting system include one or more laser-based white light sources disposed at a source area, the one or more light sources comprising: a laser device comprising a gallium and nitrogen containing material and configured as an excitation source, the laser device comprising an output facet configured to output a laser electromagnetic emission with a first wavelength ranging from 385 nm to 495 nm; a phosphor member configured as a wavelength converter and an emitter and disposed to convert the laser electromagnetic emission to emit a second electromagnetic radiation with a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength; and a light-emission mode

characterizing the phosphor member with a white light emission being generated from at least an interaction of the laser electromagnetic radiation with the second electromagnetic emission as a mixture of wavelengths characterized by at least the second wavelength from the phosphor member. The smart lighting system also includes one or more transport fibers configured with a first end coupled to the one or more laser-based white light sources to transport the white light emission to a second end at an illumination area at a remote distance; one or more sensors disposed at the illumination area and configured to collect one or more sensor signals; and a controller configured to receive electrically or optically the one or more sensor signals and to process the one or more sensor signals to generate a feedback signal back to the laser-based white light source to generate a light response.

[0006] In accordance with yet another embodiment, a fiber-coupled white light illumination source includes one or more laser-based white light sources disposed at a source area, the one or more light sources comprising: a laser device comprising a gallium and nitrogen containing material and configured as an excitation source, the laser device comprising an output facet configured to output a laser electromagnetic emission with a first wavelength ranging from 385 nm to 495 nm; a phosphor member configured as a wavelength converter and an emitter and disposed to convert the laser electromagnetic emission to emit a second electromagnetic radiation with a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength; and a light-emission mode characterizing the phosphor member with a white light emission being generated from at least an interaction of the laser electromagnetic radiation with the second electromagnetic emission as a mixture of wavelengths characterized by at least the second wavelength from the phosphor member. The white light illumination source also includes one or more passive luminaries coupled to the white light emission from the laser based white light source; the one or more passive luminaries configured to distribute one or more illumination patterns at one or more illumination areas; the one or more passive luminaries free from an electrical power supply and located at a remote distance from the one or more laser based white light sources; and optionally an intermediate transport fiber with a first end coupled to the laser-based white light source to transport the white light emission to a second end coupled to the one or more passive luminaries.

[0007] In the present invention, the fiber coupled white light system is configured for a lighting application such as a specialty lighting application, a general lighting application, an infrastructure lighting application such as bridge lighting, tunnel lighting, down-hole lighting, an architectural lighting application, a safety lighting application, an appliance lighting application such as refrigerator, freezer, oven, or other appliance, a leisure or medical lighting device such as for lighting spas, jacuzzis, swimming pools, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure l is a simplified diagram illustrating a reflective mode phosphor member integrated laser-based white light source mounted in a surface mount package according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] Figure 2 is a simplified diagram illustrating a reflective mode phosphor member integrated laser-based white light source with multiple laser diode devices mounted in a surface mount package according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 3 is a simplified diagram illustrating an integrated laser-induced white light source mounted in a surface mount-type package and sealed with a cap member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 4 is a simplified diagram illustrating an integrated laser-induced white light source mounted in a surface mount-type package and sealed with a cap member according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 5 is a simplified diagram illustrating an integrated laser-induced white light source mounted in a surface mount package mounted onto a starboard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 6 is a simplified diagram illustrating an integrated laser-induced white light source mounted in a flat-type package with a collimating optic according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0014] Figure 7 is a simplified diagram illustrating an integrated laser-induced white light source mounted in a flat-type package with a collimating optic according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 8 is a simplified diagram illustrating an integrated laser-induced white light source mounted in a flat-type package and sealed with a cap member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 9 is a simplified diagram illustrating an integrated laser-induced white light source mounted in a can-type package with a collimating lens according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 10 is a simplified diagram illustrating an integrated laser-induced white light source mounted in a surface mount type package mounted on a heat sink with a collimating reflector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 11 is a simplified diagram illustrating an integrated laser-induced white light source mounted in a surface mount type package mounted on a starboard with a collimating reflector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 12 is a simplified diagram illustrating an integrated laser-induced white light source mounted in a surface mount type package mounted on a heat sink with a collimating lens according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 13 is a simplified diagram illustrating an integrated laser-induced white light source mounted in a surface mount type package mounted on a heat sink with a collimating lens and reflector member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 14 is a simplified block diagram of a laser-based fiber-coupled white light system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 14A is an exemplary diagram of a laser-based fiber-coupled white light system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 15 is a simplified block diagram of a laser-based fiber-coupled white light system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 16 is a simplified block diagram of a laser-based fiber-coupled white light system according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [0025] Figure 17 is a simplified block diagram of a laser-based fiber-coupled white light system according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 18 is a simplified diagram of A) a laser-based fiber-coupled white light system based on surface mount device (SMD) white light source and B) a laser-based fiber- coupled white light system with partially exposed SMD white light source according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 19 is a simplified diagram of a laser-based fiber-coupled white light system based on fiber-in and fiber-out configuration according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of a leaky fiber used for a laser-based fiber- coupled white light system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 21 is an exemplary image of a leaky fiber with a plurality of holes in fiber core according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 22 shows light capture rate for Lambertian emitters according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 23 is a schematic diagram of a fiber-delivered white light for automotive headlight according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 23 A is a schematic diagram of an automobile with multiple laser-based fiber- delivered headlight modules with small form factor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 23B is a schematic diagram of a laser-based fiber-delivered automotive headlight modules hidden in front grill pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 24 is a schematic diagram of a laser-based white light source coupled to a leaky fiber according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 25 is a schematic diagram of a laser-based fiber-coupled white light bulb according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 26 is a schematic diagram of a laser light bulb according to another embodiment of the present invention. [0037] Figure 27 is a schematic diagram of a multi-filament laser light bulb according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 28 is a schematic diagram of a laser-based white lighting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 29 is a schematic diagram of a laser-based white light source coupled to more-than-one optical fibers according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 30 is a schematic diagram of a laser-based white light source coupled to more than one optical fibers according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 31 is a schematic diagram of a laser-based white light system including an optical switch device or module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 32 is a schematic illustration of a laser-based white light system including a fast switching optical switch unit according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 33 is a schematic illustration of a smart lighting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 34 is a schematic diagram of a pendant light for a laser-based fiber delivered lighting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 35 is a schematic diagram of a pendant light for a laser-based fiber delivered lighting system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 36 is a schematic diagram of passive assembly optics attachments according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 37 is a schematic diagram of a passive decorative luminaire according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 38 is a schematic diagram of some exemplary high luminance sources that are coupled to a light guide and/or a remote phosphor according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 39 shows simulation results indicating that CRI value of the light source can be adjusted by wavelength red shift of red phosphor according to some embodiments of the present invention. [0050] Figure 40 shows examples of luminous intensity distribution curves emitted by a directional line light source according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 41 shows a directional line source configured with a light-emitting fiber with A) light extraction features producing a radially non-symmetric pattern, B) light extraction features producing a symmetric pattern, and equipped with a reflector element, and C) light extraction features producing a symmetric pattern, and equipped with an alternative reflector element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 42 shows a schematic configuration for applying laser-based white light directional line sources according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] Figure 43 shows a schematic configuration for applying laser-based white light directional line sources according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] Figure 44 shows a schematic configuration for applying laser-based white light directional line sources according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] Figure 45 shows a schematic configuration for applying laser-based white light directional line sources according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Figure 46 shows a schematic diagram of inputting laser-based white light into window curtain material according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] Figure 47 shows a schematic diagram of a window curtain made by luminous material receiving laser-based white light according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] Figure 48A is a schematic illustration of an application of fiber delivered laser- based white light for refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] Figure 48B is a schematic illustration of an application of fiber delivered laser- based white light for refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] Figure 48C is a schematic illustration of an application of fiber delivered laser- based white light for refrigerator according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0061] Figure 49A is a schematic illustration of an application of fiber delivered laser- based white light for swimming pool according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [0062] Figure 49B is a schematic illustration of an application of fiber delivered laser- based white light for swimming pool according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] Figure 50 is a schematic illustration of an application of fiber delivered laser-based white light for jacuzzi according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] The present invention provides a method and device for emitting white colored electromagnetic radiation using a combination of laser diode excitation sources based on gallium and nitrogen containing materials and light emitting source based on phosphor materials. In this invention a violet, blue, or other wavelength laser diode source based on gallium and nitrogen materials is closely integrated with phosphor materials to form a compact, high-brightness, and highly-efficient, white light source.

[0065] In various embodiments, the laser device and phosphor device are separately packaged or mounted on respective support member and the phosphor materials are operated in a reflective mode to result in a white emitting laser-based light source. In additional various embodiments, the electromagnetic radiation from the laser device is remotely coupled to the phosphor device through means such as free space coupling or coupling with a waveguide such as a fiber optic cable or other solid waveguide material, and wherein the phosphor materials are operated in a reflective mode to result in a white emitting laser-based light source. Merely by way of example, the invention can be applied to applications such as white lighting, white spot lighting, flash lights, automobile headlights, all-terrain vehicle lighting, flash sources such as camera flashes, light sources used in recreational sports such as biking, surfing, running, racing, boating, light sources used for drones, planes, robots, other mobile or robotic applications, safety, counter measures in defense applications, multi colored lighting, lighting for flat panels, medical, metrology, beam projectors and other displays, high intensity lamps, spectroscopy, entertainment, theater, music, and concerts, analysis fraud detection and/or authenticating, tools, water treatment, laser dazzlers, targeting, communications, LiFi, visible light communications (VLC), sensing, detecting, distance detecting, Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR), transformations, autonomous vehicles, transportations, leveling, curing and other chemical treatments, heating, cutting and/or ablating, pumping other optical devices, other optoelectronic devices and related applications, and source lighting and the like.

[0066] A gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode (LD) or super luminescent light emitting diode (SLED) may comprise at least a gallium and nitrogen containing device having an active region and a cavity member and are characterized by emitted spectra generated by the stimulated emission of photons. In some embodiments a laser device emitting red laser light, i.e. light with wavelength between about 600 nm to 750 nm, are provided. These red laser diodes may comprise at least a gallium phosphorus and arsenic containing device having an active region and a cavity member and are characterized by emitted spectra generated by the stimulated emission of photons. The ideal wavelength for a red device for display applications is -635 nm, for green -530 nm and for blue 440-470 nm. There may be tradeoffs between what colors are rendered with a display using different wavelength lasers and also how bright the display is as the eye is more sensitive to some wavelengths than to others.

[0067] In some embodiments according to the present invention, multiple laser diode sources are configured to excite the same phosphor or phosphor network. Combining multiple laser sources can offer many potential benefits according to this invention. First, the excitation power can be increased by beam combining to provide a more powerful excitation spit and hence produce a brighter light source. In some embodiments, separate individual laser chips are configured within the laser-phosphor light source. By including multiple lasers emitting 1W, 2W, 3W, 4W, 5W or more power each, the excitation power can be increased and hence the source brightness would be increased. For example, by including two 3W lasers exciting the same phosphor area, the excitation power can be increased to 6W for double the white light brightness. In an example where about 200 lumens of white are generated per 1 watt of laser excitation power, the white light output would be increased from 600 lumens to 1200 lumens. Beyond scaling the power of each single laser diode emitter, the total luminous flux of the white light source can be increased by continuing to increase the total number of laser diodes, which can range from 10s, to 100s, and even to 1000s of laser diode emitters resulting in 10s to 100s of kW of laser diode excitation power. Scaling the number of laser diode emitters can be accomplished in many ways such as including multiple lasers in a co-package, spatial beam combining through conventional refractive optics or polarization combining, and others. Moreover, laser diode bars or arrays, and mini-bars can be utilized where each laser chip includes many adjacent laser diode emitters. For example, a bar could include from 2 to 100 laser diode emitters spaced from about 10 microns to about 400 microns apart. Similarly, the reliability of the source can be increased by using multiple sources at lower drive conditions to achieve the same excitation power as a single source driven at more harsh conditions such as higher current and voltage.

[0068] In some embodiments, the invention described herein can be applied to a fiber delivered headlight comprised of one or more gallium and nitrogen containing visible laser diode for emitting laser light that is efficiently coupled into a waveguide (such as an optical fiber) to deliver the laser emission to a remote phosphor member configured on the other end of the optical fiber. The laser emission serves to excite the phosphor member and generate a high brightness white light. In a headlight application, the phosphor member and white light generation occurs in a final headlight module, from where the light is collimated and shaped onto the road to achieve the desired light pattern.

[0069] This disclosure utilizes fiber delivery of visible laser light from a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode to a remote phosphor member to generate a white light emission with high luminance, and has several key benefits over other approaches. One advantage lies in production of controllable light output or amount of light for low beam or high beam using modular design in a miniature headlight module footprint. Another advantage is to provide high luminance and long range of visibility. For example, based on recent driving speeds and safe stopping distances, a range of 800 meters to 1 km is possible from 200 lumens on the road using a size<35 mm optic structure with light sources that are 1000 cd per mm². Using higher luminance light sources allows one to achieve longer-range visibility for the same optics size. Further advantage of the fiber-delivered white-light headlight is able to provide high contrast. It is important to minimize glare and maximize safety and visibility for drivers and others including oncoming traffic, pedestrians, animals, and drivers headed in the same direction traffic ahead. High luminance is required to produce sharp light gradients and the specific regulated light patterns for automotive lighting.

Moreover, using a waveguide such as an optical fiber, extremely sharp light gradients and ultra-safe glare reduction can be generated by reshaping and projecting the decisive light cutoff that exists from core to cladding in the light emission profile.

[0070] One big advantage is small form factor of the light source and a low-cost solution for swiveling the light for glare mitigation and enhancing aerodynamic performance. For example, miniature optics < 1 cm in diameter in a headlight module can be utilized to capture nearly 100% of the light from the fiber. The white light can be collimated and shaped with tiny diffusers or simple optical elements to produce the desired beam pattern on the road it is desired to have extremely small optics sizes for styling of the vehicle. Using higher luminance light sources allows one to achieve smaller optics sizes for the same range of visibility. This headlight design allows one to integrate the headlight module into the grill, onto wheel cover, into seams between the hood and front bumper, etc. This headlight design features a headlight module that is extremely low mass and lightweight, and therefore minimized weight in the front of the car, contributing to safety, fuel economy, and

speed/acceleration performance. For electric vehicles, this translates to increased vehicle range. Furthermore, this headlight module is based on solid-state light source, and has long lifetime > 10,000 hours. Redundancy and interchangeability are straightforward by simply replacing the fiber-delivered laser light source.

[0071] Because of the fiber configuration in the design of the fiber-delivered laser-induced white light headlight module, reliability is maximized by positioning the laser-induced light source away from the hot area near engine and other heat producing components. This allows the headlight module to operate at extremely high temperatures >100 °C, while the laser module can operate in a cool spot with ample heat sinking. In a specific embodiment, the present invention utilizes thermally stable, military standard style, telcordia type packaging technology. The only elements exposed to the front of the car are the complexly passive headlight module, comprised tiny macro-optical elements. There is no laser directly deployed in the headlight module, only incoherent white light and a reflective phosphor architecture inside.

[0072] Because of the ease of generating new light patterns, and the modular approach to lumen scaling, this fiber-delivered light source allows for changing lumens and beam pattern for any region without retooling for an entirely new headlamp. This convenient capability to change beam pattern can be achieved by changing tiny optics and or diffusers instead of retooling for new large reflectors. Moreover, the fiber-delivered white light source can be used in interior lights and daytime running lights (DRL), with transport or side emitting plastic optical fiber (POF).

[0073] Spatially dynamic beam shaping devices such as digital-light processing (DLP), liquid-crystal display (LCD), 1 or 2 MEMS or Galvo mirror systems, lightweight swivels, scanning fiber tips. Future spatially dynamic sources may require even brighter light, such as 5000 - 10000 lumens from the source, to produce high definition spatial light modulation on the road using MEMS or liquid crystal components. Such dynamic lighting systems are incredibly bulky and expensive when co-locating the light source, electronics, heat sink, optics, and light modulators, and secondary optics. Therefore, they require-fiber delivered high luminance white light to enable spatial light modulation in a compact and more cost- effective manner.

[0074] An additional advantage of combining the emission from multiple laser diode emitters is the potential for a more circular spot by rotating the first free space diverging elliptical laser beam by 90 degrees relative to the second free space diverging elliptical laser beam and overlapping the centered ellipses on the phosphor. Alternatively, a more circular spot can be achieved by rotating the first free space diverging elliptical laser beam by 180 degrees relative to the second free space diverging elliptical laser beam and off-centered overlapping the ellipses on the phosphor to increase spot diameter in slow axis diverging direction. In another configuration, more than 2 lasers are included and some combination of the above described beam shaping spot geometry shaping is achieved. A third and important advantage is that multiple color lasers in an emitting device can significantly improve color quality (CRI and CQS) by improving the fill of the spectra in the violet/blue and cyan region of the visible spectrum. For example, two or more blue excitation lasers with slightly detuned wavelengths (e.g. 5 nm, 10 nm, 15 nm, etc.) can be included to excite a yellow phosphor and create a larger blue spectrum.

[0075] An example of a packaged CPoS white light source according to the present invention is provided in a reflective mode white light source configured in a surface mount device (SMD) type package. Figure l is a simplified diagram illustrating a reflective mode phosphor integrated laser-based white light source mounted in a surface mount package according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, a reflective mode white light source is configured in a surface mount device (SMD) type package. The example SMD package has a base member 1201 with the reflective mode phosphor member 1202 mounted on a support member or on a base member. The laser diode device 1203 may be mounted on a support member 1204 or a base member. The support member and base members are configured to conduct heat away from the phosphor member and laser diode members. Electrical connections from the p-electrode and n-electrode of the laser diode are made to using wirebonds 1205 and 1206 to internal feedthroughs 1207 and 1208. The feedthroughs are electrically coupled to external leads. The external leads can be electrically coupled to a power source to electrify the white light source and generate white light emission. The top surface of the base member 1201 may be comprised of, coated with, or filled with a reflective layer to prevent or mitigate any losses relating from downward directed or reflected light. In this configuration the white light source is not capped or sealed such that is exposed to the open environment. Of course, Figure 1 is merely an example and is intended to illustrate one possible simple configuration of a surface mount packaged white light source.

[0076] An alternative example of a packaged white light source including 2 laser diode chips according to the present invention is provided in the schematic diagram of Figure 2. In this example, a reflective mode white light source is configured in a surface mount device (SMD) type package. The example SMD package has a base member 1301 with the reflective mode phosphor member 1302 mounted on a support member or on a base member. A first laser diode device 1323 may be mounted on a first support member 1324 or a base member.

A second laser diode device 1325 may be mounted on a second support member 1326 or a base member. The first and second support members and base members are configured to conduct heat away from the phosphor member 1302 and laser diode members 1323 and 1325. The external leads can be electrically coupled to a power source to electrify the laser diode sources to emit a first laser beam 1328 from the first laser diode device 1323 and a second laser beam 1329 from a second laser diode device 1325. The laser beams are incident on the phosphor member 1302 to create an excitation spot and a white light emission. The laser beams are preferably overlapped on the phosphor 1302 to create an optimized geometry and/or size excitation spot. For example, in the example according to Figure 2 the laser beams from the first and second laser diodes are rotated by 90 degrees with respect to each other such that the slow axis of the first laser beam is aligned with the fast axis of the second laser beam. The top surface of the base member 1301 may be comprised of, coated with, or filled with a reflective layer to prevent or mitigate any losses relating from downward directed or reflected light.

[0077] Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of the CPoS white light source configured in a SMD type package, but with an additional cap member to form a seal around the white light source. As seen in Figure 3, the SMD type package has a base member 1441 with the white light source 1442 mounted to the base. Overlying the white light source is a cap member 1443, which is attached to the base member around the peripheral. The cap member 1443 has at least a transparent window region and in preferred embodiments would be primarily comprised of a transparent window region such as the transparent dome cap illustrated in Figure 3. The sealing type can be an environmental seal or a hermetic seal, and in an example the sealed package is backfilled with a nitrogen gas or a combination of a nitrogen gas and an oxygen gas. Electrical connections from the p-electrode and n-electrode of the laser diode are made using wire bonds 1444 and 1445. The wirebonds connect the electrode to electrical feedthroughs 1446 and 1447 that are electrically connected to external leads such as 1448 on the outside of the sealed SMD package. The leads are then electrically coupled to a power source to electrify the white light source and generate white light emission. In some embodiments, a lens or other type of optical element to shape, direct, or collimate the white light is included directly in the cap member. Of course, the example in Figure 3 is merely an example and is intended to illustrate one possible configuration of sealing a white light source. Specifically, this embodiment may be suitable for applications where hermetic seals are needed.

[0078] Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of the white light source configured in a SMD type package, but with an additional cap member to form a seal around the white light source. As seen in Figure 4, the SMD type package has a base member 1501 with the white light source comprised of a reflective mode phosphor member 1502 and a laser diode member 1503 mounted to submount members or the base member 1501. Overlying the white light source is a cap member 1504, which is attached to the base member around the sides. The cap member 1504 has at least a transparent window region and in preferred embodiments would be primarily comprised of a transparent window region such as the transparent flat cap member 1504 illustrated in Figure 4. Electrical connections from the p-electrode and n- electrode of the laser diode are made using wire bonds 1505 and 1506. The wirebonds connect the electrode to electrical feedthroughs that are electrically connected to external leads on the outside of the sealed SMD package. In some embodiments, a lens or other type of optical element to shape, direct, or collimate the white light is included directly in the cap member. Of course, the example in Figure 4 is merely an example and is intended to illustrate one possible configuration of sealing a white light source.

[0079] In some embodiments additional optical elements are used to recycle reflected or stray excitation light. In one example, a re-imaging optic is used to re-image the reflected laser beam back onto the phosphor and hence re-cycle the reflected light. [0080] In some embodiments of the present invention additional elements can be included within the package member to provide a shield or blocking function to stray or reflected light from the laser diode member. By blocking optical artifacts such as reflected excitation light, phosphor bloom patterns, or the light emitted from the laser diode not in the primary emission beam such as spontaneous light, scattered light, or light escaping a back facet the optical emission from the white light source can be more ideal for integration into lighting systems. Moreover, by blocking such stray light the integrated white light source will be inherently safer. Finally, a shield member can act as an aperture such that white emission from the phosphor member is aperture through a hole in the shield. This aperture feature can form the emission pattern from the white source.

[0081] In many applications according to the present invention, the packaged integrated white light source will be attached to a heat sink member. The heat sink is configured to transfer the thermal energy from the packaged white light source to a cooling medium. The cooling medium can be an actively cooled medium such as a thermoelectric cooler or a microchannel cooler, or can be a passively cooled medium such as an air-cooled design with features to maximize surface and increase the interaction with the air such as fins, pillars, posts, sheets, tubes, or other shapes. The heat sink will typically be formed from a metal member, but can be others such as thermally conductive ceramics, semiconductors, or composites.

[0082] The heat sink member is configured to transport thermal energy from the packaged laser diode based white light source to a cooling medium. The heat sink member can be comprised of a metal, ceramic, composite, semiconductor, plastic and is preferably comprised of a thermally conductive material. Examples of candidate materials include copper which may have a thermal conductivity of about 400 W/(m-K), aluminum which may have a thermal conductivity of about 200 W/(m-K), 4H-SiC which may have a thermal conductivity of about 370 W/(m-K), 6H-SiC which may have a thermal conductivity of about 490

W/(m-K), AIN which may have a thermal conductivity of about 230 W/(m-K), a synthetic diamond which may have a thermal conductivity of about >1000 W/(m-K), a composite diamond, sapphire, or other metals, ceramics, composites, or semiconductors. The heat sink member may be formed from a metal such as copper, copper tungsten, aluminum, or other by machining, cutting, trimming, or molding. [0083] Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a white light source configured in a sealed SMD mounted on a board member such as a starboard according to the present invention.

The sealed white light source 1612 in an SMD package is similar to that example shown in Figure 4. As seen in Figure 5, the SMD type package has a base member 1611 (i.e., the base member 1401 of Figure 3) with the white light source 1612 mounted to the base and a cap member 1613 providing a seal for the light source 1612. The cap member 1613 has at least a transparent window region. The base member 1611 of the SMD package is attached to a starboard member 1614 configured to allow electrical and mechanical mounting of the integrated white light source, provide electrical and mechanical interfaces to the SMD package, and supply the thermal interface to the outside world such as a heat-sink. The heat sink member 1614 can be comprised of a material such as a metal, ceramic, composite, semiconductor, or plastic and is preferably comprised of a thermally conductive material. Examples of candidate materials include aluminum, alumina, copper, copper tungsten, steel, SiC, AIN, diamond, a composite diamond, sapphire, or other materials. Of course, Figure 5 is merely an example and is intended to illustrate one possible configuration of a white light source according to the present invention mounted on a heat sink. Specifically, the heat sink could include features to help transfer heat such as fins.

[0084] In some embodiments of this invention, the CPoS integrated white light source is combined with an optical member to manipulate the generated white light. In an example the white light source could serve in a spot light system such as a flashlight or an automobile headlamp or other light applications where the light must be directed or projected to a specified location or area. As an example, to direct the light it should be collimated such that the photons comprising the white light are propagating parallel to each other along the desired axis of propagation. The degree of collimation depends on the light source and the optics using to collimate the light source. For the highest collimation a perfect point source of light with 4-pi emission and a sub-micron or micron-scale diameter is desirable. In one example, the point source is combined with a parabolic reflector wherein the light source is placed at the focal point of the reflector and the reflector transforms the spherical wave generated by the point source into a collimated beam of plane waves propagating along an axis.

[0085] In another example a simple singular lens or system of lenses is used to collimate the white light into a projected beam. In a specific example, a single aspheric lens is place in front of the phosphor member emitting white light and configured to collimate the emitted white light. In another embodiment, the lens is configured in the cap of the package containing the integrated white light source. In some embodiments, a lens or other type of optical element to shape, direct, or collimate the white light is included directly in the cap member. In an example the lens is comprised of a transparent material such as glass, SiC, sapphire, quartz, ceramic, composite, or semiconductor.

[0086] Such white light collimating optical members can be combined with the white light source at various levels of integration. For example, the collimating optics can reside within the same package as the integrated white light source in a co-packaged configuration. In a further level of integration, the collimating optics can reside on the same submount or support member as the white light source. In another embodiment, the collimating optics can reside outside the package containing the integrated white light source.

[0087] In one embodiment according to the present invention, a reflective mode integrated white light source is configured in a flat type package with a lens member to create a collimated white beam as illustrated in Figure 6. As seen in Figure 6, the flat type package has a base or housing member 1701 with a collimated white light source 1702 mounted to the base and configured to create a collimated white beam to exit a window 1703 configured in the side of the base or housing member 1701. Electrical connections to the white light source 1702 can be made with wire bonds to the feedthroughs 1704 that are electrically coupled to external pins 1705. In this example, the collimated reflective mode white light source 1702 comprises the laser diode 1706, the phosphor wavelength converter 1707 configured to accept a laser beam emitted from the laser diode 1706, and a collimating lens such as an aspheric lens 1708 configured in front of the phosphor 1707 to collect the emitted white light and form a collimated beam. The collimated beam is directed toward the window 1703 formed from a transparent material. The external pins 1705 are electrically coupled to a power source to electrify the white light source 1702 and generate white light emission. As seen in the Figure, any number of pins can be included on the flat pack. In this example there are 6 pins and a typical laser diode driver only requires 2 pins, one for the anode and one for the cathode. Thus, the extra pins can be used for additional elements such as safety features like photodiodes or thermistors to monitor and help control temperature. Of course, the example in Figure 6 is merely an example and is intended to illustrate one possible configuration of sealing a white light source. [0088] In one embodiment according to the present invention, a transmissive mode integrated white light source is configured in a flat type package with a lens member to create a collimated white beam as illustrated in Figure 7. As seen in Figure 7, the flat type package has a base or housing member 1801 with a collimated white light source 1812 mounted to the base member 1801 and configured to create a collimated white beam to exit a window 1803 configured in the side of the base or housing member 1801. Electrical connections to the white light source 1812 can be made with wire bonds to the feedthroughs 1804 that are electrically coupled to external pins 1805. In this example, the collimated transmissive mode white light source 1812 comprises the laser diode 1816, the phosphor wavelength converter 1817 configured to accept a laser beam emitted from the laser diode 1816, and a collimating lens such as an aspheric lens 1818 configured in front of the phosphor 1817 to collect the emitted white light and form a collimated beam. The collimated beam is directed toward the window 1803 formed from a transparent material. The external pins 1805 are electrically coupled to a power source to electrify the white light source 1812 and generate white light emission. Of course, the example in Figure 7 is merely an example and is intended to illustrate one possible configuration of sealing a white light source.

[0089] The flat type package examples shown in Figures 17 and 18 according to the present invention are illustrated in an unsealed configuration without a lid to show examples of internal configurations. However, flat packages are easily sealed with a lid or cap member. Figure 8 is an example of a sealed flat package with a collimated white light source inside. As seen in Figure 8, the flat type package has a base or housing member 1921 with external pins 1922 configured for electrical coupling to internal components such as the white light source, safety features, and thermistors. The sealed flat package is configured with a window 1923 for the collimated white beam to exit and a lid or cap 1924 to form a seal between the external environment and the internal components. The sealing type can be an environmental seal or a hermetic seal, and in an example the sealed package is backfilled with a nitrogen gas or a combination of a nitrogen gas and an oxygen gas.

[0090] In an alternative embodiment, Figure 9 provides a schematic illustration of the CPoS white light source configured in a TO-can type package, but with an additional lens member configured to collimate and project the white light. The example configuration for a collimated white light from TO-can type package according to Figure 9 comprises a TO-can base 2001, a cap 2012 configured with a transparent window region 2013 mounted to the base 2001. The cap 2012 can be soldered, brazed, welded, or glue to the base. An aspheric lens member 2043 configured outside the window region 2013 wherein the lens 2043 functions to capture the emitted white light passing the window, collimate the light, and then project it along the axis 2044. Of course, this is merely an example and is intended to illustrate one possible configuration of combining the integrated white light source according to this invention with a collimation optic. In another example, the collimating lens could be integrated into the window member on the cap or could be included within the package member.

[0091] In an alternative embodiment, Figure 10 provides a schematic illustration of a white light source according to this invention configured in an SMD-type package but with an additional parabolic member configured to collimate and project the white light. The example configuration for a collimated white light from SMD-type package according to Figure 10 comprises an SMD type package 2151 comprising a based and a cap or window region and the integrated white light source 2152. The SMD package is mounted to a heat-sink member 2153 configured to transport and/or store the heat generated in the SMD package from the laser and phosphor member. A reflector member 2154 such as a parabolic reflector is configured with the white light emitting phosphor member of the white light source at or near the focal point of the parabolic reflector. The parabolic reflector functions to collimate and project the white light along the axis of projection 2155. Of course, this is merely an example and is intended to illustrate one possible configuration of combining the integrated white light source according to this invention with a reflector collimation optic. In another example, the collimating reflector could be integrated into the window member of the cap or could be included within the package member. In a preferred embodiment, the reflector is integrated with or attached to the submount.

[0092] In an alternative embodiment, Figure 11 provides a schematic illustration of a white light source according to this invention configured in an SMD-type package, but with an additional parabolic reflector member or alternative collimating optic member such as lens or TIR optic configured to collimate and project the white light. The example configuration for a collimated white light from SMD-type package according to Figure 11 comprises an SMD type package 2261 comprising a based 2211 and a cap or window region and the integrated white laser-based light source 2262. The SMD package 2261 is mounted to a starboard member 2214 configured to allow electrical and mechanical mounting of the integrated white light source, provide electrical and mechanical interfaces to the SMD package 2261, and supply the thermal interface to the outside world such as a heat-sink. A reflector member 2264 such as a parabolic reflector is configured with the white light emitting phosphor member of the white light source at or near the focal point of the parabolic reflector. The parabolic reflector 2264 functions to collimate and project the white light along the axis of projection 2265. Of course, this is merely an example and is intended to illustrate one possible configuration of combining the integrated white light source according to this invention with a reflector collimation optic. In another example, the collimating reflector could be integrated into the window member of the cap or could be included within the package member. The collimating optic could be a lens member, a TIR optic member, a parabolic reflector member, or an alternative collimating technology, or a combination. In an alternative embodiment, the reflector is integrated with or attached to the submount.

[0093] In an alternative embodiment, Figure 12 provides a schematic illustration of a white light source according to this invention configured in an SMD-type package, but with an additional lens member configured to collimate and project the white light. The example configuration for a collimated white light from SMD-type package according to Figure 12 comprises an SMD type package 2361 comprising a based and a cap or window region and the integrated white light source 2362. The SMD package 2361 is mounted to a heat-sink member 2373 configured to transport and/or store the heat generated in the SMD package 2361 from the laser and phosphor member. A lens member 2374 such as an aspheric lens is configured with the white light emitting phosphor member of the white light source 2362 to collect and collimate a substantial portion of the emitted white light. The lens member 2374 is supported by support members 2375 to mechanically brace the lens member 2374 in a fixed position with respect to the white light source 2362. The support members 2375 can be comprised of metals, plastics, ceramics, composites, semiconductors or other. The lens member 2374 functions to collimate and project the white light along the axis of projection 2376. Of course, this is merely an example and is intended to illustrate one possible configuration of combining the integrated white light source according to this invention with a reflector collimation optic. In another example, the collimating reflector could be integrated into the window member of the cap or could be included within the package member. In a preferred embodiment, the reflector is integrated with or attached to the submount.

[0094] In an embodiment according to the present invention, Figure 13 provides a schematic illustration of a white light source according to this invention configured in an SMD-type package, but with an additional lens member and reflector member configured to collimate and project the white light. The example configuration for a collimated white light from SMD-type package according to Figure 13 comprises an SMD type package 2461 comprising a based and a cap or window region and the integrated white light source 2462 The SMD package 2461 is mounted to a heat-sink member 2483 configured to transport and/or store the heat generated in the SMD package 2461 from the laser and phosphor member. A lens member 2484 such as an aspheric lens is configured with the white light source 2462 to collect and collimate a substantial portion of the emitted white light. A reflector housing member 2485 or lens member 2484 is configured between the white light source 2462 and the lens member 2484 to reflect any stray light or light (that would not otherwise reach the lens member) into the lens member for collimation and contribution to the collimated beam. In one embodiment the lens member 2484 is supported by the reflector housing member 2485 to mechanically brace the lens member 2484 in a fixed position with respect to the white light source 2462 The lens member 2484 functions to collimate and project the white light along the axis of projection 2486 Of course, this is merely an example and is intended to illustrate one possible configuration of combining the integrated white light source according to this invention with a reflector collimation optic. In another example, the collimating reflector could be integrated into the window member of the cap or could be included within the package member. In a preferred embodiment, the reflector is integrated with or attached to the submount.

[0095] Laser device plus phosphor excitation sources integrated in packages such as an SMD can be attached to an external board to allow electrical and mechanical mounting of packages. In addition to providing electrical and mechanical interfaces to the SMD package, these boards also supply the thermal interface to the outside world such as a heat-sink. Such boards can also provide for improved handling for small packages such as an SMD (typically less than 2 cm x 2 cm) during final assembly.

[0096] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a waveguide-coupled white light system based on integrated laser-induced white light source. Figure 14 shows a simplified block diagram of a functional waveguide-coupled white light system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize many variations, alternatives, and modifications. As shown, the waveguide-coupled white light system 2500 includes a white light source 2510 and a waveguide 2520 coupled to it to deliver the white light for various applications. In some embodiments, the white light source 2510 is a laser-based white light source including at least one laser device 2502 configured to emit a laser light with a blue wavelength in a range from about 385 nm to about 495 nm.

Optionally, the at least one laser device 2502 is a laser diode (LD) chip configured as a chip- on-submount (CoS) form having a Gallium and Nitrogen containing emitting region operating in a first wavelength selected from 395nm to 425nm wavelength range, 425nm to 490nm wavelength range, and 490nm to 550nm range. Optionally, the laser device 2502 is configured as a chip-on-submount (CoS) structure based on lifted off and transferred epitaxial gallium and nitrogen containing layers. Optionally, the at least one laser device 2502 includes a set of multiple laser diode (LD) chips. Each includes an GaN-based emission stripe configured to be driven by independent driving current or voltage from a laser driver to emit a laser light. All emitted laser light from the multiple LD chips can be combined to one beam of electromagnetic radiation. Optionally, the multiple LD chips are blue laser diodes with an aggregated output power of less than 1W, or about 1W to about 10W, or about 10W to about 30W, or about 30W to 100W, or greater. Optionally, each emitted light is driven and guided separately.

[0097] In some embodiments, the laser-based waveguide-coupled white light system 2500 further includes a phosphor member 2503. Optionally, the phosphor member 2503 is mounted on a remote/separate support member co-packaged within the white light source 2510. Optionally, the phosphor member 2503 is mounted on a common support member with the laser device 2502 in a chip-and-phosphor-on-submount (CPoS) structure. The phosphor member 2503 comprises a flat surface or a pixelated surface disposed at proximity of the laser device 2502 in a certain geometric configuration so that the beam of

electromagnetic radiation emitted from the laser device 2502 can land in a spot on the excitation surface of the phosphor member 2503 with a spot size limited in a range of about 50 pm to 5 mm.

[0098] Optionally, the phosphor member 2503 is comprised of a ceramic yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) doped with Ce or a single crystal YAG doped with Ce or a powdered YAG comprising a binder material. The phosphor plate has an optical conversion efficiency of greater than 50 lumen per optical watt, greater than 100 lumen per optical watt, greater than 200 lumen per optical watt, or greater than 300 lumen per optical watt.

[0099] Optionally, the phosphor member 2503 is comprised of a single crystal plate or ceramic plate selected from a Lanthanum Silicon Nitride compound and Lanthanum aluminum Silicon Nitrogen Oxide compound containing Ce³⁺ ions atomic concentration ranging from 0.01% to 10%.

[0100] Optionally, the phosphor member 2503 absorbs the laser emission of

electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength in violet, blue (or green) spectrum to induce a phosphor emission of a second wavelength in yellow spectra range. Optionally, the phosphor emission of the second wavelength is partially mixed with a portion of the incoming/reflecting laser beam of electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength to produce a white light beam to form a laser induced white light source 2510. Optionally, the laser beam emitted from the laser device 2502 is configured with a relative angle of beam incidence with respect to a direction of the excitation surface of the phosphor member 2503 in a range from 5 degrees to 90 degrees to land in the spot on the excitation surface.

Optionally, the angle of laser beam incidence is narrowed in a smaller range from 25 degrees to 35 degrees or from 35 degrees to 40 degrees. Optionally, the white light emission of the white light source 2510 is substantially reflected out of the same side of the excitation surface (or pixelated surface) of the phosphor member 2503. Optionally, the white light emission of the white light source 2510 can also be transmitted through the phosphor member 2503 to exit from another surface opposite to the excitation surface. Optionally, the white light emission reflected or transmitted from the phosphor member is redirected or shaped as a white light beam used for various applications. Optionally, the white light emission out of the phosphor material can be in a luminous flux of at least 250 lumens, at least 500 lumens, at least 1000 lumens, at least 3000 lumens, or at least 10,000 lumens. Alternatively, the white light emission out of the white light system 2500 with a luminance of 100 to 500 cd/mm²,

500 to lOOOcd/mm², 1000 to 2000 cd/mm², 2000 to 5000 cd/mm², and greater than 5000 cd/mm².

[0101] In some embodiments, the white light source 2510 that co-packages the laser device 2502 and the phosphor member 2503 is a surface-mount device (SMD) package. Optionally, the SMD package is hermetically sealed. Optionally, the common support member is provided for supporting the laser device 2502 and the phosphor member 2503. Optionally, the common support member provides a heat sink configured to provide thermal impedance of less than 10 degrees Celsius per watt, an electronic board configured to provide electrical connections for the laser device, a driver for modulating the laser emission, and sensors associated with the SMD package to monitor temperature and optical power. Optionally, the electronic board is configured to provide electrical contact for anode(s) and cathode(s) of the SMD package. Optionally, the electronic board may include or embed a driver for providing temporal modulation for applications related to communication such as LiFi free-space light communication, and/or data communications using optic fiber. Or, the driver may be configured to provide temporal modulation for applications related to LiDAR remote sensing to measure distance, generate 3D images, or other enhanced 2D imaging techniques.

Optionally, the sensors include a thermistor for monitor temperatures and photodetectors for providing alarm or operation condition signaling. Optionally, the sensors include fiber sensors. Optionally, the electronic board has a lateral dimension of 50 mm or smaller.

[0102] In some embodiments, the white light source 2510 includes one or more optics members to process the white light emission out of the phosphor member 2503 either in reflection mode or transmissive mode. Optionally, the one or more optics members include lenses with high numerical apertures to capture Lambertian emission (primarily for the white light emission out of the surface of the phosphor member 2503. Optionally, the one or more optics members include reflectors such as mirrors, MEMS devices, or other light deflectors. Optionally, the one or more optics members include a combination of lenses and reflectors (including total -internal -reflector). Optionally, each or all of the one or more optics members is configured to be less than 50 mm in dimension for ultra-compact packaging solution.

[0103] In some embodiments, the laser-based waveguide-coupled white light system 2500 also includes a waveguide device 2520 coupled to the white light source 2510 to deliver a beam of white light emission to a light head module at a remote destination or directly serve as a light releasing device in various lighting applications. In an embodiment, the waveguide device 2520 is an optical fiber to deliver the white light emission from a first end to a second end at a remote site. Optionally, the optical fiber is comprised of a single mode fiber (SMF) or a multi-mode fiber (MMF). Optionally, the fiber is a glass communication fiber with core diameters ranging from about lum to lOum, about lOum to 50um, about 50um to 150um, about 150um to 500um, about 500um to 1mm, or greater than 1mm, yielding greater than 90% per meter transmissivity. The optical core material of the fiber may consist of a glass such as silica glass wherein the silica glass could be doped with various constituents and have a predetermined level of hydroxyl groups (OH) for an optimized propagation loss

characteristic. The glass fiber material may also be comprised of a fluoride glass, a phosphate glass, or a chalcogenide glass. In an alternative embodiment, a plastic optical fiber is used to transport the white light emission with greater than 50% per meter transmissivity.

In another alternative embodiment, the optical fiber is comprised of lensed fiber which optical lenses structure built in the fiber core for guiding the electromagnetic radiation inside the fiber through an arbitrary length required to deliver the white light emission to a remote destination. Optionally, the fiber is set in a 3-dimensional (3D) setting that fits in different lighting application designs along a path of delivering the white light emission to the remote destination. Optionally, the waveguide device 2520 is a planar waveguide (such as semiconductor waveguide formed in silicon wafer) to transport the light in a 2D setting.

[0104] In another embodiment, the waveguide device 2520 is configured to be a distributed light source. Optionally, the waveguide device 2520 is a waveguide or a fiber that allows light to be scattered out of its outer surface at least partially. In one embodiment, the waveguide device 2520 includes a leaky fiber to directly release the white light emission via side scattering out of the outer surface of the fiber. Optionally, the leaky fiber has a certain length depending on applications. Within the length, the white light emission coupled in from the white light source 2510 is substantially leaked out of the fiber as an illumination source. Optionally, the leaky fiber is a directional side scattering fiber to provide preferential illumination in a particular angle. Optionally, the leaky fiber provides a flexible 3D setting for different 3D illumination lighting applications. Optionally, the waveguide device 2520 is a form of leaky waveguide formed in a flat panel substrate that provides a 2D patterned illumination in specific 2D lighting applications.

[0105] In an alternative embodiment, the waveguide device 2520 is a leaky fiber that is directly coupled with the laser device to couple a laser light in blue spectrum. Optionally, the leaky fiber is coated or doped with phosphor material in or on surface to induce different colored phosphor emission and to modify colors of light emitted through the phosphor material coated thereover.

[0106] In a specific embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14A, the laser-based fiber-coupled white light system includes one white light source coupling a beam of white light emission into a section of fiber. Optionally, the white light source is in a SMD package that holds at least a laser device and a phosphor member supported on a common support member. The common support member may be configured as a heat sink coupled with an electronic board having an external electrical connection (E-connection). The SMD package may also be configured to hold one or more optics members for collimating and focusing the emitted white light emission out of the phosphor member to an input end of the second of fiber and transport the white light to an output end. Optionally, referred to FIG. 14 A, the white light source is in a package having a cubic shape of with a compact dimension of about 60 mm. The E-connection is provided at one (bottom) side while the input end of the fiber is coupled to an opposite (front) side of the package. Optionally, the output end of the fiber, after an arbitrary length, includes an optical connector. Optionally, the optical connector is just at a middle point, instead of the output end, of the fiber and another section of fiber with a mated connector (not shown) may be included to further transport the white light to the output end. Thus, the fiber becomes a detachable fiber, convenient for making the laser-based fiber- coupled white light system a modular form that includes a white light source module separately and detachably coupled with a light head module. For example, a SMA-905 type connector is used. Optionally, the electronic board also includes a driver configured to modulate (at least temporarily the laser emission for LiFi communication or for LiDAR remote sensing.

[0107] In an alternative embodiment, the laser-based fiber coupled white light system includes a white light source in SMD package provided to couple one white light emission to split into multiple fibers. In yet another alternative embodiment, the laser-based fiber- coupled white light system includes multiple SMD-packaged white light sources coupling a combined beam of the white light emission into one fiber.

[0108] In an embodiment, the laser-based fiber-coupled white light system 2500 includes one white light source 2510 in SMD package coupled with two detachable sections of fibers joined by an optical connector. Optionally, SMA, FC, or other optical connectors can be used, such as SMA-905 type connector.

[0109] Optionally, the fiber 2520 includes additional optical elements at the second end for collimating or shaping or generating patterns of exiting white light emission in a cone angle of 5 ~ 50 degrees. Optionally, the fiber 2520 is provided with a numerical aperture of 0.05 ~ 0.7 and a diameter of less than 2 mm for flexibility and low-cost.

[0110] In an embodiment, the white light source 2510 can be made as one package selected from several different types of integrated laser-induced white light sources shown from Figure 3 through Figure 13. Optionally, the package is provided with a dimension of 60 mm for compactness. The package provides a mechanical frame for housing and fixing the SMD packaged white light source, phosphor members, electronic board, one or more optics members, etc., and optionally integrated with a driver. The phosphor member 2503 in the white light source 2510 can be set as either reflective mode or transmissive mode. Optionally, the laser device 2502 is mounted in a mounted in a surface mount-type package and sealed with a cap member. Optionally, the laser device 2502 is mounted in a surface mount package mounted onto a starboard. Optionally, the laser device 2502 is mounted in a flat-type package with a collimating optic member coupled. Optionally, the laser device 2502 is mounted in a flat-type package and sealed with a cap member. Optionally, the laser device 2502 is mounted in a can-type package with a collimating lens. Optionally, the laser device 2502 is mounted in a surface mount type package mounted on a heat sink with a collimating reflector. Optionally, the laser device 2502 is mounted in a surface mount type package mounted on a starboard with a collimating reflector. Optionally, the laser device 2502 is mounted in a surface mount type package mounted on a heat sink with a collimating lens. Optionally, the laser device 2502 is mounted in a surface mount type package mounted on a heat sink with a collimating lens and reflector member.

[0111] Many benefits and applications can be yielded out of the laser-based fiber-coupled white light system. For example, it is used as a distributed light source with thin plastic optical fiber for low-cost white fiber lighting, including daytime running lights for car headlights, interior lighting for cars, outdoor lighting in cities and shops. Alternatively, it can be used for communications and data centers. Also, a new linear light source is provided as a light wire with < 1mm in diameter, producing either white light or RGB color light.

Optionally, the linear light source is provided with a laser-diode plus phosphor source to provide white light to enter the fiber that is a leaky fiber to distribute side scattered white light. Optionally, the linear light source is coupled RGB laser light in the fiber that is directly leak side-scattered RGB colored light. Optionally, the linear light source is configured to couple a blue laser light in the fiber that is coated with phosphor material(s) to allow laser- pumped phosphor emission be side-scattered out of the outer surface of the fiber.

Analogously, a 2D patterned light source can be formed with either arranging the linear fiber into a 2D setting or using 2D solid-state waveguides instead formed on a planar substrate.

[0112] In an alternative embodiment, Figure 15 shows a simplified block diagram of a functional laser-based waveguide-coupled white light system 2600. The laser-based waveguide-coupled white light system 2600 includes a white light source 2610, substantially similar to the white light source 2510 shown in FIG. 14, having at least one laser device 2602 configured to emit blue spectrum laser beam of a first wavelength to a phosphor member 2603. The at least one laser device 2602 is driven by a laser driver 2601. The laser driver 2601 generates a drive current adapted to drive one or more laser diodes. In a specific embodiment, the laser driver 2601 is configured to generate pulse-modulated signal at a frequency range of about 50 to 300 MHz. The phosphor member 2603 is substantially the same as the phosphor member 2503 as a wavelength converter and emitter being excited by the laser beam from the at least one laser device 2602 to produce a phosphor emission with a second wavelength in yellow spectrum. The phosphor member 2603 may be packaged together with the laser device 2602 in a CPoS structure on a common support member. The phosphor emission is partially mixed with the laser beam with the first wavelength in violet or blue spectrum to produce a white light emission. Optionally, the waveguide-coupled white light system 2600 includes an laser-induced white light source 2610 containing multiple laser diode devices 2602 in a co-package with a phosphor member 2603 and driven by a driver module 2601 to emit a laser light of 1W, 2W, 3W, 4W, 5W or more power each, to produce brighter white light emission of combined power of 6W, or 12 W, or 15 W, or more.

Optionally, the white light emission out of the laser-induced white light source with a luminance of 100 to 500 cd/mm², 500 to lOOOcd/mm², 1000 to 2000 cd/mm², 2000 to 5000 cd/mm², and greater than 5000 cd/mm². Optionally, the white light emission is a reflective mode emission out of a spot of a size greater than 5 um on an excitation surface of the phosphor member 2603 based on a configuration that the laser beam from the laser device 2602 is guided to the excitation surface of the phosphor member 2603 with an off-normal angle of incidence ranging between 0 degrees and 89 degrees.

[0113] In the embodiment, the laser-based waveguide-coupled white light system 2600 further includes an optics member 2620 configured to collimate and focus the white light emission out of the phosphor member 2603 of the white light source 2610. Furthermore, the laser-based waveguide-coupled white light system 2600 includes a waveguide device or assembly 2630 configured to couple with the optics member 2620 receive the focused white light emission with at least 20%, 40%, 60%, or 80% coupling efficiency. The waveguide device 2630 serves a transport member to deliver the white light to a remotely set device or light head module. Optionally, the waveguide device 2630 serves an illumination member to direct perform light illumination function. Preferably, the waveguide device 2630 is a fiber. Optionally, the waveguide device 2630 includes all of the types of fiber, including single mode fiber, multiple module, polarized fiber, leaky fiber, lensed fiber, plastic fiber, etc..

[0114] Figure 16 shows a simplified block diagram of a laser-based waveguide-coupled white light system 2700 according to yet another alternative embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, a laser-based white light source 2710 including a laser device 2702 driven by a driver module 2701 to emit a laser beam of electromagnetic radiation with a first wavelength in violet or blue spectrum range. The electromagnetic radiation with the first wavelength is landed to an excitation surface of a phosphor member 2703 co-packaged with the laser device 2702 in a CPoS structure in the white light source 2710. The phosphor member 2703 serves as a wavelength converter and an emitter to produce a phosphor emission with a second wavelength in yellow spectrum range which is partially mixed with the electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength to produce a white light emission reflected out of a spot on the excitation surface. Optionally, the laser device 2702 includes one or more laser diodes containing gallium and nitrogen in active region to produce laser of the first wavelength in a range from 385 nm to 495 nm. Optionally, the one or more laser diodes are driven by the driver module 2701 and laser emission from each laser diode is combined to be guided to the excitation surface of the phosphor member 2703. Optionally, the phosphor member 2703 comprises a phosphor material characterized by a wavelength conversion efficiency, a resistance to thermal damage, a resistance to optical damage, a thermal quenching characteristic, a porosity to scatter excitation light, and a thermal conductivity. In a preferred embodiment the phosphor material is comprised of a yellow emitting YAG material doped with Ce with a conversion efficiency of greater than 100 lumens per optical watt, greater than 200 lumens per optical watt, or greater than 300 lumens per optical watt, and can be a poly crystalline ceramic material or a single crystal material.

[0115] In the embodiment, the laser device 2702, the diver module 2710, and the phosphor member 2703 are mounted on a support member containing or in contact with a heat sink member 2740 configured to conduct heat generated by the laser device 2702 during laser emission and the phosphor member 2703 during phosphor emission. Optionally, the support member is comprised of a thermally conductive material such as copper with a thermal conductivity of about 400 W/(m-K), aluminum with a thermal conductivity of about 200 W/(m-K), 4H-SiC with a thermal conductivity of about 370 W/(m-K), 6H-SiC with a thermal conductivity of about 490 W/(m-K), AIN with a thermal conductivity of about 230 W/(m-K), a synthetic diamond with a thermal conductivity of about >1000 W/(m-K), sapphire, or other metals, ceramics, or semiconductors. Optionally, the support member is a High Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (HTCC) submount structure configured to embed electrical conducting wires therein. This type of ceramic support member provides high thermal conductivity for efficiently dissipating heat generated by the laser device 2702 and the phosphor member 2703 to a heatsink that is made to contact with the support member. Electrical pins are configured to connect external power with conducting wires embedded in the HTTC ceramic submount structure for providing drive signals for the laser device 2702. Each of the laser diodes is configured on a single ceramic or multiple chips on a ceramic, which are disposed on the heat sink member 2740.

[0116] In the embodiment, the laser-based waveguide-coupled white light source 2700 includes a package holding the one or more laser diodes 2702, the phosphor member 2703, the driver module 2701, and a heat sink member 2740. Optionally, the package also includes or couples to all free optics members 2720 such as couplers, collimators, mirrors, and more. The optics members 2720 are configured spatially with optical alignment to couple the white light emission out of the excitation surface of the phosphor member 2703 or refocus the white light emission into a waveguide 2730. Optionally, the waveguide 2730 is a fiber or a waveguide medium formed on a flat panel substrate.

[0117] In the embodiment, the laser-based waveguide-coupled white light source 2700 further includes an optics member 2720 for coupling the white light emission out of the white light source 2710 to a waveguide device 2730. Optionally, the optics member 2720 includes free-space collimation lens, mirrors, focus lens, fiber adaptor, or others. Optionally, the waveguide device 2730 includes flat-panel waveguide formed on a substrate or optical fibers. Optionally, the optical fiber includes single-mode fiber, multi-mode fiber, lensed fiber, leaky fiber, or others. Optionally, the waveguide device 2730 is configured to deliver the white light emission to a lighthead member 2740 which re-shapes and projects the white light emission to different kinds of light beams for various illumination applications. Optionally, the waveguide device 2730 itself serves an illumination source or elements being integrated in the lighthead member 2740.

[0118] Figure 17 shows a comprehensive diagram of a laser-based waveguide-coupled white light system 2800 according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 17, the laser-based waveguide-coupled white light system 2800 includes a laser device 2802 configured as one or more laser diodes (LDs) mounted on a support member and driven by a driver 2801 to emit a beam of laser electromagnetic radiation characterized by a first wavelength ranging from 395 nm to 490 nm. The support member is formed or made in contact with a heat sink 2810 for sufficiently transporting thermal energy released during laser emission by the LDs. Optionally, the laser-based waveguide-coupled white light system 2800 includes a fiber for collecting the laser electromagnetic radiation with at least 20%, 40%, 60%, or 80% coupling efficiency and deliver it to a phosphor 2804 in a certain angular relationship to create laser spot on an excitation surface of the phosphor 2804. The phosphor 2804 also serves an emitter to convert the incoming laser

electromagnetic radiation to a phosphor emission with a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength. Optionally, the phosphor 2804 is also mounted or made in contact with the heat sink 2810 common to the laser device 2802 in a CPoS structure to allow heat due to laser emission and wavelength conversion being properly released. Optionally, a blocking member may be installed to prevent leaking out the laser electromagnetic radiation by direct reflection from the excitation surface of the phosphor 2804.

[0119] In the embodiment, a combination of laser emission of the laser device 2802, the angular relationship between the fiber-delivered laser electromagnetic radiation and the excitation surface of the phosphor 2804, and the phosphor emission out of the spot on the excitation surface leads to at least a partial mixture of the phosphor emission with the laser electromagnetic radiation, which produces a white light emission. In the embodiment, the laser-based waveguide-coupled white light system 2800 includes an optics member 2820 configured to collimate and focus the white light emission into a waveguide 2830.

Optionally, the optics member 2820 is configured to couple the white light emission into the waveguide 2830 with at least 20%, 40%, 60%, or 80% coupling efficiency. Optionally, the optics member 2820 includes free-space collimation lens, mirrors, focus lens, fiber adaptor, or others. Optionally, a non-transparent boot cover structure may be installed to reduce light loss to environment or causing unwanted damage.

[0120] In the embodiment, the laser-based waveguide-coupled white light source 2800 further includes a lighthead member 2840 coupled to the waveguide 2830 to receive the white light emission therein. Optionally, the waveguide 2830 includes flat-panel waveguide formed on a substrate or optical fibers. Optionally, the optical fiber includes single-mode fiber, multi-mode fiber, lensed fiber, leaky fiber, or others. Optionally, the waveguide 2830 is configured to deliver the white light emission to the lighthead member 2840 which is disposed at a remote location convenient for specific applications. The lighthead member 2840 is configured to amplify, re-shape, and project the collected white light emission to different kinds of light beams for various illumination applications. Optionally, the waveguide 2830 itself serves an illumination source or element being integrated in the lighthead member 2840. [0121] Figure 18 is a simplified diagram of A) a laser-based fiber-coupled white light system based on surface mount device (SMD) white light source and B) a laser-based fiber- coupled white light system with partially exposed SMD white light source according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims. As shown, the laser-based fiber-coupled white light system 2900 is based on a laser-induced white light source 2910 configured in a surface- mount device (SMD) package. In some embodiments, the laser-induced white light source 2910 is provided as one selected from the SMD-packaged laser-based white light sources shown in Figure 3 through Figure 13, and configured to produce a white light emission with a luminance of 100 to 500 cd/mm², 500 to lOOOcd/mm², 1000 to 2000 cd/mm², 2000 to 5000 cd/mm², and greater than 5000 cd/mm².

[0122] In an embodiment shown in FIG. 18, a lens structure 2920 is integrated with the SMD-packaged white light source 2910 and configured to collimate and focus the white light emission outputted by the white light source 2910. Optionally, the lens structure 2920 is mounted on top of the SMD-package. Optionally, the waveguide-coupled white light system 2900 includes a cone shaped boot cover 2950 and the lens structure 2920 is configured to have its peripheral being fixed to the boot cover 2950. The boot cover 2950 also is used for fixing a fiber 2940 with an end facet 2930 inside the boot cover 2950 to align with the lens structure 2920. A geometric combination of the lens structure 2920 and the cone shaped boot structure 2950 provides a physical alignment between the end facet 2930 of the fiber 2940 and the lens structure 2920 to couple the white light emission into the fiber with at least 20%, 40%, 60%, or 80% coupling efficiency. The fiber 2940 is then provided for delivering the white light emission for illumination applications. Optionally, the boot cover 2950 is made by non-transparent solid material, such as metal, plastic, ceramic, or other suitable materials.

[0123] Figure 19 is a simplified diagram of a fiber-delivered-laser-induced fiber-coupled white light system based on fiber-in and fiber-out configuration according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment, the fiber-delivered-laser-induced fiber-coupled white light system 3000 includes a phosphor plate 3014 mounted on a heat sink support member 3017 which is remoted from a laser device. The phosphor plate 3014 is configured as a wavelength converting material and an emission source to receive a laser beam 3013 generated by the laser device and delivered via a first optical fiber 3010 and exited a first fiber end 3012 in an angled configuration (as shown in FIG. 19) to land on a surface spot 3015 of the phosphor plate 3014. The laser beam 3013 includes electromagnetic radiation substantially at a first wavelength in violet or blue spectrum range from 385 nm to 495 nm. The laser beam 3013 exits the fiber end 3012 with a confined beam divergency to land in the surface spot 3015 where it is absorbed at least partially by the phosphor member 3914 and converted to a phosphor emission with a second wavelength substantially in yellow spectrum. At least partially, the phosphor emission is mixed with the laser beam 3013 exited from the first fiber end 3012 or reflected by the surface of the phosphor plate 3014 to produce a white light emission 3016. The white light emission 3016 is outputted substantially in a reflection mode from the surface of the phosphor plate 3014.

[0124] In an embodiment, the fiber-delivered-laser-induced fiber-coupled white light system 3000 further includes a lens 3020 configured to collimate and focus the white light emission 3016 to a second end facet 3032 of a second optical fiber 3030. The lens 3020 is mounted inside a boot cover structure 3050 and has its peripheral fixed to the inner side of the boot cover structure 3050. Optionally, the boot cover structure 3050 has a downward cone shape with bigger opening coupled to the heat sink support member 3017 and a smaller top to allow the second optical fiber 3030 to pass through. The second optical fiber 3030 is fixed to the smaller top of the boot cover structure 3050 with a section of fiber left inside thereof and the second end facet 3032 substantially aligned with the lens 3020. The lens 3020 is able to focus the white light emission 3016 into the second end facet 3032 of the second optical fiber 3030 with at least 20%, 40%, 60%, or 80% coupling efficiency. The second optical fiber 3020 can have arbitrary length to either deliver the white light emission coupled therein to a remote destination or functionally serve as an illumination element for direct lighting. For example, the second optical fiber 3030 is a leaky fiber that directly serves as an illumination element by side-scattering the light out of its outer surface either uniformly or restricted in a specific angle range.

[0125] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of a leaky fiber used for a laser-based fiber- coupled white light system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 19, the optical fiber 3030 can be chosen from a leaky fiber that allows electromagnetic radiation coupled therein to leak out via a side firing effect like an illuminating filament. As shown in FIG. 20, a section 3105 of the leaky fiber 3101 allows radiation 3106 to leak from the fiber core 3104 through the cladding 3103. A buffer 3102 is a transparent material covering the cladding 3103. The radiation 3106 is leaked out substantially in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber 3101. [0126] Figure 21 is an exemplary image of a leaky fiber with a plurality of holes in fiber core according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 21, a polymer fiber is provided with a plurality of air bubbles formed in its core. The air bubbles act as light scattering centers to induce leaking from the fiber sidewalls.

[0127] In some embodiments, each of the laser-based fiber-coupled white light systems described herein includes a white light emitter (such as phosphor-based emitter to convert a laser radiation with a first wavelength to a phosphor emission with a second wavelength) and a fiber configured to couple the emission from the white light emitter with high efficiency. Some assumptions can be laid out to calculate some fundamental features of the light capture requirement for the system. For example, the white light emitter is assumed to be a

Lambertian emitter. Figure 22 shows light capture rate for Lambertian emitters according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, a first plot shows relative intensity versus geometric angle of the Lambertian emission comparing with a non-Lambertian emission. A full-width half maximum (FWHM) of the spectrum is at -120 degrees (-60 deg to 60 deg) for the Lambertian emission. A second plot shows relative cumulated flux versus a half of cone angle for light capture. Apparently, with a FWHM cone angle of 120 deg.,

60% of light of the Lambertian emission can be captured. Optionally, all the white emissions out of the phosphor surface in either a reflective mode or transmissive mode in the present disclosure are considered to be substantially Lambertian emission.

[0128] In an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a fiber delivered automobile headlight. Figure 23 shows a schematic functional diagram of the fiber delivered automobile headlight 3400 comprised of a high luminance white light source 3410 that is efficiently coupled into a waveguide 3430 that used to deliver the white light to a final headlight module 3420 that collimates the light and shapes it onto the road to achieve the desired light pattern. Optionally, the white light source 3410 is a laser-based SMD-packaged white light source (LaserLight-SMD offered by Sorra Laser Diode, Inc), substantially selected from one of multiple SMD-package white light sources described in Figs. 14 through 24. Optionally, the waveguide 3430 is an optical transport fiber. Optionally, the headlight module 3420 is configured to deliver 35% or 50% or more light from source 3410 to the road. In an example, the white light source 3410, based on etendue conservation and lumen budget from source to road and Lambertian emitter assumption of FIG. 22, is characterized by about 1570 lumens (assuming 60% optical efficiency for coupling the white light emission into a fiber), 120 deg FWHM cone angle, about 0.33 mm source diameter for the white light emission. In the example, the transport fiber 3430 applied in the fiber-delivered headlight 3400 is characterized by 942 lumens assuming 4 uncoated surfaces with about 4% loss in headlight module 3420, about 0.39 numerical aperture and cone angle of ~40 deg, and about 1 mm fiber diameter. Additionally, in the example, the headlight module 3420 of the fiber- delivered headlight 3400 is configured to deliver light to the road with 800 lumens output in total efficiency of greater than 35%, +/- 5 deg vertical and +/- 10 deg horizontal beam divergency, and having 4x4 mm in size. Optionally, each individual element above is modular and can be duplicated for providing either higher lumens or reducing each individual lumen setting white increasing numbers of modules.

[0129] In another example, four SMD-packaged white light sources, each providing 400 lumens, can be combined in the white light source 3410 to provide at least 1570 lumens. The transport fiber needs for separate sections of fibers respectively guiding the white light emission to four headlight modules 3420, each outputting 200 lumens, with a combined size of 4x16 mm. In yet another example, each white light source 3410 yields about 0.625 mm diameter for the white light emission. While, the fiber 3430 can be chosen to have 0.50 numerical aperture, cone angle of ~50 deg, and 1.55 mm fiber diameter. In this example, the headlight module 3420 is configured to output light in 800 lumens to the road with total efficiency of greater than 35% and a size as small as ~7.5mm.

[0130] In an embodiment, the design of the fiber delivered automobile headlight 3400 is modular and therefore can produce the required amount of light for low beam and/or high beam in a miniature Headlight Module footprint. An example of a high luminance white light source 3410 is the LaserLight-SMD packaged white light source which contains 1 or more high-power laser diodes (LDs) containing gallium-and-nitrogen-based emitters, producing 500 lumens to thousands of lumens per device. For example, low beams require 600-800 lumens on the road, and typical headlight optics/reflectors have 35% or greater, or 50% or greater optical throughput. High luminance light sources are required for long-range visibility from small optics. For example, based on recent driving speeds and safe stopping distances, a range of 800 meters to 1 km is possible from 200 lumens on the road using an optics layout smaller than 35 mm with source luminance of 1000 cd per mm². Using higher luminance light sources allows one to achieve longer-range visibility for the same optics size. High luminance is required to produce sharp light gradients and the specific regulated light patterns for automotive lighting. Moreover, using a waveguide 3430 such as an optical fiber, extremely sharp light gradients and ultra-safe glare reduction can be generated by reshaping and projecting the decisive light cutoff that exists from core to cladding in the light emission profile. As a result, the fiber delivered automobile headlight 3400 is configured to minimize glare and maximize safety and visibility for the car driver and others including oncoming traffic, pedestrians, animals, and drivers headed in the same direction traffic ahead.

[0131] Color uniformity from typical white LEDs are blue LED pumped phosphor sources, and therefore need careful integration with special reflector design, diffuser, and/or device design. Similarly, typical blue laser excited yellow phosphor needs managed with special reflector design. In an embodiment of the present invention, spatially homogenous white light is achieved by mixing of the light in the waveguide, such as a multimode fiber. In this case, a diffuser is typically not needed. Moreover, one can avoid costly and time-consuming delays associated with color uniformity tuning redesign of phosphor composition, or of reflector designs.

[0132] Laser pumped phosphors used in the laser-based fiber-delivered automobile headlight 3400 are broadband solid-state light sources and therefore featured the same benefits of LEDs, but with higher luminance. Direct emitting lasers such as R-G-B lasers are not safe to deploy onto the road since R-G-B sources leave gaps in the spectrum that would leave common roadside targets such as yellow or orange with insufficient reflection back to the eye. The present design is cost effective since it utilizes a high-luminance white light source with basic macro-optics, a low-cost transport fiber, and low-cost small macro-optics to product a miniature headlight module 3420. Because of the remote nature of the light sources 3410, the white light source 3410 can be mounted onto a pre-existing heat sink with adequate thermal mass that is located anywhere in the vehicle, eliminating the need for heat sink in the headlight.

[0133] In an embodiment, miniature optics member of < 1 cm diameter in the headlight module 3420 can be utilized to capture nearly 100% of the white light from the transport fiber 3430. Using the optics member, the white light can be collimated and shaped with tiny diffusers or simple optical elements to produce the desired beam pattern on the road. This miniature size also enables low cost ability to swivel the light for glare mitigation, and small form factor for enhanced aerodynamic performance. Figure 23 A shows an example of an automobile with multiple laser-based fiber-delivered headlight modules installed in front. As seen, each headlight module has much smaller form factor than conventional auto headlamp. Each headlight module can be independently operated with high-luminance output. Figure 23B shows an example of several laser-based fiber-delivered automotive headlight modules installed in front panel of car. The small form factor (< 1 cm) of the headlight module allow it to be designed to become hidden in the grill pattern of car front panel. Each headlight module includes one or more optics members to shape, redirect, and project the white light beam to a specific shape with controls on direction and luminous flux.

[0134] For many vehicles, it is desired to have extremely small optics sizes for styling of the vehicle. Using higher luminance light sources allows one to achieve smaller optics sizes for the same range of visibility. This design of the laser-based fiber-delivered automobile headlight 3400 allows one to integrate the headlight module 3420 into the front grill structure, onto wheel cover, into seams between the hood and front bumper, etc. The headlight module 3420 can be extremely low mass and lightweight, adapting to a minimized weight in the front of the car, contributing to safety, fuel economy, and speed/acceleration performance. For electric vehicles, this translates to increased vehicle range. Moreover, the decoupled fiber delivered architecture use pre-existing heat sink thermal mass already in vehicle, further minimizing the weight in the car.

[0135] This headlight 3400 is based on solid-state light source, and has long lifetime > 10,000 hours. Additionally, redundancy can be designed in by using multiple laser diodes on the LaserLight-SMD-based white light source 3410, and by using multiple such white light sources. If issues do occur in the field, interchangeability is straightforward by replacing individual white light source 3410. Using the high luminance light sources 3410, the delivered lumens per electrical watt are higher than that with LED sources with the same optic sizes and ranges that are typical of automotive lighting such as 100’s of meters. In an embodiment, the headlight 3400 features at least 35% or 50% optical throughput efficiency, which is similar to LED headlights, however, the losses in this fiber delivered design occur at white light source 3410, thereby minimizing temp/size/weight of headlight module 3420.

[0136] Because of the fiber configuration in this design, reliability is maximized by positioning the white light source 3410 away from the hot area near engine and other heat producing components. This allows the headlight module 3420 to operate at extremely high temperatures >100 °C, whereas the white light source 3410 can operate in a cool spot with ample heat sinking to keep its environment at a temperature less than 85 °C. In an embodiment, the present design utilizes thermally stable, mil standard style telcordia type packaging technology. The only elements exposed to the front of the car are the complexly passive headlight module 3420, comprised tiny macro-optical elements. In an embodiment, using a white light source 3410 based on the high-luminance LaserLight-SMD package, UL and IEC safety certifications have been achieved. In this case, there is no laser through fiber, only incoherent white light, and the SMD uses a remote reflective phosphor architecture inside. Unlike direct emitting lasers such as R-G-B lasers that are not safe to deploy onto the road at high power, the headlight module 3400 does not use direct emitting laser for road illumination.

[0137] In an embodiment, because of the ease of generating new light patterns, and the modular approach to lumen scaling, this headlight design allows for changing lumens and beam pattern for any region without retooling for an entirely new headlamp. This convenient capability to change beam pattern can be achieved by changing tiny optics and or diffusers instead of retooling for new large reflectors. Moreover, the white light source 3410 can be used in interior lights and daytime running lights (DRL), with transport or side emitting plastic optical fiber (POF). The detachable white light source 3410 can be located with the electronics, and therefore allows upgraded high speed or other specialty drivers for illumination for Lidar, LiFi, dynamic beam shaping, and other new applications with sensor integration.

[0138] In an embodiment, a laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination source may include a high luminance white light source that is efficiently coupled into a transport fiber that is used to deliver the white light to a remote location for illumination application. At the location, optionally an optical connector is used to connect the transport fiber with a leaky fiber configured in a feature structure. Optionally, the white light source is based on laser device configured to generate a blue laser outputted from a laser chip containing gallium and nitride material. The blue laser generated by the laser chip is led to a phosphor device, integrated with optical beam collimation and shaping elements, to excite a white light emission collimated into the transport fiber. Optionally, the white light source is a laser- based SMD-packaged white light source, selected from one of multiple SMD-package white light sources described herein. Optionally, there can be multiple lasers disposed in a safe location in, for example, an automobile. One or more phosphors are used to be excited by the multiple blue laser chips to produce white light with different spectrum or luminance.

Optionally, one of more transport fibers are disposed to couple with the one or more phosphors to couple the white light and are configured to deliver the white light to remote application locations. Optionally, the transport fiber and the leaky fiber are a same fiber. Optionally, the transport fiber is coupled with the leaky fiber via a connector or spliced together. Optionally, the leaky fiber includes one or more sections configured as illumination elements with custom shapes/arrangements and disposed around different feature locations for various lighting applications.

[0139] The leaky fibers are configured to induce a directional side scattering of the white light carried therein to provide preferential illumination in wide angular ranges off zero degrees along the length of the fibers up to 90 degrees perpendicular to the fiber. Optionally, the leaky fiber is configured to output partial white light therein with an effective luminous flux of greater than 25 lumens, or greater than 50 lumens, 150 lumens, or greater than 300 lumens, or greater than 600 lumens, or greater than 800 lumens, or greater than 1200 lumens in an optical efficiency of greater than 35% out of the fiber body. Optionally, multiple fiber connectors are included to couple the transport fibers and the leaky fibers. Optionally, the leaky fiber is spliced with the transport fiber. The transport fiber is non-leaky fiber.

Optionally, the leaky fibers are configured to various linear or partial 2-dimensional shapes with different lengths or widths. Of course, more than one such white light illumination sources can be configured at different locations based on one or more blue lasers and one or more phosphors configured to produce a white spectrum with high luminance of 100 to 500 cd/mm², 500 to lOOOcd/mm², 1000 to 2000 cd/mm², 2000 to 5000 cd/mm², and greater than 5000 cd/mm² with long life-time and low cost.

[0140] In an embodiment, the leaky fiber, in general, is configured as an illumination element substantially flexibly disposed around the structure and forming a pattern matching with the structure yet delivering desired illumination.

[0141] In an embodiment, the laser-based fiber-coupled white light source based on leaky fiber is directly configured around a light module. Optionally, the leaky fiber of the laser- based fiber-coupled white light illumination source is applied to flexibly form various shaped illumination elements. Of course, the light module can be disposed at different locations.

[0142] Alternatively, the laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination source based on leaky fiber is configured for interior application. Optionally, the laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination source based on leaky fiber is designed as interior lighting around any interior feature. Optionally, the leaky fiber of the laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination source is applied to the features. Optionally, the leaky fiber of the laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination source is applied to ceiling features. Optionally, the lamination is controllable in brightness. Optionally, the illumination color can also be tuned.

[0143] In an embodiment, spatially dynamic beam shaping may be achieved with DLP, LCD, 1 or 2 Mems or galvo mirror systems, lightweight swivels, scanning fiber tips. Future spatially dynamic sources may require even more light, such as 5000 - 10000 lumens from the source, to produce high definition spatial light modulation on the road using MEMS or liquid crystal components.

[0144] In another specific embodiment, the present disclosure provides a laser-based white light source coupled to a leaky fiber served as an illuminating filament for direct lighting application. Figure 24 is a schematic diagram of a laser-based white light source coupled to a leaky fiber according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the laser-based white light source 3500 includes a pre-packaged white light source 3510 configured to produce a white light emission. Optionally, the pre-packaged white light source 3510 is a LaserLight-SMD packaged white light source offered by Sorra Laser Diode, Inc, California, which is substantially vacuum sealed except with two electrical pins for providing external power to drive a laser device inside the package of the white light source 3510. The laser device (not fully shown in this figure) emit a blue laser radiation for inducing a phosphor emission out of a phosphor member that is also disposed inside the package of the white light source 3510. Partial mixture of the phosphor emission, which has a wavelength longer than that of the blue laser radiation, with the blue laser radiation produces the white light emission as mentioned earlier.

[0145] The laser-based white light source 3500 further includes an optics member 3520 integrated with the pre-packaged white light source 3510 within an outer housing 3530 (which is cut in half for illustration purpose). The optics member 3520 optionally is a collimation lens configured to couple the white light emission into a section of fiber 3540. Optionally, the section of fiber 3540 is disposed with a free-space gap between an end facet and the collimation lens 3520 that is substantially optical aligned at a focus point thereof. Optionally, the section of fiber 3540 is mounted with a terminal adaptor (not explicitly shown) that is fixed with the outer housing 3530. In the embodiment, the section of fiber 3540 is a leaky fiber that allows the white light incorporated therein to leak out in radial direction through its length. The leaky fiber 3540, once the white light emission being coupled in, becomes an illuminating element that can be used for direct lighting applications. [0146] Figure 25 is a schematic diagram of a laser-based fiber-coupled white light bulb according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment, the laser-based fiber-coupled white light bulb is provided as an application of a leaky fiber in the laser-based fiber-coupled white light source described in FIG. 24. In the embodiment, a base component 3605 of the light bulb includes an electrical connection structure that has a traditional threaded connection feature, although many other connection features can also be

implemented. Inside the connection structure, an AC to DC converter and/or a voltage transformer, not explicitly shown, can be included in the base component 3605 to provide a DC driving current for a laser diode mounted in a miniaturized white light emitter 3610. In the embodiment, the white light emitter 3610 includes a wavelength converting material such as a phosphor configured to generate a phosphor emission induced by a laser light emitted from the laser diode therein. The wavelength converting material is packaged together with the white light emitter 3610. The laser diode is configured to have an active region containing gallium and nitrogen element and is driven by the driving current to emit the laser light in a first wavelength in violet or blue spectrum. The phosphor emission has a second wavelength in yellow spectrum longer than the first wavelength in blue spectrum. A white light is generated by mixing the phosphor emission and the laser light and emitted out of the phosphor. In the embodiment, the wavelength converting material is packaged together with the white light emitter 3610 so that only the white light is emitted from the white light emitter 3610. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light bulb further includes a section of leaky fiber 3640 coupled to the white light emitter 3610 to receive (with certain coupling efficiency) the white light. The section of leaky fiber 3640 has a certain length wining in spiral or other shapes and is fully disposed in an enclosure component 3645 of the light bulb which is fixed to and sealed with the base component 3605. As the white light emitter 3610 is operated to emit the white light coupling into the leaky fiber 3640, the leaky fiber 3640 effectively allows the white light to leak out from outer surface of the fiber, becoming a lighting filament in a light bulb that can be used as a white light illumination source.

[0147] Figure 26 is a schematic diagram of a laser light bulb according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the laser light bulb includes a base component 3605 configured as an electrical connection structure, an outer threaded feature similar to one shown in FIG. 25, although other forms of the electrical connection structure can be implemented. An AC to DC converter and/or a voltage transformer are installed inside the base component 3605 to provide a driver current to a laser device 3600 installed near an output side of the base component 3605. The laser device 3600 is configured to be a laser diode having an active region containing gallium and nitrogen element and is driven by the driving current to emit a laser light of a first wavelength in blue spectrum. In the embodiment, the laser device 3600 is coupled to a fiber 3640 configured to be a leaky fiber embedded in a wavelength converting material 3680 such as a phosphor. The fiber 3640 is configured to couple the laser light emitted from the laser device 3600 into its core with a 20%, 40%, or 60% or greater coupling efficiency. As the laser device 3600 is operated to emit the laser light, the laser light that is incorporated into the fiber 3640 is leaked from the core through outer surface of the fiber 3640 into the wavelength converting material 3680. The leaked laser light is thus converted to white light emitted from the wavelength converting material 3680. In the embodiment, the fiber 3640 has a proper length winded into a certain size of the wavelength converting material 3680 which is fully disposed within an enclosure component 3645 of the laser light bulb. The white light emitted out of the wavelength converting material 3680 in the enclosure 3645, which is set to be a transparent one, just forms an illumination source for lighting application.

[0148] Figure 27 is a schematic diagram of a multi-filament laser light bulb according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. As shown, laser light bulb includes a base component 3605 configured as an electrical connection structure, an outer threaded feature similar to one shown in FIG. 25, although other forms of the electrical connection structure can be implemented. An AC to DC converter and/or a voltage transformer are installed inside the base component 3605 to provide a driver current to a laser device 3600 installed near an output side of the base component 3605. The laser device 3600 is configured to be a packaged gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode and is driven by the driving current to emit a laser light of a first wavelength in blue spectrum. The output of the laser device 3600 is coupled to an input port coupled to multiple optical fibers 3690 to allow the laser light of the first wavelength to be coupled into the fibers 3690 in >20%, >40%, or > 60% coupling efficiency. In the embodiment, each of the multiple optical fibers 3690 is a section of leaky fiber coated or embedded (surrounded) with a wavelength converting material such as phosphors. Again, the multiple optical fibers 3690 are all disposed within an enclosure component 3645 of the laser light bulb which is fixed and sealed with the base component 3605. As each section of leaky fiber is received a laser light, the laser light is partially leaked out from outer surface of the fiber into the wavelength converting material and is converted to white light out of outer surface of the wavelength converting material. Each fiber coated by the wavelength converting material thus becomes an illuminating filament for the laser light bulb. In an embodiment, different sections of leaky fibers are coated with different phosphor mixtures so that different (warmer or cooler) white colored light can be respectively emitted from multiple sections of leaky fibers. In the embodiment, overall light color of the laser light bulb is dictated by relative brightness of each illuminating filament based in respective section of leaky fiber and can be controlled by the coated mixtures of phosphors around the multiple sections of leaky fibers.

[0149] In the present invention, the laser-based fiber coupled white light system is configured for a lighting application. Such lighting applications include, but are not limited to specialty lighting applications, general lighting applications, mobile machine lighting applications such as automotive lighting, truck lighting, avionics on lighting, drone lighting, marine vehicle lighting, infrastructure lighting application such as bridge lighting, tunnel lighting, down-hole lighting, architectural lighting applications, safety lighting applications, applications for appliance or utility lighting such as in refrigerators, freezers, ovens, or other appliances, in a submerged lighting application such as for lighting spas, lighting for jacuzzis, lighting for swimming pools, or even lighting in natural bodies of water including lakes, oceans, or rivers.

[0150] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention comprising a laser-based fiber- coupled white light source is configured in a distributed or central lighting system. In this preferred embodiment one or more laser-based light sources are housed in a first designated location. An electrical power source is coupled to an electrical driver unit configured to supply current and voltage to the laser-based white light source. The supplied power is configured to activate one or more laser diodes comprised in the laser-based light source to generate white light. One or more fibers are optically coupled to the one or more laser-based white light sources. The one or more optical fibers are configured to transport the white light from the first designated location to one or more illumination locations. In some examples, the illumination locations could be configured at short distances from the first designated source location such as less than 5 meters or less 1 meter. In other examples, the illumination locations could be configured at longer distances from the first designated source location such as more than about 5 meters or more than about 50 meters. In other examples the illumination locations could be configured at a very large distance from the first designated source location such as more than about 500 meters. [0151] Figure 28 presents a schematic diagram of a laser-based white lighting system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As seen in Figure 28, a laser-based white light source 3901 is located in a first designated source location. One or more optical transport fibers 3903 are optically coupled to the white light source 3901. The white light enters the one or more optical transport fibers 3903. The optical transport fibers 3903 serve as waveguide to transport the white light to one or more illumination areas. The total optical coupling efficiency of the white light emission to the one or more fibers could range from about 30% to 50%, 50% to 70%, 70% to 90%, or greater than 90%. As shown in Figure 28, the white light is transported to a designated illumination space. Optionally, the illumination space is an interior room, which could be located in a home, office, workspace, store, warehouse, or other types spaces where light would be needed. The transport fibers 3903 are routed to different illumination locations within the designated illumination space. The white light transported by the fibers 3903 enters various luminaire members configured to emit the white light in a pre-determined pattern on specific locations within the illumination space. In some configurations there are multiple fibers 3903 coupled to the white light source 3901 wherein each of the fibers 3903 is routed to its own unique illumination location. In other configurations there is one (or more) fiber 3903 coupled to the white light source 3091 wherein the one (or more) fiber is then split into multiple fibers and the multiple fibers are then routed to the individual illumination locations. Optionally, the multiple fibers are scattering or leaky fibers 3905 configured to emit or leak the white light. Optionally, the splitting of the white light from the one (or more) fiber to the multiple fibers could be accomplished with fiber splitters, switches, or mirrors.

[0152] Optionally, the luminaire members include one or more passive luminaries 3910. In the example of Figure 28, passive luminaires 3910 are deployed at the end of the one or more transport fibers to modify the light before the light interacts with the target location. The passive luminaires 3910 function to modify the light by one or more of directing the light, scattering the white light, shaping the white light, reflecting the white light, modify the color temperature or rendering index of the white light, or other effects. In addition to the passive luminaire members 3910 of the white light system according to Figure 28, scattering fiber or leaky fiber elements 3905 could be included in the white light system. Optionally, the leaky fibers form line emitting white light sources in the illumination space, which could be in combination with the passive luminaires 3910 or could be standalone and embedded into the architectural design features such as baseboard or crown molding. [0153] There are many advantages to such a central or distributed lighting system. By running passive optical fibers throughout infrastructure such as homes or buildings to deliver light instead of electrical wires the cost and complexity of the lighting system can be reduced and the risk of fire or other hazards would be lower providing a safe environment. Since there are thousands of feet of copper wire within the walls, ceilings, and floors of conventional buildings that could be replaced with lower cost glass or plastic fibers, laser-based white lighting systems provide a tremendous cost saving opportunity. Moreover, since the copper wires powering conventional lighting systems are often charged with high voltage, elimination or reduction of such high voltage lines from the building can reduce the risk of arcing or sparking, and thereby reduce the risk of fires.

[0154] Another benefit according to the present invention is an improved styling lighting system. With large amounts of light [200 lumens to 3000 lumens] delivered from a tiny optical fiber [core diameter of lOOpm to 2mm, or greater such as 3 to 4mm], the lighting fixtures used to manipulate, shape, and direct the light to the desired target can be drastically smaller than conventional lights based on LEDs or bulb technology, greatly improving the styling and reduce the cost of the lighting system. Additionally, since leaky fibers can be used to create a distributed or line light source that is not efficiently possible with LED, improved light styling can be achieved and light can actually be integrated into the building material such that it is“hidden” without discrete and acute light fixtures, which are often ugly to the human eye.

[0155] Energy savings can be realized in a laser-based central lighting system according to the present invention since the light source can be located remote from the illumination area. That is, the light source which generates a substantial amount of heat generation can be spatially isolated from an illumination area to prevent adding any unwanted thermal energy into the illumination area. For example, in a hot weather climate where air conditioners are running continuously to cool indoor environments, it is desirable to remove all heat generating objects and processes from the space. With conventional lighting where the light source is fixed to the location of emission [co-located], the light sources effectively act as heaters and counteract the cooling processes, making the system less efficient. For example, a single light source can dissipate from 1 W to 100 W, so in a situation where each light dissipates 10 W of heat in a large area where 100 or more of these lights would be required, over lkW of waste heat would be dissipated in the illumination area. With a fiber delivered laser-based white light source all of the heat generation from the source could be de-coupled from the illumination area, and thereby not contribute to undesired heating. However, in situations where heat was desired in the area of illumination [e.g., cold climate], the heat could be collected from the laser-based white light system and transported to the area via a duct or other means.

[0156] In yet an additional benefit of this central lighting or distributed lighting

embodiment according to the present invention on fiber delivered laser-based white light, the replacement of a defective or failed laser-based light source or upgrade to an improved source would have reduced complexity compared to that of replacing conventional bulb or LED technology. With conventional sources where the actual light generating source is co-located with the emission area [e.g., in a ceiling] one must access the emission location to replace a failed or defective source, or upgrade their lights to improved or differentiated lights. Since the emission area or location of lighting are often in high areas that are not easily acceptable, it can be very time consuming, expensive and even dangerous to replace such sources. It can take hours or even days to replace the overhead lighting in offices or homes and may require special equipment such as ladders and mechanically powered lifts. In more extreme examples such as street lighting, bridge lighting, or tunnel lighting, the job to replace the light sources can include strong dangers associated with the equipment and the environment, and carry very high costs, which are incurred by the corporations, the private parties, or even by the taxpayers in government or municipal applications. In the present invention wherein the laser-based white light sources are located in an area remote from the emission points, the light sources could be contained in an easily accessed location where source change out could be fast, efficient, safe, and require no specialized equipment that can add to the cost and complexity of light source.

[0157] In the present embodiment according to this invention configured as a central lighting system or distributed lighting system, the white light generated by the laser-based white light source is transported from the first designated source location to one or more illumination locations where the white light is configured to illuminate one or more objects and/or areas. In one example the laser-based white light source is comprised of a surface mount device (SMD) type source wherein one or more laser diodes and co-packaged with one or more wavelength converting elements such as phosphor members. The overall laser-based white light source could be comprised of multiple individual sources such as multiple laser- based white light emitting SMD sources. The multiple sources could be arranged in a common housing with a common power supply configured in arrangements such as arrayed or stack arrangements. In an alternative arrangement the individual sources are configured in separate housing members with separate power supplies. In one preferred embodiment, the design would enable the replacement of the one or more laser-based white light sources when a source failure occurs, a defective source is encountered, or an upgrade or modification is desired.

[0158] According to the present embodiment, each of the one or more laser-based white light sources could be coupled to one or more transport optical fibers, wherein the transport optical fiber is configured to transport the white light from the first designated source location to one or more illumination areas. As an example, one of the one or more SMD sources could be configured to generate between 50 and 5000 lumens emitting from an emission area on the phosphor of 50um to about 1mm, or to about 3mm, or larger. In another example, the laser- based white light source could be configured with a T0-cannister package.

[0159] In another example configuration of the laser-based white lighting system according to the present invention includes one or more laser-based white light sources configured with a laser beam formed from the combination of multiple laser diode chips either by combining the beam from multiple individually packaged laser diodes or by combing the laser beams from the laser chips within a multi-chip laser package configured to combine the output emission beams from the multiple laser chips. In some examples, a combination of packaged laser types are used. The combined laser beams could be collimated using optical members in some embodiments and would be configured to excite a phosphor and generate the white light. The white light emission from the phosphor generated by the combined laser beams is coupled into an optical fiber member wherein the optical fiber member is configured to transport the white light and/or scatter the white light to create a line source. By using multi chip package or multi-chip configurations the total optical power in the combined laser beam can be >10W, >30W, >50W, 100W, or greater than 500W. With such high optical powers, very large white light lumen levels can be generated at one or more phosphors. For example, greater than 1,000 lumens, greater than 2,000 lumens, greater than 5,000 lumens, greater than 10,000 lumens, or greater than 100,000 lumens can be generated. This generated white light at the one or more phosphor members can then be fiber coupled to transport fibers to deliver the white light to one or more desired illumination areas. The one or more transport fibers could be comprised from one or more solid core fibers, one or more fiber bundles, a combination of solid core and fiber bundle type fibers, or other types of fibers. In some embodiments leaky or scattering fibers are included to make a line source. [0160] In some embodiments, the combined laser beams from a multi-chip package or from multiple separate packaged lasers are coupled into an optical fiber wherein the optical fiber is configured to transport the laser light to a remote phosphor to form a remote white light source. By using multi-chip package or multi-chip configurations the total optical power in the combined laser beam can be >10W, >30W, >50W, 100W, or greater than 500W. With such high optical powers, very large white light lumen levels can be generated at one or more phosphors. For example, greater than 1,000 lumens, greater than 2,000 lumens, greater than 5,000 lumens, greater than 10,000 lumens, or greater than 100,000 lumens can be generated. This generated white light at the one or more phosphor members can then be fiber coupled to transport fibers to deliver the white light to one or more desired illumination areas. The one or more transport fibers could be comprised from one or more solid core fibers, one or more fiber bundles, a combination of solid core and fiber bundle type fibers, or other types of fibers. In some embodiments leaky or scattering fibers are included to make a line source.

[0161] In one specific embodiment, a high lumen emission spot from the phosphor is configured to emit 1000 to 5000 lumens or more lumens of white light from a spot area of about 300pm to about 3mm, or larger. One or more plastic or glass optical transport fibers are coupled to the white light emission from the phosphor such that between 5% and 95% of the emitted white light is coupled into the one or more optical fibers. The one or more optical fibers comprising 1 to about 10 fibers, or 10 to about 50 fibers, or 50 to about 1500 fibers.

The one or more optical fibers could be comprised of solid core optical fibers with core diameters in the range of about 100pm to about 2 or about 3mm, or could be comprised of fiber bundled cores wherein the individual strands comprising the bundle could have diameters from about 25pm to about 250pm to comprise a“bundled core” diameter of about 200pm to about 2mm, or greater such as 3 to 4mm. The 1 or more optical transport fibers are then routed from the first designated source location to one or more designated illumination locations where they deliver the white light to target or area.

[0162] In another specific embodiment, a low to mid lumen emission spot from the phosphor is configured to emit 50 to 1000 lumens of white light from a spot area of about 50pm to about 1mm. One or more plastic or glass optical transport fibers are coupled to the white light emission from the phosphor such that between 5% and 95% of the emitted white light is coupled into the one or more optical fibers. The one or more optical fibers comprising 1 to about 5 fibers, or 5 to about 20 fibers, or 20 to about 40 fibers. The one or more optical fibers could be comprised of solid core optical fibers with core diameters in the range of about lOOpm to about 2mm or greater, or could be comprised of fiber bundled cores wherein the individual strands comprising the bundle could have diameters from about 25pm to about 250pm to comprise a“bundled core” diameter of about 200pm to about 2mm or greater such as 3 to 4mm. The 1 or more optical transport fibers are then routed from the first designated source location to one or more designated illumination locations where they deliver the white light to target or area.

[0163] Several central lighting systems based on laser-based fiber-coupled white light source are disclosed below. Figure 29 presents a schematic diagram of a laser-based white light source coupled to more than one optical fibers according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the Figure 29, the laser-based white-light source 4010 is enclosed in a housing member 4005. The white light source 4010 is configured to receive electrical input 4001 to activate white light emission. Optionally, the white light source 4010 includes an electrical driver or circuit board member configured to condition the electrical input 4001. Optionally, the white light emission from the laser-based source 4010 is shaped with optional optical elements 4015 such as collimating lens elements and/or focusing lens elements and is fed into multiple optical fibers 4030 configured to transport the white light 4002. Optionally, connector units 4020 can be included to make for easy detachability of the optical fibers 4030, which would enable replacement of parts or entirety in the housing member 4005 for the light source 4010 or replacement of one or more of the transport optical fibers.

[0164] Figure 30 presents a schematic diagram of multiple laser-based white light sources coupled to more than one optical fibers according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the Figure 30, the multiple laser-based white-light sources 4111 are enclosed in a single housing member 4105. All the white light sources 4111 are configured to receive electrical input 4001 to activate white light emission. Optionally, each of the multiple white light source 4111 includes an electrical driver or circuit board member configured to condition the electrical input 4001. The white light emission from each of the laser-based white light source 4111 is shaped with optional optical elements 4151 such as collimating lens elements and/or focusing lens elements and is fed into a channel (e.g., Channel 1) to transport or output the white light 4002. Optionally, each channel, e.g., Channel 1, includes multiple transport waveguides or fibers configured to transport the white light. Optionally, connector units 4121 can be included to make for easy detachability of the optical fibers for each channel to the respective white light source. The connector units 4121 enable replacement of the light source or replacement of the transport fiber elements in each channel.

[0165] According to the embodiments of the central lighting or distributed lighting system based on laser-based fiber-coupled white light source, one or more transport fibers in one or more channels could transport the white light from the first designed source area to one or more illumination areas. In one example, the laser-based white light source would provide light through a transport fiber to illuminate a single object or area in a given location or space. In another example, multiple transport fibers are coupled to the one or more white light sources to deliver white light to multiple objects and/or areas within a given area or location such as within a single room. In yet another example, multiple transport fibers are coupled to the one or more white light sources to deliver white light to multiple objects and/or areas within multiple areas or locations such as to different rooms of the same building or house.

[0166] In such a“central lighting” system including a laser-based white light source, the illumination locations could include more than one location in a single room or more than one location in more than one room of a structure, and even include indoor and outdoor illumination locations. For example, the laser-based central lighting system could be used to provide illumination to a complete home, a complete office structure, a complete shopping or business building, etc. An important design aspect of the laser-based lighting system is the system efficiency and the related capability to enable tuning the brightness or lumen output independently for each of the different illumination locations. In a simple example, the light output at a given location is controlled by tuning the white light output of the laser-based white light source providing the light to the given location by controlling the electrical input to the source. Although this is a simple approach to control the light output and would be sufficient if the specified laser-based white light source was only providing light to a single illumination location, in configurations wherein one laser-based white light source is coupled into multiple fibers to illuminate multiple locations it does not provide the flexibility to independently control the level of light delivered to each of the multiple locations.

[0167] In the laser-based white light system according to the present invention, there are several configurations that can provide independent adjustment of the light levels delivered to each of the illumination locations. Figure 31 presents a schematic diagram of a laser-based white light system including an optical switch device or module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 31, the laser-based white light generated from the laser-based white light source 4010 is captured or optically coupled via an coupling optics element 4015 through an optical connector 4020 into a white light supply member 4040. Optionally, the laser-based white light source 4010 is housed by a housing member 4005 and activated by receiving electrical input 4001 as described in the Laser-based white light system in Figure 29. Optionally, the white light supply member 4040 is comprised of a single medium such as a large diameter fiber, a waveguide, or other, or is comprised of a multi-component medium such as a fiber bundle. The white light supply member 4040 delivers the optically coupled white light to an optical switching system 4050. The optical switching system 4050 is configured to direct the supplied white light to one or more output transport fibers 4030. Each of the output transport fibers 4030 delivers the white light 4002 to a designated illumination area. By utilizing the optical switching system, light can be directed only to illumination locations wherein the light is needed.

[0168] Optionally, the optical switch system 4050 shown in Figure 31 is a device that selectively switches optical illumination signals on or off as an optical modulator. In some embodiments, the optical switch system is configured to switch data signals on or off as an data-signal modulator. In some embodiments, the optical switch system 4050 is configured to select signals from the white light supply member 4040 to a designated channel as an optical space switch of router to deliver the illumination to a designated location. Since the switching operation of the optical switch system 4050 can be temporal or spatial, such switching operations are analogous to one-way or two-way switching in electrical circuits. Independent of how the light itself is switched, systems that route light beams to different locations are often referred to as "photonic" switches. In general, optical modulators and routers can be made from each other.

[0169] Optionally, the optical switch system 4050 may operate by mechanical means, such as physically shifting an optical fiber to drive one or more alternative fibers, or by electro optic effects, magneto-optic effects, or other methods such as scanning fiber tip or micro positioners. Optionally, low speed optical switches may be used solely for routing optical illumination to designated illumination sources. In one example of a low speed optical switch, the optical fibers are configured to physically move to route the illumination light from the source to the illumination area. Optionally, high speed optical switches, such as those using electro-optic or magneto-optic effects, may be used to route the optical illumination from the source to the desired illumination area and to perform logic operations.

[0170] Optionally, the optical switching system 4050 according to the present invention includes MEMS devices such as scanning micro-mirrors or digital light processing chips (DLP) including arrays of micromirrors that can deflect the laser-based illumination light to the appropriate receiver or designated illumination area. Optionally, the optical switching system 4050 according to the present invention includes piezoelectric beam steering devices involving piezoelectric ceramics function to direct the laser-based illumination light to the appropriate receiver or designated illumination area. Additionally, the optical switching system 4050 according to the present invention includes one based on scanning fiber tip technology, micro-positioners, inkjet methods involving the intersection of two waveguides, liquid crystal technology such as liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS), thermal methods, acousto optic, magneto-optic technology approaches function to direct the laser-based illumination light to the appropriate receiver or designated illumination area.

[0171] Optionally, the optical switching system 4050 according to the present invention can be comprised of digital type switches that have only have two positions. The first position corresponds to the light being nominally turned“off’ such that minimal amounts of light is coupled into the transport fiber and delivered to the illumination location. The second position corresponds to the light being turned“on” such that the white light is delivered to the designated illumination location. Digital switch configurations could include micro-mirrors, MEMS technology including scanning mirrors and arrays of mirrors, electro-optic valves, etc. In other laser-based white light systems according to the present invention, the switch system 4050 includes analog switches that can provide a dynamic range level of light in between the “off’ state and the“on” state. Such analog switches can provide a valve function enabling a light“dimming” function. The capability to dim the light at specific illumination locations is an important function for many lighting applications.

[0172] As shown in the Figure 31, the laser-based white-light source 4010 is enclosed in a housing member 4005. The white light source 4010 is configured to receive electrical input 4001 (including power and control signals) to activate the laser-based white-light source 4010 to produce white light emission. Optionally, the white light source 4010 includes an electrical driver or circuit board member configured to condition the power and electrical input 4001. The white light emission from the laser-based source 4010 is optionally shaped with optional optical elements 4015 such as collimating lens elements and/or focusing lens elements. The white light emitted from the white light source 4010 is coupled to an optional optical supply member 4040 configured to transport the light from the white light source 4010 to the optical switching device or module 4050. The optical supply member 4040 could range in length dimensions from very short lengths of about 1mm to much longer lengths of 10 meters or longer. The optical supply member 4040 may be configured from a light pipe such as a solid waveguide, an optical fiber formed from a glass material or a plastic material or other material, a bundle of optical fibers, or could be configured from a free space design. The optical supply member 4040 is configured to deliver the white light to an optical switching device or module 4050. The optical switching performed by the optical switching device or module 4050 is designed and configured to route the white light to a network of optical transport fibers 4030. The optical transport fibers 4030 distribute and deliver the white light to desired illumination areas. By actuating the optical switching module 4050, the white light can be switched“on” to certain optical fibers directed to locations where the light is needed and switched“off’ to the certain other optical fibers directed to locations where the light is not needed. In some examples of the laser-based white lighting system including an optical switching module, a white light supply member 4040 may not be included wherein the white light from the laser-based white light source 4010 is directly coupled into the optical switching module 4050.

[0173] Optionally, the optical switching module in Figure 31 can include MEMS devices such as scanning micro-mirrors, or digital light processing chips (DLP) including arrays of micromirrors that can deflect the laser-based illumination light to the appropriate receiver or designated illumination area. In another configuration according to the present invention, the optical switching module 4050 includes piezoelectric beam steering devices, devices based on one of scanning fiber tip technology, micro positioners, inkjet methods involving the intersection of two waveguides, liquid crystal technology such as liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS), thermal methods, acousto-optic, magneto-optic technology and are configured to direct the laser-based illumination light to the appropriate receiver or designated illumination area. In some embodiments, combinations of various switching technologies are included.

[0174] Optionally, the switching module 4050 in Figure 31 includes digital type switches to turn the light“on” and“off’ in certain locations. Optionally, the switching module 4050 includes analog type switches that enable control of the amount of light delivered to certain locations to provide a dimming function. Optionally, the switching module 4050 includes a combination of digital type and analog type switches. Digital switch configurations could include micro-mirrors, MEMS technology, electro-optic valves, etc. In other laser-based white light systems, the analog switches employed in the switch module can provide a dynamic range level of light in between the“off’ state and the“on” state. Such analog switches can provide a valve function enabling a light“dimming” function. This capability to dim the light at specific illumination locations according to the laser-based white light system is an important function for many lighting applications since different occasions, time of day, occupants’ preferences, and other factors demand different light levels at a given location at different times.

[0175] In various embodiments according to the present invention, the laser-based white lighting system is configured to provide energy savings compared to the current art. By configuring the central lighting system with optical switches and routers to preferentially direct the light from the source to where the light is desired as described above, along with providing the capability to adjust the light generated at the source level and the associated input power to drive the source, the system operation state can be optimized to minimize the power consumption for a given operating requirement.

[0176] In addition to the digital and analog switching capability to enable precise control of the light levels delivered from the laser-based white light source to the desired illumination areas described above, the amount of light output from the one or more white light source modules can be adjusted to provide an added level of control of the white light system’s generation and distribution of the light to the illumination locations. By careful consideration of the system’s characteristics and the lighting requirements at a given use condition, the optical switches can be adjusted in conjunction with adjusting the input power driving the laser-based source to generate the white light for an optimized system efficiency. By adjusting the power or current delivered to the one or more laser-based white light sources, the amount of input electrical power and output luminous flux generated by the white light source is changed. During times when only a relatively low amount of white light is needed such as when light is only needed in few locations such as during day time or late at night when only 1-3 lights are on in a home, the one or more white light source can be run at relatively low luminous flux output levels, which would require less input power and hence save energy. [0177] For optimum utilization efficiency of the light generated by the laser-based white light source and hence optimum power consumption efficiency, it is necessary that a high fraction of the useful generated light from the source can be directed into the specific transport fibers delivering the light to the desired illumination locations at a given time. In a spatially static system lighting system that could even include an optical switching module, it is an extreme technical challenge to make such efficient use of all generated light.

[0178] For purposes to illustrate an example of energy efficiency in a laser-based white lighting system we describe a system comprising a single laser-based white light source feeding ten optical transport fibers routed to ten separate illumination locations. The optical transport fibers are optically coupled to the white light source using a coupling pathway and optical switches functioning to control the light level at each illumination location. In the case that light is desired at all ten illumination locations the white light source is powered to generate the desired level of light at the source and all light switches are in the“on” position for digital type switches or open to the desired level for analog type switches. In this configuration, assuming the fiber coupling architecture is well designed, the laser-based white light system can operate in an optimum energy efficiency condition. However, in the case that light is only desired at two of the ten locations, such a spatially static system the light switches for the 2 transport fibers feeding these two locations would be configured in the“on” position for digital type switches or“open” to the desired level for analog type switches. The light switches for the 8 transport fibers feeding the light to illumination locations where light is not desired would be configured in the“off’ position for digital type switches or in the“closed” position for analog type switches. In such a configuration, all of the light directed to the transport fiber locations wherein the optical switches were configured in the“off’ or“closed” position would be wasted light. In this case only about two-tenths of the useful light in the system would be delivered to illumination areas, providing only a 20% efficiency of the useful fiber coupled light.

[0179] One solution to this efficiency challenge to create a most energy efficient laser- based white light system is to add a spatial modulation capability. By including a spatial modulation feature, the white light supplied from the laser-based white light source can be spatially directed to the select transport fibers delivering light to the locations where light is desired at any given time. That is, in the example scenarios given above including a laser- based white light source feeding into ten optical transport fibers the system could operate at high energy efficiency in both cases. In the first case where light is desired at all ten illumination locations, the spatial modulator would be driven to spatially direct the source light to all ten fiber inputs distributing all of, or most of, the useful light from the source to the ten illumination locations. In the second case where light is only desired at two of the ten illumination locations, the spatial modulator would be driven to spatially direct the source light only to the two fiber inputs transporting the light to the two illumination locations where light is desired. To optimize the energy efficiency of the system in the latter case, the input power to the laser-based light source could be reduced such that the light source only generates about 20% of the light of the first case, assuming that the light required in all locations is about equal. By doing this, the amount of wasted light would be minimized.

[0180] The spatial modulation apparatus comprised in the laser-based white lighting system could be configured as part of the optical switching module or device, could be the optical switching module device itself, or could be configured separate from the optical switching module. In some embodiments, the spatial modulation device is included as the switching module since the spatial modulation effect itself can serve to turn transport fibers“on” by directing light into them or turn transport fibers“off’ by directing light away from them.

[0181] In some embodiments according to the present invention, the spatial modulation may be a“slow” modulation wherein the source light is configurable from one static position where it can operate with one desired supply of light to transport fibers to multiple other static positions where it can operate with other desired supply of light to transport fibers. This system can be viewed as a reconfigurable static system wherein the spatial modulator can change the supply light to predetermined locations to supply light to predetermined transport fibers. This spatial modulation can be accomplished with electro-mechanical mechanisms, piezoelectric mechanisms, micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) mechanisms such as scanning mirrors and/or digital mirror arrays such as DMDs, liquid crystal mechanisms, beam steering mechanisms, acousto-optic mechanisms, and other mechanisms. Many of these mechanisms are in existence today and are deployed as optical switches, modulators, micro displays, or other technologies in various systems such as in telecommunication systems.

[0182] In some embodiments according to the present invention, the spatial modulation may be a“fast” modulation wherein the source light is actively or dynamically scanned across a spatial field comprising the optical input paths to the transport fibers. This“fast” spatial modulation configuration enables the addition of a time domain element to the spatial modulation. With the ability to actively spatial modulate over a spatial area at high speeds the scanning rate and pattern can be designed to provide a higher time averaged amount of light to certain optical transport fiber inputs, a lower time averaged amount of light to certain other optical transport fiber inputs, and even no or a very low amount of time averaged light to certain other transport fiber inputs such that the light level entering each transport fiber can be tuned to the desired level of light associated with the corresponding illumination area. In this spatial modulation embodiment including a fast modulation capability the supply light from the laser-based white light source would be configured such that a majority or large fraction of the usable white light from the source is within the light beam being scanned across the spatial field and available for entry into the transport fibers. Such a scanning configuration coupled with the ability to tune the total light output of the laser-based white light source by controlling the input electrical power would provide a highly efficient white lighting system since the amount of light generated at the source can be tuned to provide only the level of the light needed at the one or more illumination locations to avoid wasting light by illuminating unnecessary areas.

[0183] The fast spatial modulation of the laser-based white light according to the present invention can be accomplished in many ways. To name a few, the fast switching can be accomplished with electro-mechanical mechanisms, piezoelectric mechanisms, micro electromechanical system (MEMS) mechanisms such as scanning mirrors and/or digital mirror arrays such as DMDs, liquid crystal mechanisms, beam steering mechanisms, acousto optic mechanisms, and other mechanisms.

[0184] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fast switching is accomplished with a MEMS technology. According to the present invention, the light from the laser-based white light source is collimated into a beam of white light. The beam of white light is then directed to one or more scanning MEMS mirrors. The scanning MEMS mirrors can then direct the beam of white light toward a spatial field containing the optical pathways to the input of the transport fibers such that when the MEMS mirror is scanning the beam of white light it can direct the light toward any of the optical transport fibers based on a control circuit driving the MEMS so that a predetermined amount of time averaged light can be optically coupled into the desired transport fibers to deliver a select amount of light to select illumination areas. The MEMS mirrors can be selected from a electro- static activated mirror, an electro-magnetic activated mirror, a piezo-activated mirror, and can be operated in a resonant or a non-resonant vector scanning mode. The MEMS mirror could be configured to scan on a single-axis to scan ID array of transport optical transport fiber input paths, could be configured as a bi-axial scanning mirror to scan 2D arrays of optical fiber input paths, or could be configured with multiple MEMS mirrors such as using 2 single-axis scanning MEMS mirrors, or other configurations.

[0185] The scanning rate of a“fast” spatially modulated light may range from the hertz range, to the kilohertz range, to the megahertz range, and even into the gigahertz range. The scanning rate of the spatially modulated light signal would be preferentially be fast enough so that it was not detectable by the human eye. In some spatial modulation approaches, the modulation could be adaptable to a fast scanning or a slow scanning depending on the instantaneous needs of the laser-based white lighting system. For example, by using a non resonant vector scanning MEMS mirror the supply of white light could be directed to only a static position of the field such that light was only coupled into select transport fibers, but could also scan the entire field with a predetermined pattern to couple light into all of the transport fibers with the desired amount.

[0186] In some embodiments of the present invention including a spatial modulation, the white light supply would be modulated in conjunction with the spatial modulation. That is, either by modulating the current to the laser-based white light source or using an external modulator, the white light level can be turned up and down as the spatial modulator scans the supply white light across the spatial field including the optical inputs to the transport fibers. By including an amplitude modulation of the white light supply a further level of energy efficiency can be achieved since the light source can be turned off or substantially off when the spatial position of the supply light is in between transport fiber inputs to eliminate the wasted light that would result when the spatial modulator is moving the source light in- between fiber inputs. Moreover, by modulating the light level another level of selectively tuning the amount of light coupled into the various transport fibers can be achieved. This feature enables the ability to selectively dim and brighten the light levels at the independent illumination positions fed by the transport fibers.

[0187] In another example of a laser-based white light system with a low energy consumption, the system is configured with a spatial modulation capability to selectively direct and optically couple the source white light into multiple transport fibers, the capability for amplitude modulation of the laser-based white light source output, and an optional optical switching module comprised of analog switches that can open and close to various levels to enable a range of white light amounts to pass through and be delivered to the desired illumination location. By adjusting the spatial modulation scanning pattern and characteristics [e.g., scanning frequency and repetition rate] along with the amplitude of the light generated by the laser-based white light source and the analog switches within each of the optical pathways to the multiple illumination location, the desired amount of light can be delivered to the illumination locations at an optimized efficiency.

[0188] In a specific example of the present embodiment, we outline two use conditions to illustrate how such a system can optimize energy efficiency. In the first scenario, there is a high demand of total light from the central lighting system. An example of a high light demand time could be during the early evening hours just after the sun is set and people are still well awake either working, in their home, or out at shopping or entertainment locations. During this first scenario where there is a high light demand, perhaps every room in the home or building equipped with the central lighting system would need high illumination. In this configuration, the input power to the one or more laser-based white light sources would be turned up to a high level, for example, near a maximum rated level, and the spatial modulator would scan the supply white light generated from the one or more white light sources across the entire field including the optical coupling pathways to the transport fibers to deliver light to all illumination locations. By adjusting some combination of the spatial modulation scanning characteristic, an amplitude modulation pattern on the laser-based white light sources, and the analog switches on each of the transport fibers the precise level of desired light can be delivered to each independent illumination location. In a second scenario an intermediate level of light is desired in the home. An example time for such an intermediate time may be after dinner time and before bed time when many of the lights are not used in the home, there are still a few active rooms in the home, and some rooms where only a low level of light is desired such as a reading light. In this scenario, the spatial scanning characteristic of the spatial modulator and/or the amplitude modulation pattern of the white light source would be modified to eliminate directing light in the spatial field that includes the optical coupling inputs for the transport fibers feeding the illumination locations wherein light is not desired. Moreover, the optical switches to these locations could be turned off to prevent any low levels of light. The adjusted spatial modulation characteristic and/or adjusted white light amplitude modulation pattern would provide input source light to the spatial field that includes the input coupling pathways for the transport fibers feeding the illumination locations wherein desired high and low levels of illumination. The optical switches on each of the transport fiber channels could fine tune the light levels. [0189] Figure 32 presents a schematic illustration of a laser-based white light system including a fast switching optical switch unit according to a specific embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen in the Figure 32, the laser-based white-light source 4310 is enclosed in a housing member 4305. The white light source 4310 is configured to receive electrical input 4001 (including power and control signals) to activate and produce white light emission. Optionally, the white light source 4310 includes an electrical driver or circuit board member configured to condition the electrical input 4001. The white light emission from the laser-based source 4310 is optionally shaped with optional optical elements 4315 such as collimating lens elements and/or focusing lens elements. The white light emission is coupled to an optional optical supply member 4340 through optical connector unit 4320. The optical supply member 4340 is configured to transport the white light 4002 from the white light source 4310 to the optical switching module 4350. The optical supply member 4340 is configured to be in a length range from very short lengths of about 1mm to much longer lengths of 10 meters or longer. The optical supply member 4340 may be configured from a light pipe such as a solid waveguide, an optical fiber formed from a glass material or a plastic material or other material, a bundle of optical fibers, or could be configured from a free space design. Optionally, the optical supply member 4340 is configured to deliver the white light 4002 to an optical switching module 4350. Optionally, the optical switching module 4350 is a fast optical switching module configured to route the supplied white light 4002 to a network of optical transport fibers 4330. The optical transport fibers 4330 are configured to distribute and deliver the white light 4003 to desired illumination areas.

[0190] In the example according to Figure 32, the fast optical switching module 4350 uses a MEMS mirror to reflect the supplied white light 4002 and direct to the inputs of the optical transport fibers 4330. The optical transport fibers 4330 can be configured in 1-dimensional arrays or 2-dimensional arrays. Optionally, the MEMS mirror can be configured to scan on one axis of the ID array of optical fibers 4330 or can be configured for bi-axial scanning to feed 2D arrays of optical transport fibers 4330. By actuating the scanning MEMS mirror to various positions, such as 01, 02, 03, the supplied white light 4002 is reflected properly to different directions OF, 02’ 03’ respectively leading to different inputs of the optical transport fibers 4330. Therefore, different levels of scanning mirror deflection correspond to coupling light to different transport fiber inputs, and hence control the supply of light to the transport fibers 4330. The fast switching of the MEMS scanning mirror combined with the ability to simultaneously modulate the input white light amplitude level by modulating the laser-based white light source 4310, the precise light level to each transport fiber optical input can be precisely controlled. According to this embodiment, the light level at each

illumination location can be precisely controlled. In some examples of the laser-based white lighting system including an optical switching module 4350, a white light supply member 4340 may not be included wherein the white light 4002 from the laser-based white light source 4310 is directly coupled into the switching module 4350.

[0191] Optionally, the fast switching module included in Figure 32 can be comprised with MEMS devices, such as scanning micro-mirrors, integrated with digital light processing chips (DLP) including arrays of micromirrors that can deflect the laser-based illumination light to the appropriate receiver or designated illumination area. In some embodiments, multiple scanning mirrors are included. In other embodiments, scanning mirrors are combined with other switching technologies such as mirror arrays such as DMD or DLP technologies. In yet other embodiments, different fast switching technologies are used.

[0192] In another example of the optical switching system configurations according to the present invention, the optical switching module according to the present invention, comprises piezoelectric beam steering devices, involving piezoelectric ceramics function to direct the laser-based illumination light to the appropriate receiver or designated illumination area. In additional examples of the optical switching system according to the present invention, scanning fiber tip technology, micro positioners, inkjet methods involving the intersection of two waveguides, liquid crystal technology such as liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS), thermal methods, acousto-optic, magneto-optic technology approaches function to direct the laser- based illumination light to the appropriate receiver or designated illumination area. In some embodiments, combinations of various switching technologies are included.

[0193] In various embodiments according to the present invention, the laser-based white lighting system is configured for a smart lighting capability. In one example, by equipping the laser-based central lighting system with sensors for feedback to adjust the lighting based on the said sensor feedback a smart lighting system can be realized. In this example, photovoltaic light sensors can be used to turn-lights off in the presence of ambient light or turn them on when it is dark. Additionally, motion sensors IR sensors could be used to detect human presence and only activate the illumination to the area when it is needed. In a further example of a smart lighting system based on laser-based white light, by enabling the laser- based white lighting system to serve as a visible light communication system to transmit data such as LiFi, the laser-based white lighting system according to the present invention can be a smart lighting system.

[0194] The present disclosure provides a smart lighting system or a smart lighting apparatus configured with various sensor-based feedback loops integrated with gallium and nitrogen containing laser diodes based on a transferred gallium and nitrogen containing material laser process and method of manufacture and use thereof. Merely by examples, the invention provides remote and integrated smart laser lighting devices and methods, projection display and spatially dynamic lighting devices and methods, LIDAR, LiFi, and visible light communication devices and methods, and various combinations of above in applications of general lighting, commercial lighting and display, automotive lighting and communication, defense and security, industrial processing, and internet communications, and others.

[0195] The laser-based white light system according to the present disclosure can include a smart or intelligent lighting function. Such a smart or intelligent function can include features and functions such as sensors for feedback, reaction responses based on sensor feedback or other input, memory storage devices, central processing units and other processors that can execute algorithms, artificial intelligence (AI), connectivity such as on the internet of things (IOT), data transmission such as using a visible light communication (VLC) or LiFi, data receiving such as with photodetectors or other sensors, communication, sensing such as range finding or 3D imaging, LIDAR, temporal or spatial modulation, a dynamic spatial modulation, color tuning capabilities, brightness level and pattern capability, and any combination of these features and functions, including others. Examples are included in U.S. Application No. 15/719,455, filed September 28, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

[0196] In some embodiments, the light source of the laser-based fiber coupled white lighting system is configured for visible light communication or LiFi communication.

Optionally, the light source includes a controller comprising a modem and a driver. The modem is configured to receive a data signal. The controller is configured to generate one or more control signals to operate the driver to generate a driving current and a modulation signal based on the data signal. In one configuration, the electrical modulation signal is coupled to the laser diode device in the laser-based white light source to drive the laser according to the signal and generate a corresponding output optical signal from the laser diode. In one example wherein the laser-based white source comprised a gallium and nitrogen containing diode operating in the violet/blue wavelength range of 400-480nm and a phosphor member serving as a wavelength conversion member, the modulation signal would be primarily carried by the violet/blue direct diode wavelength from the light source to a received member.

[0197] Optionally, as used herein, the term“modem” refers to a communication device.

The device can also include a variety of other data receiving and transferring devices for wireless, wired, cable, or optical communication links, and any combination thereof. In an example, the device can include a receiver with a transmitter, or a transceiver, with suitable filters and analog front ends. In an example, the device can be coupled to a wireless network such as a meshed network, including Zigbee, Zeewave, and others. In an example, the wireless network can be based upon an 802.11 wireless standard or equivalents. In an example, the wireless device can also interface to telecommunication networks, such as 3G, LTE, 5G, and others. In an example, the device can interface into a physical layer such as Ethernet or others. The device can also interface with an optical communication including a laser coupled to a drive device or an amplifier. Of course, there can be other variations, modifications, and alternatives.

[0198] In some embodiments of the laser-based fiber coupled white lighting system according to the present disclosure, the lighting system includes one or more sensors being configured in a feedback loop circuit coupled to the controller. The one or more sensors are configured to provide one or more feedback currents or voltages based on the various parameters associated with the target of interest detected in real time to the controller with one or more of light movement response, light color response, light brightness response, spatial light pattern response, and data signal communication response being triggered.

[0199] Optionally, the one or more sensors include one or a combination of multiple of sensors selected from microphone, geophone, motion sensor, radio-frequency identification (RFID) receivers, hydrophone, chemical sensors including a hydrogen sensor, CO2 sensor, or electronic nose sensor, flow sensor, water meter, gas meter, Geiger counter, altimeter, airspeed sensor, speed sensor, range finder, piezoelectric sensor, gyroscope, inertial sensor, accelerometer, MEMS sensor, Hall effect sensor, metal detector, voltage detector, photoelectric sensor, photodetector, photoresistor, pressure sensor, strain gauge, thermistor, thermocouple, pyrometer, temperature gauge, motion detector, passive infrared sensor, Doppler sensor, biosensor, capacitance sensor, video cameras,, transducer, image sensor, infrared sensor, radar, SONAR, LIDAR.

[0200] Optionally, the one or more sensors is configured in the feedback loop circuit to provide a feedback current or voltage to tune a control signal for operating the driver to adjust brightness and color of the directional electromagnetic radiation from the light-emitter in an illumination location correlating to the one or more sensors.

[0201] Optionally, the one or more sensors is configured in the feedback loop circuit to provide a feedback current or voltage to tune a control signal for operating the beam steering optical element to adjust a spatial position and pattern illuminated by the beam of the white- color spectrum.

[0202] Optionally, the one or more sensors is configured in the feedback loop circuit to send a feedback current or voltage back to the controller to change the driving current and the modulation signal for changing the data signal to be communicated through at least a fraction of the directional electromagnetic radiation modulated by the modulation signal.

[0203] Optionally, the controller further is configured to provide control signals to tune the beam shaper for dynamically modulating the white-color spectrum based on feedback from the one or more sensors.

[0204] Optionally, the controller is a microprocessor disposed in a smart phone, a smart watch, a computerized wearable device, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a vehicle-built- in computer, a drone.

[0205] In some embodiments the smart lighting system is comprised with both sensors for feedback loops and a communication function such as LiFi or VLC. Figure 33 presents a schematic illustration of a smart lighting system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The smart lighting system includes a laser-based fiber coupled white light source configured with both sensors for feedback loops and a communication function. As shown in Figure 33, the system includes one or more laser-based white light sources 4401 wherein the white light is delivered to one or more illumination locations with optical transport fibers 4403. The optical transport fibers 4403 are configured to deliver the white light to passive luminaire elements 4410 which also shape or pattern the light and direct it to respective illumination targets. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light system according to Figure 33 also includes sensors 4406 coupled with the fibers 4403 and positioned near the one or more illumination locations. These sensors 4406 are configured to sense desired characteristics of the environment or situation such as the temperature, motion, ambient light level, occupancy of the area, profile or characteristics of the occupancy, status of a situation, or others which could include any possible characteristic that is capable of being sensed. The sensor signals are configured with a connection to a processing unit 4408. The connection of the sensors 4406 to the processing unit 4408 could be realized with a wired line 4407 such as an electrical cable or an optical cable, or through a wireless transmission. The processing unit

4408 is then configured to interpret the sensor input data and provide a feedback response

4409 to the laser-based white light source 4401. When certain sensor signals are detected, the processing unit 4408 triggers certain feedback responses to command operation of the laser- based white light source 4401. These commands include increasing or decreasing the level of light delivered to the illumination area, changing the color temperature or CRI of the light, changing the spatial pattern of the light, or other possible responses.

[0206] The laser-based fiber coupled white light system in Figure 33 also includes a communication function to provide a communication signal 4420. The one or more laser- based white light sources 4401 are modulated or encoded with data to be cast or projected to one or more illumination locations. In some embodiments, different data streams are provided to different locations or illumination locations by encoding on different laser-based white light sources 4401 that are respectively configured to deliver light to the different locations. Optionally, the different data streams are provided by encoding on one light source yet through a high-speed switching functional unit (not shown) to deliver to respective different locations. Optionally, the communication scheme could be a LiFi or a VLC communication. Optionally, the communication is operated with data rates of >0.5 Gb/s, > 1 Gb/s, >5 Gb/s, >10 Gb/s, or greater than 50 Gb/s. In some embodiments, the sensors 4406 provide a feedback signal to the processing unit 4408 that triggers a change in the communication signal 4420. In one example, if certain electronic devices, objects, or living entities such as humans or animals are detected by the sensors 4406, certain communication signal 4420 could be triggered to be transmitted.

[0207] Of course, there can be many variations in the embodiment of the smart lighting system shown in Figure 33. In some implementations, sensors are included without the communication function. In other implementations, the communication function is included without the sensor members. In yet other implementations, there are more features included, for example, the system can provide a connectivity hub for the internet of things. [0208] In another preferred embodiment, the present invention comprising a laser-based fiber-coupled white light source is configured in an architectural lighting apparatus.

Optionally, the lighting apparatus is associated with the distributed or central lighting system according to the present disclosure. In one example, the architectural lighting apparatus includes a passive luminaire. The passive luminaire is configured to shape the white light, pattern the white light, or provide a desired lighting effect. The passive luminaire may include features and designs for scattering the white light, reflecting the white light, waveguiding the white light, distributing the white light, modifying the color temperature of the white light, modifying the color rendering characteristic of the white light, creating distribution patterns with varied color, brightness, or other characteristic, other effects, or a combination.

[0209] In an embodiment, a lighting apparatus is configured with a laser driven phosphor high luminance light source coupled to a fiber optic cable. Optionally, the fiber optic cable is disposed at the top end of the apparatus. The lighting apparatus at this configuration and is functionality is called the active assembly or light engine. The light travels downward along the length of the fiber optic cable and emerges at a bottom end of the cable where an optical assembly is coupled. This optical assembly at the bottom end is called the passive assembly. The entire length of the lighting apparatus is intended to be hung from an architectural element and extends downward by gravity. Optionally, the overall fixture is called a pendant fixture.

[0210] In one example of an active assembly, the laser and phosphor are arranged within a surface mounted device (SMD) component that is mounted on a printed electric circuit board so that electric power may be supplied from outside to the device. The SMD optical window is arranged close to optical lenses that collect the maximum practical amount of light and direct the light into the fiber optic cable top end. Since the light source is very small, the optical assembly and casing may also be quite small on the order of 3 cm diameter or less.

[0211] Since the laser driven phosphor high luminance light source is very small, the fiber optic cable may also have a small diameter, 1mm or less, while still transporting a large fraction of the total light from the source. Alternatively, a larger fiber optic cable may collect the light and then be split into two or more cables that all transport their portion of the light.

In this way, one light engine may potentially provide light to multiple fiber optic cables for different pendant fixtures. Optionally, the fiber optic cable may be made of glass or transparent plastic like acrylic (PMMA) or polycarbonate. The fiber optic cable may be of any length where in lighting applications the length will typically be from the ceiling or beam to a work surface or one to ten meters. The pendant fixtures may also be applied outdoors from a building element, truss or pole. Optionally, the emission of light may be scattered by inclusions within a transparent fiber so that it exits the cylindrical surface of the fiber. In this way the fiber appears to glow in whole or in part for a decorative or lighting effect.

Optionally, the fiber optic cable may also solely transport the light to the bottom end and may also be jacketed or coated so as to appear dark or any other color. While gravity alone will lead the cable to be straight and pointed downward, additional frames and structures may be applied in order to give the fiber optic cable a curve, form or shape where the bottom or distal end may still point downward or any other direction.

[0212] Optionally, the bottom end of the fiber optic cable may be fitted with a connector with screw threads or bayonet mount or any other type of connection mechanism whereby an optical element may be applied. One or more optical elements and passive assembly may consist of a lens and housing so that the light is directed toward the work surface.

Alternatively, the optical elements may scatter the light sideways with lenses or decorative elements or a combination of these. Since these optical elements collect light from a small diameter fiber optic cable, the passive assembly may be configured to be a very small size, 3cm or less, while still directing a large fraction of the light emitted or also creating a straight narrow collimated beam in the directional lighting example. Alternatively, the passive assembly may be made to appear like a conventional lighting fixture or light bulb like a track head, MR- 16 lamp, candelabra decorative lamp, utility or rough service lamp, chandelier or conventional incandescent light bulb. Unlike these conventional lamps though, the interior of the passive assembly does not contain any electrical parts that can fail or generate heat.

[0213] A schematic diagram of pendant light illuminated with a laser-based white light source according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 34. As shown in the figure, the laser-based light source 4500 is configured remotely from the passive luminaire element 4530, but is still located nearby to the luminaire, to form a pendant lighting apparatus. For example, the laser-based white light source 4500 may be located within a few inches, to a few feet, to 10-100 feet from the luminaire element 4530. Moreover, the laser- based white light source 4500 is configured to only supply light to a discreet luminaire 4530, which is not part of a larger laser white light distribution system. The laser-based white light source is a light engine as described above, including a SMD laser and phosphor component 4501 formed on a PCB and a set of fiber optic coupling lenses 4505. The laser-based white light source is a light engine 4500 is optically coupled to a fiber optic cable 4510 so that the white light is guided to reach the passive luminaire 4530. In one example the fiber optic cable 4510 may be a transport fiber such that the white light with substantially high coupling efficiency of greater than 20% up to 90% is guided from the laser-based white light source 4500 to the to the passive luminaire 4530 for directional or uniform light illumination 4535.

In another example, the fiber optic cable 4510 is configured with scattering elements to create a leaky fiber such that the fiber itself emits the white light 4515 and“glows”. In yet another example, the fiber optic cable 4510 is composed of multiple sections having different guiding and scattering effects. As shown in Figure 34, the passive optical luminaire 4530 could be configured with a connector 4520 to attach to the fiber optic cable 4510. This would enable easy replacement of the passive luminaire 4530 in any cases. The connector 4520 could be a threaded connector such as an SMA, but could be other connectors such as snap in connectors.

[0214] The pendant lighting apparatus has its optical assembly much smaller in size than conventional means of pendant lights. The light engine, fiber and passive assembly present a fine and minimally invasive appearance while still lighting effectively and attractively. The whole (both active and passive) assembly is also lighter and requires less mechanical support. The passive assembly has no electrical or moving parts so it is more reliable and less subject to damage despite being near the work surface. The light engine or active assembly is relatively far away from the area of activity and may be arranged in such a way for more convenient servicing while not generating obstacles to the work area.

[0215] In some embodiments, the passive luminaire is configured in a laser-based lighting system wherein the laser-based white light is transported to the passive luminaire from a remote white light source located in a designated source location. Figure 35 presents a schematic diagram of pendant light illuminated with a remote laser-based white light source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the Figure 35, the passive luminaire element 4630 is fed by a white light source (not shown) that is part of a larger laser-based white light distribution system. For example, the white light source may be located several feet from the passive luminaire element 4630, could be located from 10 to 100 feet, or more than 100 feet or 1000 feet away from the luminaire source 4630. Moreover, the laser-based white light source can be configured to only supply to many illumination locations within a larger laser white light distribution system. In this lighting system, the laser-based white light is distributed from one or more sources to multiple illumination locations.

[0216] Referring to Figure 35, the laser-based light source is configured in a centralized location to supply the white light 4601. Optionally, one or more white light sources provide the white light 4601 for a network of illumination areas comprising a plurality of passive optical elements like one pendant light 4630 as shown in Figure 35. The laser-based white light source is optically coupled to a fiber optic cable 4611 so that the white light 4601 is guided to reach the passive luminaire 4630. Optionally, the fiber optic cable 4611 is a transport fiber which is coupled to a second optical fiber cable 4612 via a connector 4621.

The second optical fiber cable 4612 is configured to deliver the white light directly to the passive luminaire 4630. In one example, the second optical fiber cable 4612 may be also a transport fiber such that substantially all the light is guided from the laser light source to the to the passive luminaire 4630. In another example, the second optical fiber cable 4612 is configured with scattering elements to create a leaky fiber such that the fiber itself emits white light and“glows”. In yet another example, the second optical fiber cable 4612 is composed of multiple sections having different guiding and scattering effects. As shown in Figure 35, the passive optical luminaire 4630 could be configured with a connector 4622 to attach to the second optical fiber cable 4612. This would enable easy changing of the passive luminaire 4630 to a new one or different type of luminaire or to perform maintenance work to the passive luminaire 4630. The connector 4622 could be a threaded connector such as an SMA, but could be other connectors such as snap-in connectors.

[0217] The embodiments of implementing passive luminaires enabled by the fiber-coupled white light system provide unprecedented flexibility that can extend to many benefits and form factors. A primary benefit is that with the passive luminaire the electronics, heat-sinks, and other components do not have to be included in the visible luminaire member. This not only enables the designer to separate the heat load from the light emission point, but also allows for the luminaires to be made much smaller, lighter, and/or cheaper than conventional luminaire members with the light sources co-located with the emission point. The passive luminaire members can be made to any shape or form including line sources, pendant lights, etch, and can be designed to be totally novel concepts or could replicate existing light fixtures to provide a faux luminaire. Example faux luminaire types could include any type of already existing bulb or new bulbs, including MR type bulbs such as the MR-16, A-lamp bulbs, PAR type bulbs such as the PAR30, Edison type bulbs, tube light such as T-type bulbs, and other types of bulbs that commercially available. The light sources could be included as recessed cove lighting, indirect pendant lighting fixtures, direct / indirect pendant lighting fixtures, recessed lighting fixtures, wall wash light fixtures, wall sconces, task lighting, under cabinet light fixtures, recessed ceiling luminaires, ceiling luminaires, recessed wall luminaires, wall luminaires, in-ground luminaires, floodlights, underwater luminaires, bollards, garden and pathway luminaires, and others.

[0218] Figure 36 presents schematic diagrams of passive assembly optic attachments for a pendant light according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 36, the passive assembly optic attachment includes a transport fiber cable 4710 and a connector 4720 are configured with a passive assembly 4731 including one or more collimating optics. In another example, the passive assembly 4732 includes a very small flood light optical element. In another example, the passive assembly 4733 includes features for side scattering.

[0219] In some embodiments, connectors are used for easy replacement of the passive luminaires and fixtures. New fixtures can easily be replaced and updated, and can offer a lower cost since the fixtures will not comprise electronics or heat-sink members. In some embodiments, the fiber coupled laser-based white light system of the present disclosure can be configured to change decor of the passive luminaire, change the color of the light by changing the color of the source light or by the passive luminaire modifying the color, or could change the beam pattern, or a combination.

[0220] In another embodiment, the active assembly may be positioned as a light source or light engine for a decorative lighting fixture that is suspended from the ceiling of a structure such as a chandelier. A chandelier has numerous points of emissive light, often more than ten. With conventional lighting, each point of light in the assembly employs an individual electrical lighting lamp like for example an incandescent or LED candelabra decorative lamp. Over the operating period of the chandelier, any of the lamps may fail and thereby disturb the aesthetic whole of the chandelier. Replacing the lamp results in operating costs and inability to utilize the space since chandeliers are often mounted at great height. Replacing lamps at great height requires equipment, time and staff that result in great expense.

[0221] Optionally, the light engine is coupled to a fiber optic cable that transports the light to the chandelier. Optionally, the fiber optic cable may be split into multiple fiber optic cables that lead to the lighting endpoints of the chandelier. At each of these lighting endpoints, the fiber optic cable delivers the light into an optical element that distributes the light according to the design of the chandelier. In order to duplicate the effect of a candelabra lamp, the optic element at the endpoint of the chandelier optionally scatters the light in a wide-angle pattern.

[0222] The benefits of this chandelier design include ease of service and maintenance. The single remote source may be located in a convenient area where a repair or replacement may be accomplished with little disturbance to the lighting area that may be at great height. The lighting effect will be more uniform since there is a single source instead of multiple sources operating independently with different characteristics. Since the laser-based white light source size is made much smaller than other light sources, the fiber optic cable and other fixture components may be much smaller, finer and less visible in order to create a better aesthetic effect.

[0223] Figure 37 presents a schematic diagram of a passive decorative luminaire according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the Figure 37, the white light is generated within a laser-based white light source 4800 such as a laser diode combined with a wavelength converting phosphor member in a package such as a surface mount device package. The white light 4802 is then coupled into a supply waveguide 4810 such as a fiber optic cable as depicted in Figure 37. The white light 4802 in the supply waveguide 4810 is then split into 2 or more channels 4811 and 4812 of white light. The two or more channels are then routed to multiple lighting endpoints 4830 to emit the white light in this decorative lighting system. In this application, the multiple lighting endpoints can also be comprised of line sources such as scattering fibers, discrete emission points, or some combination of the two.

[0224] One of the significant advantages of white light generated by illuminating phosphors with a blue solid-state laser is the high luminance. This high luminance enables efficient coupling of white light to optical fibers or small optical elements. However, the high luminance of these white light sources generate significant heat in a small volume because of stokes losses and other inefficiencies in phosphors.

[0225] The common working temperature limitations of down-conversion materials (typically <250 C°) requires approaches to either limit the concentration of down-conversion rate or effectively spread the heat. [0226] Several strategies can be employed to efficiently spread heat, including a combination of choice of down-conversion material, concentration of down-conversion material in a matrix, geometry of a down-conversion material and matrix combination, matrix thermal conductivity properties, and engineering thermal pathways from down-conversion and matrix.

[0227] A common approach is embedding down-conversion material in a high thermal conductivity matrix that is optically transparent (e.g. AI2O3). However common

manufacturing techniques for AI2O3 requires high-temperature sintering which limits the available choices of down-conversion materials to ones with melting points close-to or higher than AI2O3. Commonly used down-conversion and matrix combination for laser-based lighting sources are yttrium aluminum garnet doped with cerium (YAG:Ce³⁺) in AI2O3.

However commonly used red down-converting materials (e.g. Eu²⁺ doped nitrides) have much lower melting points and are not compatible with sintering process for AI2O3.

[0228] An alternative strategy is to manage heat and materials compatibility is to limit the down-conversion rate of one or more colors from the white or off-white source. This can be achieved for example by utilizing a blue-to-green color light source that is optically coupled to a fiber or other designated optical elements. These optical elements can come in the form of a remote phosphor that is a solid element, or one with varying phosphor concentration gradients, or a fiber or optical guide that contains phosphors. This can be thought of as a system with a high luminance source that is coupled to a light guide and a remote phosphor, some examples are shown in Figure 38. This allows for the high luminance source to use a phosphor and composite combination that can effectively dissipate heat. The high luminance source is effectively coupled to optical elements. This also allows the use of other phosphors that have thermal, optical, or mechanical features that prevent them from being incorporated into the high luminance area of the system. One optical limitation that is overcome with this type of system is the use of low blue-light absorption cross-section materials (e.g. Eu³⁺ phosphors) where the volume or concentration of phosphor is impractical for confined systems.

[0229] The addition of a red phosphor to a blue-shifted yellow light source can enable warmer white (i.e. lower correlated color temperature - CCT) and higher CRI sources. By adjusting the amount and wavelength of red-down-conversion the effective CRI of the source can be adjusted. For example, as shown in Figure 39, simulation results indicate that the CRI value can be adjusted from 65 to 90 by adjusting wavelength red shift of the red phosphor from a baseline up to +25nm.

LINE SOURCE

[0230] In another preferred embodiment, the laser-based fiber-coupled white light source of the present disclosure is configured with a leaky fiber in an architectural lighting component or system to provide a line source of white light. In some embodiments, the leaky fiber emitting white light as a line source is configured to emit white light in a uniform pattern around the radial axis of the fiber. In other embodiments, the leaky fiber emitting white light as a line source is configured with an optional optical element to emit white light in a directional pattern from a predetermined portion of the radial axis. The optical fiber, along with the optional optic element, will be referred to as a‘directional line source’. In one embodiment, the optical fiber is equipped with light extraction features that extract light along the length of the fiber. Optionally, the light extraction features are designed according to one of these two ways, or a combination of the two:

1. To extract light in a radially non-symmetric pattern

2. To extract light in a radially symmetric pattern, and an external optic element is

configured outside or is attached to the fiber, such that the fiber and optic element together produce a radially non-symmetric pattern

[0231] Figure 40 presents examples of luminous intensity distribution curves by an optical fiber with optional external optical element according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The optical fiber can be modified to achieve such a directional/non-radial-uniform or asymmetric mission pattern in various ways. In some examples, the optical fiber can be shaped or roughened. In other examples, the optical fiber cladding can be selectively removed or patterned to preferentially emit light from a pre-determined surface or side of the fiber. In other examples, the optical fiber can be embedded with particles, voids, or other objects to induce a selective scattering.

[0232] Figure 41 presents schematic examples of directional emitting line white light sources based on emitting optical fibers. There are many possible approaches to generating a directional emission or a radially asymmetric emission pattern of the white light from the fiber. In one example presented in part A of Figure 41, the optical fiber 5200 includes light extraction features 5205 producing a radially non-symmetric pattern. The light extraction features 5205 could be comprised with a carefully designed index of refraction arrangement within the fiber using air bubbles, modified core regions, modified cladding regions, non- uniformly impregnated fibers, implanted fiber, shaped fiber so that it is no totally symmetric.

[0233] The directional line source may be configured with secondary reflectors and lenses to produce a uniform illuminance on the wall surface. The reflector and lens assembly convert the uniform candlepower intensity of the linear line source into a variable and asymmetric intensity distribution. In the example where the line source is installed at the ceiling, the intensity can be very low at the area of the wall close to the ceiling in order to produce the desired level of illuminance in flux per area. The level of intensity increases with increasing distance along the wall toward the floor. The maximum level of intensity will be at the wall area closest to the floor in order that the illuminance level is the same as that near the ceiling. As a result, the entire wall will have the same illuminance over its surface and with overall uniform reflectivity will appear to an observer as being evenly lit.

[0234] Part B of Figure 41 presents an illustration of an optical fiber 5201 with light extraction features producing a symmetric radial emission pattern and equipped with a reflector optical element 5210 that directs light upward. By combining the uniformly emitting fiber with the reflector optical element 5210 that wraps around >180 degrees of the fiber 5201, the light will be directed outward from the reflector optical element 5210. By careful design and selection of the reflector optical element 5210, the directional emission pattern from the light source can be configured to provide the desired emission patter and have the desired effect.

[0235] In another example, part C of Figure 41 presents an illustration of an optical fiber 5200 with light extraction features producing a symmetric radial emission pattern and equipped with an alternative reflector optical element 5220 that directs light upward. In this configuration the symmetrically emitting fiber 5201 is recessed fully within the reflector optical element 5220 such that the fiber 5201 would be hidden from many viewing angles and that the light is emitted with a high directionality. These are merely examples of how the laser-based fiber coupled white light line source can be configured to emit light in a desired direction or pattern, but of course there can be many others.

[0236] The radially uniform emitting or directional emitting line source using a scattering or leaky fiber according to the present invention including a fiber coupled laser-based white light source can be applied to many lighting applications. In one application the line source is used to illuminate interior or exterior walls, ceilings, bridges, tunnels, roadways, runways, down holes, in caves, in cars, planes, boats, trains, or any other mobile machine, and could be many others including swimming pools, spas, appliances like refrigerators and freezers.

[0237] In one embodiment according to the present invention, the directional line source is integrated into the crown molding of a room to provide a wall wash. The line source is positioned such that a person standing or sitting in the room at a typical distance from the walls will not have a direct view of the line source. The line source has directional emission that illuminates the wall adjacent to it. A line source comprising a narrow optical fiber and an optic element allows the optic element to shape the light (generate a luminous intensity distribution) that illuminates the wall in a desired pattern, e.g. uniform illumination, without requiring the size of the optical element to be unpractically large.

[0238] Figure 42 presents a schematic configuration for applying laser-based white light directional line sources according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 42, the laser-based white light directional line source is implemented into crown molding for wall illumination. The laser-based white light source is coupled to a scattering or leaky fiber to emit white light in a symmetric or directional pattern. The leaky fiber is then embedded into an architectural or construction feature of the environment. In the example presented in Figure 42 the line source is embedded into a crown molding. The leaky fiber is positioned against the wall within the crown-molding or in a gap between the crown molding and the wall to provide directional light downward along the wall surface to provide a wall wash illumination. Optionally, an optical element such as a reflector can be added to enhance the formation of the directional light emitted out of the line source (e.g., the leaky fiber).

[0239] Alternative configurations for the directional line source are possible. Embodiments include dedicated wall wash fixtures mounted at/near the intersection of walls and ceiling, on the wall away from ceiling and floor, or at/near the intersection of walls and floor, such as in the baseboard members. In some embodiments, the directional line source is oriented to illuminate the wall adjacent to it, and a structural element that blocks direct view of the line source from people in typical positions in the room. In other embodiments, the directional line source is integrated into the baseboard located at/neat the intersection of walls and floor.

[0240] In yet another embodiment, the directional line source can be configured to illuminate the ceiling while integrated into crown molding. Other configurations are possible, where a ceiling illuminating direction line source is integrated with a structural element that block direct view of the line source from people in typical positions in the room. Said structural element can be integrated into the construction of the wall or ceiling, forming cove lighting when a directional line source is integrated with it. The directional line source together with the structural element can also form a ceiling-illuminating light fixture that is mounted on the wall, typically above eye height to avoid glare for room occupants.

[0241] Figure 43 presents a schematic configuration for applying laser-based white light directional line sources according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 43, the laser-based white light directional line source is implemented into crown molding, for ceiling illumination. The laser-based white light line source is coupled to a scattering or leaky fiber line source. The leaky fiber is then embedded into an architectural or construction feature of the environment. Optical elements such as one or more reflector members can be included. In the example presented in Figure 43 the laser-based white light line source is embedded into a crown molding. The fiber is positioned against the ceiling within the crown-molding or in a gap between the crown molding and the ceiling. The light is then directed across the ceiling to provide a ceiling wash illumination.

[0242] A laser-based white light directional line source can be routed from one wall to an opposing wall, at a height above the floor where it does not physically obstruct typical activities of room occupants. The laser-based white light line source is physically anchored at the two opposing walls, with optional anchor points to the ceiling in one or more points along the length of the line source. The laser-based white light line source can optionally be fitted with a structural element along its length that reduces or eliminated light emitted in a downward direction in order to reduce glare for occupants in the room. The structural element can also add mechanical strength to the line source in order to prevent damage resulting from accidental contact with items handled by occupants inside the room. Several line sources can be configured in a room to create the desired level, pattern, and uniformity of ceiling illumination.

[0243] Figure 44 presents a schematic configuration for applying laser-based white light directional line sources according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to Figure 44, the laser-based white light line source is implemented in a wall-to- wall configuration for ceiling illumination. In this configuration, the laser-based white light line source is attached between two walls or suspended from the ceiling by an anchor point. The laser-based white light line source is configured to emit the light upward toward the ceiling to light the ceiling. In other examples, the light can be directed toward the floor or the walls.

[0244] Optionally, the laser-based white light directional line source includes secondary optics like lenses and reflectors to illuminate uniformly a ceiling field from one or both edges. Optionally, it is to generate a level of illuminance higher than the rest of the field in one particular zone of the ceiling that moves across the ceiling over time. In one example, the high illuminance zone would begin early in the daytime at one corner of the ceiling and gradually move across the ceiling and end the day at the opposite comer of the ceiling. This effect could be generated by mechanically moving optics but is most expediently

accomplished by using liquid crystal lenses in the optics of the directional line source. With electronic control, the uniformity of the ceiling illuminance could be modulated. The high illuminance zone on the ceiling partially simulates the motion of the sun across the sky over the day and has benefits to circadian rhythms and health in humans and animals. Natural light is not always uniform and changes throughout the daytime generating shadows that change and greater indoor comfort is generated by lighting that has a gradient and/or direction of incidence. Additional benefit is provided by implementing multiple sources in the directional line source of different color temperatures. When the relative power levels of the different sources are modulated, the output color temperature may be changed to improve the simulation of natural light since the color of the light changes along with the relative position of the sun in the sky.

[0245] In some embodiments of the present invention including a waveguide coupled laser- based white light source, the waveguide comprises a 2-dimensional (2D) waveguide wherein at least some portion of the 2D waveguide emits white light. In some examples the laser- based white light sources are coupled into a troffer type luminaire wherein they can emit over the emitting surface region of the troffer. Other examples of existing 2D luminaire types include wafer lights, disc lights, accents lights, and back-lighting such as back-lighting stone or other architectural features.

[0246] In some embodiments the high brightness of the laser diode based white light source enables a superior coupling and performance characteristic of coupling into existing elements in building, architecture, nature or other such as to make elements of our pre-existing environment become light emitters. This embodiment of the present invention provides key advantages of existing technology. One advantage is that it could improve the aesthetics of the environment by removal of discrete conventional light sources that can degrade the beauty of an object or structure. For example, by providing lighting from existing elements, lighting fixtures such as canned lights or bulb type lights could be eliminated or reduced in number. Surfaces such as ceilings could be clean and free from light fixtures that are not always nice to look at. Additionally, this embodiment can save costs or complexity of a system because less conventional lighting infrastructure would need to be installed into a building or home.

[0247] The unique white light line source enabled by the present invention including a waveguide coupled laser-based white light can be deployed for interior or exterior lighting in a myriad of ways. In one example a white light emitting waveguide element such as an optical fiber is configured to outline or line certain features or objects comprising an environment or structure. In one example of the present embodiment white light emitting fibers are configured around window members to provide an illumination pattern that outlines the window. The illumination could serve as a decorative illumination and/or could serve to provide useful light for illuminating the surrounding area. As an example, Figure 45 is included to show a window member with an one-dimensional white light line source configured to surround the window. In other examples of this embodiment the laser-based white light line source can be configured around other objects such as doorways, etc.

[0248] Figure 46 presents an embodiment according to the present invention wherein a laser-based white light source (not shown) is coupled into window coverings such as curtains, and the curtains are configured by light-emissive material to receive input white light from the laser-based white light source and emit the light outside or provide light to inner part of a semi-transparent outer material. By achieving a waveguiding and a uniform scattering or emitting design, the curtains optionally appear to glow with white light and provide lighting to the environment. Curtains make an attractive choice for 2D illumination objects since they represent locations in a home or building wherein light would be entering the space during daylight hours. Therefore, by having the curtains, window dressings, or other objects on or around the window glowing the home, office, store, or other building could be illuminated in a way to represent natural daylight conditions. In some examples, the curtains include a continuous film material configured to waveguide the white light and provide the scattering. The continuous film material could be formed from a plastic or organic material, ceramic, metal, or other material. In other embodiments, the curtains are comprised of a network of fibers such as plastic fibers or glass fibers that are woven together. In some embodiments, the curtains are configured by light-emitting material to directionally emit the light such that a majority of the light is emitted toward front of the curtain to illuminate the room or area the curtain exists within, and only a small fraction or no light is emitted to the back toward a window or wall behind the curtain. Moreover, there are many similar 2D objects that could be used for light emission, the curtain embodiment is just one example according to the present invention using laser-based white light sources.

[0249] In another example, the white light is emitted directly from the window members or from clear devices that can be places on the windows. Figure 47 presents an embodiment according to the present invention wherein a laser-based white light source (not explicitly shown) is coupled directly into a window member or a window accessory member attached to the window and designed to be fully transparent and not noticed during the day time or when the illumination function is not activated. By achieving a waveguiding in the window or window accessory member along with a uniform scattering or emitting pattern, the window or window accessory can glow with input white light from the laser-based white light source. The glowing window member (e.g., glass) provides lighting to the environment. Window members or window accessory members make an attractive choice for 2D illumination objects since they represent locations in a home or building wherein natural light would be entering the space during daylight hours. Therefore, by having the windows glowing the home, office, store, or other building could be illuminated in a way to represent natural daylight conditions. In some examples, the windows are formed from a continuous material configured to waveguide the white light and provide the scattering. The continuous material could be formed from a plastic, glass, organic material, ceramic, metal, or other material. In other embodiments the window or window accessories are comprised of a network of fibers such as plastic fibers or glass fibers that are woven together. In some embodiments the light emitting windows are configured to directionally emit the light such that a majority of the light is emitted toward the inside of the building or home to illuminate the room or area the window exists within, and only a small fraction or no light is emitted to the back toward the outside. Moreover, there are many similar 2D objects that could be used for light emission, the window or window accessory embodiment is just one example according to the present invention using laser-based white light sources.

[0250] In the present invention, the white light from the laser-based white light source is coupled into a waveguide member and transported to an emission point wherein the light is directed from a passive element to the outside environment. In this configuration the active elements of the light source requiring an electrical power input and dissipating heat can be configured in a remote location from the environment where the white light emission is desired. Among other advantages of the present invention, the remote source configuration can provide an energy savings since the heat dissipation associated with the source does not need to be located in areas that require lighting, but are also required to be held at cool temperatures and often need active cooling. Using conventional lighting solutions wherein the heat is dissipated at the source and the source is collocated with the emission intended for the target location the light sources will inevitably heat up the environment and have a counter-productive effect on the cooling of the environment. In many cases this will force the active cooling system of the environment to work harder and consume more energy, providing a less overall efficiency. The waveguide delivered white light system according to the present invention provides a superior solution that offers energy efficiency savings since the laser-based white light source can be located in a remote location relative to where the illumination is required.

[0251] In an embodiment, the waveguide delivered laser-based white light system delivers the white light via a delivery system to a location remote from the active elements of the light source. The delivery system includes passive optical elements, passive luminaire members, or passive light emitting members (such as scattering fibers). Optionally, these passive light delivering members can be designed for low cost and high resistance. Optionally, the passive light emitting members can be located in harsh environments such as under water, in extreme conditions such as ultra-high or low temperatures, corrosive environments, explosive environments, etc. Using a conventional light source wherein such harsh condition would rapidly damage or degrade the light source or wherein an electrified source could have a potential to react badly with the environment such as causing an explosion, extreme and often costly measures are taken to protect the light source and replacement can be complicated and costly. For example, lighting underwater environments such as swimming pools, spas, or industrial underwater applications with conventional sources requires the use of a carefully water proof housing and specialized components, which adds size, weight, complexity, and cost. Moreover, changing the light source often requires doing work underneath water, which can require special gear and create a time consuming and expensive process. However, with a waveguide delivered laser-based white light according to the present invention, the light source can be maintained in a dry area that is easily accessible for replacement. The passive waveguide such as a plastic or glass fiber would deliver the light to the submerged illumination area. Other examples include harsh environments such as chemical treatment plants, chemical processing plants, industrial plants and factories, semiconductor processing, etc.

[0252] In one group of preferred embodiments leveraging the benefits of remote delivery of white light enabled by the present invention, the waveguide delivered white light source is configured in an appliance apparatus or a utility apparatus. Such appliances could include, but are not limited to refrigerators, freezers, ovens, microwaves, dishwashers, washers, dryers, wine cellars, and others. The appliances can range in application from private or household use to commercial use such as in stores, offices, and other outlets, and to industrial use including very large appliances. Applications that would require the lights to always be on or be on for a majority of the time would offer the strongest energy savings benefits. For example, appliances such as refrigerators or freezers with a clear or glass door so that outside viewers can always see the contents of the refrigerator or freezer would require the internal lights to be on for a large fraction of the time. Other examples wherein the present invention would provide substantial amounts of energy savings would be in appliances with large areas that need to be illuminated or where extreme levels of illumination are needed. For example, industrial types of freezers such as warehouse freezers used to store large inventories of frozen or cold goods require ample lighting for work to be performed in the actively cooled freezer warehouse. By locating the active light sources outside of the cooled environment and fiber coupling the white light into the freezer area, the light sources will not add heat to the inside of the freezer area.

[0253] Figures 59A, 59B, and 59C present some embodiments of the waveguide delivered laser-based white light for use in refrigerators and freezers according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 48A, a residential type refrigerator has the refrigerator compartment equipped with lighting such that when the compartment doors are opened, the light is activated. In this example, the white light is delivered from the laser-based white light source into the refrigerator compartment using a waveguide or fiber member. By having the laser- based light source outside the compartment that is actively cooled by a heat pump

(mechanical, electronic or chemical), the thermal dissipation from the heat source does not function to warm the cooled compartment and cause the heat pump to work harder and consume more energy. [0254] Optionally, the same energy efficiency benefit of the remote light source can have a larger impact in locations that require the light to be on for a large fraction of the time. As shown in Figure 48B, a commercial or residential mid-size refrigerator or freezer has the cooled compartment enclosed with clear type doors such that an outside viewer can see the contents of the cooled compartment. The cooled compartment is equipped with lighting such that the outside viewer can easily see the contents. In retail applications the lights could be required to be on for 16 to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In this example of a freezer or refrigerator with a clear enclosure shown in Figure 48B, the white light is delivered from the laser-based white light source into the refrigerator or freezer compartment using a waveguide or fiber member. By having the laser-based light source outside the compartment that is actively cooled by a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical), the thermal dissipation from the heat source does not function to warm the cooled compartment and cause the heat pump to work harder and consume more energy.

[0255] Optionally, the same energy efficiency benefit of the remote light source can have a major impact in large volume cooled compartments that require the light to be on for a large fraction of the time. As shown in Figure 48C, a commercial or industrial large type refrigerator or freezer has the large cooled compartment enclosed with clear type doors such that an outside viewer can see the contents of the cooled compartment. The cooled compartment is equipped with lighting such that when the compartment doors are not opened the outside viewer can still see the contents inside. In retail applications the lights could be required to be on for 16 to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the light is activated. In this example, similar to the freezer or refrigerator with a clear enclosure shown in Figure 48B, the white light is delivered from the laser-based white light source into the refrigerator or freezer compartment using a waveguide or fiber member. By having the laser-based light source outside the compartment that is actively cooled by a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical), the thermal dissipation from the heat source does not function to warm the cooled compartment and cause the heat pump to work harder and consume more energy.

[0256] In another group of preferred embodiments, the waveguide delivered laser-based white light is utilized in submerged or harsh environment applications, providing a substantial benefit over conventional light source technologies. In these applications the illumination light is required in locations under water or within other chemicals and environments that are not easily accessible. In one example, the waveguide or fiber delivered laser-based white light source is used for swimming pools. As shown in Figure 49A, the fiber delivered white light 6001 can be submerged under the water and provide a uniform light underneath the water. In another configuration show in Figure 49B, the fiber delivered white light source can be positioned above the water and configured to provide white light 6002 for illuminating down into the water. In both of these examples, the white light (6001 or 6002) is emitted from an emissive waveguide such as scattering or leaky fibers (6010 or 6020) and provides a very beautiful and even white light distribution. In some examples, the color of the light can be tuned, including changing the color temperature of the white light or changing to pure colors such as red, blue, green, violet, yellow, orange, or other colors. In these examples, the laser-based white light sources are located outside of the swimming pool area, such as in a small enclosure nearby to the swimming pool. The swimming pool can be an above ground pool or an in-ground pool.

[0257] In another embodiment, the waveguide delivered laser-based light is delivered to a hot tub or jacuzzi. As shown in Figure 50, the fiber delivered white light can be configured as submerged illumination light 6110 under the water and provide a uniform light pattern in the hot-tub. In this example the white light 6110 is emitted from an emissive waveguide such as scattering or leaky fiber (as schematically indicated by the curved lines) and provides a very beautiful and even white light distribution. Also shown in the Figure 50, the fiber delivered white light source can be configured to deliver the light to discrete passive luminaires 6120 under the water to create a network of point lights. In this example transport fibers(not shown) are used to transport the light from the laser-based light source to the passive luminaires 6120. In some examples, combinations of discrete passive luminaires and emissive waveguide luminaires are included such as scattering optical fibers. In some examples, the color of the light can be tuned, including changing the color temperature of the white light or changing to pure colors such as red, blue, green, violet, yellow, orange, or other colors. In these examples, the laser-based light sources are located outside of the hot tub area, such as in a small enclosure or underneath the hot-tub. The swimming pool can be an above ground pool or an in-ground pool.

[0258] In all of the side pumped and transmissive and reflective embodiments of this invention the additional features and designs can be included. For example, shaping of the excitation laser beam for optimizing the beam spot characteristics on the phosphor can be achieved by careful design considerations of the laser beam incident angle to the phosphor or with using integrated optics such as free space optics like collimating lens. Safety features can be included such as passive features like physical design considerations and beam dumps and/or active features such as photodetectors or thermistors that can be used in a closed loop to turn the laser off when a signal is indicated. Moreover, optical elements can be included to manipulate the generated white light. In some embodiments, reflectors such as parabolic reflectors or lenses such as collimating lenses are used to collimate the white light or create a spot light that could be applicable in an automobile headlight, flashlight, spotlight, or other lights.

[0259] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a laser-based fiber-coupled white light system. The system has a pre-packaged laser-based white light module mounted on a support member and at least one gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode devices integrated with a phosphor material on the support member. The laser diode device, driven by a driver, is capable of providing an emission of a laser beam with a wavelength preferably in the blue region of 425 nm to 475 nm or in the ultra violet or violet region of 380 nm to 425 nm, but can be other such as in the cyan region of 475 nm to 510 nm or the green region of 510 nm to 560 nm. In a preferred embodiment the phosphor material can provide a yellowish phosphor emission in the 560 nm to 580 nm range such that when mixed with the blue emission of the laser diode a white light is produced. In other embodiments, phosphors with red, green, yellow, and even blue colored emission can be used in combination with the laser diode excitation source to produce a white light emission with color mixing in different brightness. The laser-based white light module is configured a free space with a non-guided laser beam characteristic transmitting the emission of the laser beam from the laser diode device to the phosphor material. The laser beam spectral width, wavelength, size, shape, intensity, and polarization are configured to excite the phosphor material. The beam can be configured by positioning it at the precise distance from the phosphor to exploit the beam divergence properties of the laser diode and achieve the desired spot size. In other embodiments free space optics such as collimating lenses can be used to shape the beam prior to incidence on the phosphor. The beam can be characterized by a polarization purity of greater than 60% and less than 100%. As used herein, the term“polarization purity” means greater than 50% of the emitted electromagnetic radiation is in a substantially similar polarization state such as the transverse electric (TE) or transverse magnetic (TM) polarization states, but can have other meanings consistent with ordinary meaning. In an example, the laser beam incident on the phosphor has a power of less than 0.1W, greater than 0.1W, greater than 0.5W, greater than 1W, greater than 5W, greater than 10W, or greater than 10W. The phosphor material is characterized by a conversion efficiency, a resistance to thermal damage, a resistance to optical damage, a thermal quenching characteristic, a porosity to scatter excitation light, and a thermal conductivity. In a preferred embodiment the phosphor material is comprised of a yellow emitting YAG material doped with Ce with a conversion efficiency of greater than 100 lumens per optical watt, greater than 200 lumens per optical watt, or greater than 300 lumens per optical watt, and can be a poly crystalline ceramic material or a single crystal material. The white light apparatus also has an electrical input interface configured to couple electrical input power to the laser diode device to generate the laser beam and excite the phosphor material. The white light source configured to produce a luminous flux of greater than 1 lumen, 10 lumens, 100 lumens, 250 lumens, 500 lumens, 1000 lumens, 3000 lumens, or 10000 lumens. The support member is configured to transport thermal energy from the at least one laser diode device and the phosphor material to a heat sink. The support member is configured to provide thermal impedance of less than 10 degrees Celsius per watt or less than 5 degrees Celsius per watt of dissipated power characterizing a thermal path from the laser device to a heat sink. The support member is comprised of a thermally conductive material such as copper, copper tungsten, aluminum, SiC, sapphire, AIN, or other metals, ceramics, or semiconductors.

[0260] In one embodiment, a laser driver is provided in the pre-packaged laser-based white light module. Among other things, the laser driver is adapted to adjust the amount of power to be provided to the laser diode. For example, the laser driver generates a drive current based one or more pixels from the one or more signals such as frames of images, the drive currents being adapted to drive a laser diode. In a specific embodiment, the laser driver is configured to generate pulse-modulated signal at a frequency range of about 50 to 300 MHz. The driver may provide temporal modulation for applications related to communication such as LiFi free-space light communication, and/or data communications using optic fiber.

Alternatively, the driver may provide temporal modulation for applications related to LiDAR remote sensing to measure distance, generate 3D images, or other enhanced 2D imaging techniques.

[0261] In certain embodiments, the pre-packaged laser-based white light module comprises a heat spreader coupled between the common support member and the heat sink.

[0262] In certain embodiments of the laser-based fiber-coupled white light module, the waveguide device includes an optical fiber of an arbitrary length, including a single mode fiber (SMF) or a multi-mode fiber (MMF), with core diameters ranging from about 1 p to 10 mih, about IOmih to 50mih, about 50mih to 150mih, about 150mih to 500mih, about 500mih to 1mm, or greater than 1mm. The optical fiber is aligned with a collimation optics member to receive the collimated white light emission with a numerical aperture about 0.05 to 0.7 in a cone angle ranging from 5 deg to 50 deg.

[0263] In certain embodiments of the laser-based fiber-coupled white light module, the waveguide device includes a leaky fiber of a certain length for distributing side- scattered light through the length.

[0264] In certain embodiments of the laser-based fiber-coupled white light module, the waveguide device includes a lensed fiber of a certain length, the lensed fiber being directly coupled with the pre-packaged white light module without extra collimation lens.

[0265] In certain embodiments of the laser-based fiber-coupled white light module, the waveguide device includes a planar waveguide formed on glass, semiconductor wafer, or other flat panel substrate.

[0266] In one embodiment, the white light emission from the laser-based white light source is directly coupled into a first end of an optical fiber member. The optical fiber member may be comprised of glass fiber, a plastic optical fiber (POF), a hollow fiber, or an alternative type of multi-mode or single mode fiber member or waveguide member The first end of the fiber may be comprised of a flat surface or could be comprised of a shaped or lensed surface to improve the input coupling efficiency of the white light into the fiber. The first end of the fiber member may be coated with an anti-reflective coating or a reflection modification coating to increase the coupling efficiency of the white light into the fiber member. The fiber or waveguide member controls the light based on step index or gradual index changes in the waveguide, refractive diffractive sections or elements, holographic sections or elements, polarization sensitive sections or elements, and/or reflective sections or elements. The fiber or waveguide is characterized by a core waveguide diameter and a numerical aperture (NA).

The diameter ranges from lum to lOum, lOum to lOOum, lOOum to 1mm, 1mm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The NA could range from 0.05 to 0.1, 0.1 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.3, 0.3 to 0.4, 0.4 to 0.5, 0.5 to 0.6, or 0.6 to 0.7. Transmission ranges from 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, 60 to 70%, 70 to 80%, 80 to 90%, and 90 to 100%. The fiber may transport the light to the end, or directional side scattering fiber to provide preferential illumination in a particular angle, or both. The fiber may include a coating or doping or phosphor integrated inside or on a surface to modify color of emission through or from fiber. The fiber may be a detachable fiber and may include a connector such as an SMA, FC and / or alternative optical connectors. The fiber may include a moveable tip mechanism on the entry or exit portion for scanning fiber input or output, where the fiber tip is moved to generate changes in the in coupling amount or color or other properties of the light, or on the output side, to produce a motion of light, or when time averaged, to generate a pattern of light. The leaky fiber could be a bundled leaky fiber. For example, the leak fiber could be a bundle of 3 or more, or 19 or more fibers with diameters in the 20pm to 200pm range with a total core diameter of 0.4mm to 4mm. The bundled fibers could be comprised from glass fibers or plastic fibers.

[0267] In a preferred embodiment, the white light emission from the laser-based white light source is directed through a collimating lens to reduce the divergence of the white light. For example, the divergence could be reduced from 180 degrees full angle or 120 degrees full width half maximum, as collected from the Lambertian emission to less than 12 degrees, less than 5 degrees, less than 2 degrees, or less than 1 degree. The lenses may include reflective surfaces, step index or gradual gradient index changes in the material, refractive sections or elements, diffractive sections or elements, holographic sections or elements, polarization sensitive sections or elements, and/or reflective sections or elements including total internal reflective elements. The lens may include combination of diffractive lensing and or reflection sections, such as a total internal reflection (TIR) optic. Lens diameter ranges from lum to lOpm, lOpm to lOOpm, lOOpm to 1mm, 1mm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The NA could range from 0.05 to 0.1, 0.1 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.3, 0.3 to 0.4, 0.4 to 0.5, 0.5 to 0.6, or 0.6 to 0.7. Transmission ranges from 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, 60 to 70%, 70 to 80%,

80 to 90%, and 90 to 100%.

[0268] The first end of the fiber may be comprised of a flat surface or could be comprised of a shaped or lensed surface to improve the input coupling efficiency of the white light into the fiber. The first end of the fiber member may be coated with an anti -reflective coating or a reflection modification coating to increase the coupling efficiency of the white light into the fiber member. The optical fiber member may be comprised of glass fiber, a plastic optical fiber (POF), or an alternative type of fiber member. The first end of the fiber may be comprised of a flat surface or could be comprised of a shaped or lensed surface to improve the input coupling efficiency of the white light into the fiber. The fiber is characterized by a core waveguide diameter and a numerical aperture (NA). The diameter ranges from 1 p to lOpm, lOpm to lOOpm, lOOpm to 1mm, 1mm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The NA could range from 0.05 to 0.1, 0.1 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.3, and 0.3 to 0.4, 0.4 to 0.5, 0.5 to 0.6, or 0.6 to 0.7. Transmission ranges from 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, 60 to 70%, 70 to 80%, 80 to 90%, and 90 to 100%. The fiber may transport the light to the end, or directional side scattering fiber to provide preferential illumination in a particular angle, or both. The fiber may include a coating or doping or phosphor integrated inside or on a surface to modify color of emission through or from fiber. The fiber may be a detachable fiber and may include a connector such as an SMA, FC and/or alternative optical connectors. The fiber may include a moveable tip mechanism on the entry or exit portion for scanning fiber input or output, where the fiber tip is moved to generate changes in the in coupling amount or color or other properties of the light, or on the output side, to produce a motion of light, or when time averaged, to generate a pattern of light.

[0269] In another preferred embodiment, the white light emission from the laser-based white light source is directed through a collimating lens to reduce the divergence of the white light. For example, the divergence could be reduced from 120 degrees as collected from the Lambertian emission to less than 12 degrees, less than 5 degrees, less than 2 degrees, or less than 1 degree. The lenses may include reflective surfaces, step index or gradual gradient index changes in the material, refractive sections or elements, diffractive sections or elements, holographic sections or elements, polarization sensitive sections or elements, and/or reflective sections or elements including total internal reflective elements. The lens may include combination of diffractive lensing and or reflection sections, such as a total internal reflection (TIR) optic. Lens diameter ranges from 1 p to lOpm, 1 Opm to lOOpm, lOOpm to 1mm, 1mm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The NA could range from 0.05 to 0.1, 0.1 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.3, 0.3 to 0.4, 0.4 to 0.5, 0.5 to 0.6, or 0.6 to 0.7. Transmission ranges from 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, 60 to 70%, 70 to 80%, 80 to 90%, and 90 to 100%. The leaky fiber could be a bundled leaky fiber. For example, the leak fiber could be a bundle of 3 or more, or 19 or more fibers with diameters in the 20pm to 200pm range with a total core diameter of 0.4mm to 4mm. The bundled fibers could be comprised from glass fibers or plastic fibers.

[0270] The first end of the fiber may be comprised of a flat surface or could be comprised of a shaped or lensed surface to improve the input coupling efficiency of the white light into the fiber. The first end of the fiber member may be coated with an anti -reflective coating or a reflection modification coating to increase the coupling efficiency of the white light into the fiber member. The optical fiber member may be comprised of glass fiber, a plastic optical fiber (POF), or an alternative type of fiber member. The first end of the fiber may be comprised of a flat surface or could be comprised of a shaped or lensed surface to improve the input coupling efficiency of the white light into the fiber. The fiber is characterized by a core waveguide diameter and a numerical aperture (NA). The diameter ranges from 1 p to lOpm, lOpm to lOOpm, lOOpm to 1mm, 1mm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The NA could range from 0.05 to 0.1, 0.1 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.3, and 0.3 to 0.4, 0.4 to 0.5, 0.5 to 0.6, or 0.6 to 0.7. Transmission ranges from 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, 60 to 70%, 70 to 80%, 80 to 90%, and 90 to 100%. The fiber may transport the light to the end, or directional side scattering fiber to provide preferential illumination in a particular angle, or both. The fiber may include a coating or doping or phosphor integrated inside or on a surface to modify color of emission through or from fiber. The fiber may be a detachable fiber and may include a connector such as an SMA, FC and / or alternative optical connectors. The fiber may include a moveable tip mechanism on the entry or exit portion for scanning fiber input or output, where the fiber tip is moved to generate changes in the in coupling amount or color or other properties of the light, or on the output side, to produce a motion of light, or when time averaged, to generate a pattern of light. The leaky fiber could be a bundled leaky fiber. For example, the leak fiber could be a bundle of 3 or more, or 19 or more fibers with diameters in the 20pm to 200pm range with a total core diameter of 0.4mm to 4mm. The bundled fibers could be comprised from glass fibers or plastic fibers.

[0271] As describe previously, the optical fiber member may be comprised of glass fiber, a plastic optical fiber, or an alternative type of fiber member. The core or waveguide region of the fiber may have a diameter ranging from 1 p to lOpm, 1 Opm to lOOpm, lOOpm to 1mm, lmm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The white light emission is then transferred through the fiber to an arbitrary length depending on the application. For example, the length could range from 1cm to 10 cm, 10 cm to lm, 1 m to 100 m, 100 m to 1 km, or greater than 1km.

[0272] In one embodiment, the optical fiber member transport properties are designed to maximize the amount of light traveling from the first end of the fiber to a second end of the fiber. In this embodiment, the fiber is design for low absorption losses, low scattering losses, and low leaking losses of the white light out of the fiber. The white light exits the second end of the fiber where it is delivered to its target object for illumination. In one preferred embodiment the white light exiting the second end of the fiber is directed through a lens for collimating the white light. The lens may include reflective surfaces, step index or gradual gradient index changes in the material, refractive sections or elements, diffractive sections or elements, holographic sections or elements, polarization sensitive sections or elements, and/or reflective sections or elements including total internal reflective elements. The lens may include combination of diffractive lensing and or reflection sections, such as a total internal reflection optic, e.g. TIR optic. Lens diameter ranges from 1 p to 10pm, 10 pm to lOOpm, lOOpm to 1mm, 1mm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The NA could range from 0.05 to 0.1, 0.1 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.3, 0.3 to 0.4, 0.4 to 0.5, 0.5 to 0.6, or 0.6 to 0.7. Transmission ranges from 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, 60 to 70%, 70 to 80%, 80 to 90%, and 90 to 100%.

[0273] Additionally, a beam shaping optic can be included to shape the beam of white light into a predetermined pattern. In one example, the beam is shaped into the required pattern for an automotive standard high beam shape or low beam shape. The beam shaping element may be a lens or combination of lenses. The lens may include reflective surfaces, step index or gradual gradient index changes in the material, refractive sections or elements, diffractive sections or elements, holographic sections or elements, polarization sensitive sections or elements, and/or reflective sections or elements including total internal reflective elements. The lens may include combination of diffractive lensing and or reflection sections, such as a total internal reflection optic, e.g., TIR optic. A beam shaping diffusers may also be used, such as a holographic diffuser. Lens and or diffuser diameter ranges from 1 p to 10pm,

10pm to lOOpm, 100pm to 1mm, 1mm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. Lens shape may be non-circular, such as rectangular or oval or with an alternative shape, with one of the dimensions being from lum to lOum, lOum to lOOum, lOOum to 1mm, 1mm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The NA could range from 0.05 to 0.1, 0.1 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.3, 0.3 to 0.4, 0.4 to 0.5, 0.5 to 0.6, or 0.6 to 0.7. Transmission ranges from 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, 60 to 70%, 70 to 80%, 80 to 90%, and 90 to 100%. The leaky fiber could be a bundled leaky fiber. For example, the leak fiber could be a bundle of 3 or more, or 19 or more fibers with diameters in the 20pm to 200 p range with a total core diameter of 0.4mm to 4mm. The bundled fibers could be comprised from glass fibers or plastic fibers.

[0274] In another embodiment, the optical fiber member is intentionally designed to be leaky such that the white light exits the fiber along its axis to produce a distributed white light source. The fiber design can include air bubbles, voids, composite materials, or other designs to introduce perturbations in the index of refraction along the axis of the waveguide to promote scattering of the white light. [0275] In yet another preferred embodiment, the fiber can be designed allow light to leak out of the core waveguide region and into the cladding region. In some embodiments, the leaky fiber is designed to leak the white light from only certain directions from the fibers circumference. For example, the fiber may directionally leak and emit light from 180 degrees of the fibers 360 degrees circumference. In other examples, the fiber may leak and emit light from 90 degrees of the fibers 360 degrees circumference.

[0276] The leaky fiber embodiment of the fiber coupled white light invention described can fine use in many applications. One such example application using the leaky fiber as distributed light source included as day time running lights in an automobile headlight module. Additionally, the distributed light sources could be used in automotive interior lighting and tail lighting. In another application the source is used as distributed lighting for tunnels, streets, underwater lighting, office and residential lighting, industrial lighting, and other types of lighting. In another application the leaky fiber could be included in a light bulb as a filament. The leaky fiber could be a bundled leaky fiber. For example, the leak fiber could be a bundle of 3 or more, or 19 or more fibers with diameters in the 20pm to 200pm range with a total core diameter of 0.4mm to 4mm. The bundled fibers could be comprised from glass fibers or plastic fibers.

[0277] In still another preferred embodiment, an electronic board may be used with the light source. It may include a section that provides initial heatsinking of the light source, with a thermal resistance of less than 1 degree Celsius per watt, or 1 to 2 degree Celsius per watt, or 2 to 3 degree Celsius per watt, or 3 to 4 degree Celsius per watt, or 4 to 5 degree Celsius per watt, or 5 to 10 degree Celsius per watt. The electronic board may provide electrical contact for anode(s) and cathode(s) of the light source. The electronic board may include a driver for light source or a power supply for the light source. The electronic board may include driver elements that provide temporal modulation for applications related to communication such as LiFi free-space light communication, and/or data communications using optic fiber. The electronic board may include driver elements that provide temporal modulation for applications related to LiDAR remote sensing to measure distance, generate 3D images, or other enhanced 2D imaging techniques. The electronic board may include sensors for SMD such as thermistor or process detectors from SMD such as photodetector signal conditioning or fiber sensors. The electronic board may be interfaced with software. The software may provide machine learning or artificial intelligent functionality. The electronic board diameter may range from lum to lOum, lOum to lOOum, lOOum to 1mm, lmm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The electronic board shape may be non-circular, such as rectangular or oval or with an alternative shape, with one of the dimensions being from lpm to lOpm, lOpm to lOOpm, lOOpm to lmm, lmm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The NA could range from 0.05 to 0.1, 0.1 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.3, 0.3 to 0.4, 0.4 to 0.5, 0.5 to 0.6, or 0.6 to 0.7.

[0278] In still a preferred embodiment, a heatsink may be used with the light source. The heatsink may have a thermal resistance of less than 1 degree Celsius per watt, or 1 to 2 degree Celsius per watt, or 2 to 3 degree Celsius per watt, or 3 to 4 degree Celsius per watt, or 4 to 5 degree Celsius per watt, or 5 to 10 degree Celsius per watt. The heat sink may be cylindrical with a diameter that may range from lum to lOum, lOum to lOOum, lOOum to lmm, lmm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The heatsink shape may be non-cylindrical with an alternative shape, with one of the dimensions being from 1 p to lOpm, 1 Opm to lOOpm, lOOpm to lmm, lmm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The heatsink frame may be manufactured with lathe turning in order to provide flexible aesthetic looks from a common light source module underneath.

[0279] Additionally, a mechanical frame may be used, on which to affix the light source, optic, fiber, electronic board, or heatsink. The mechanical frame may be cylindrical with a diameter that may range from lum to lOum, lOum to lOOum, lOOum to lmm, lmm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The heatsink shape may be non-cylindrical with an alternative shape, with one of the dimensions being from lpm to lOpm, lOpm to lOOpm, lOOpm to lmm, lmm to 10mm, or 10mm to 100mm. The mechanical frame may be manufactured with lathe turning in order to provide flexible aesthetic looks from a common light source module underneath.

[0280] Optionally, the light source may be configured with a single fiber output with collimating optic and beam pattern generator. Optionally, the light source may be configured with multiple fiber outputs, each with collimating optic and beam pattern generator.

Optionally, multiple light sources may be configured to single fiber output with collimating optic and beam pattern generator. Optionally, multiple light sources may be configured to multiple fiber bundle output with collimating optic and beam pattern generator. Optionally, multiple light sources may be configured to multiple fiber bundle output, each with collimating optic and beam pattern generator. Optionally, multiple light sources with different color properties may be configured to one or more fibers to generate different color properties of emission.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system comprising:

one or more white light source modules located at a source position, each comprising:

a laser device comprising a gallium and nitrogen containing material and configured as an excitation source, the laser device comprising an output facet configured to output a laser emission with a first wavelength ranging from 385 nm to 495 nm;

a phosphor member configured as a wavelength converter and an emitter and disposed to allow the laser electromagnetic radiation being optically coupled to a primary surface of the phosphor member;

an angle of incidence configured between the laser electromagnetic radiation and the primary surface of the phosphor member, the phosphor member configured to convert at least a fraction of the laser electromagnetic radiation with the first wavelength landed in a spot greater than 5 pm on the primary surface to a phosphor emission with a second wavelength that is longer than the first wavelength;

a light-emission mode characterizing the phosphor member with a white light emission being generated from at least an interaction of the laser electromagnetic radiation with the phosphor emission, the white light emission comprising of a mixture of wavelengths characterized by at least the second wavelength from the phosphor member;

one or more fibers configured to have first ends to couple with the one or more white light source modules to output the white light emission to respective second ends; and one or more passive luminaries substantially free of electrical power supply disposed at an illumination location coupled to the respective second ends to distribute the white light emission to one or more illumination patterns, wherein the illumination location is separated from the one or more white light source module location by a remote distance.

2. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more white light source modules comprises a surface-mount device (SMD) type package, or each of the one or more white light source modules comprises a package selected from a flat package, T09 Can, T056 Can, TO-5 can, TO-46 can, CS- Mount, G-Mount, C-Mount, and micro-channel cooled package.

3. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system of claim 1, wherein the one or more white light source modules are configured to generate the white light emission from a source diameter of about 0.10 mm to about 3 mm with a total luminous flux of about 100 lumens to about 2000 lumens or greater.

4. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system of claim 1, wherein the one or more fibers comprises waveguides laid on a 2-dimensional substrate, optical fiber cables disposed in a one-dimensional configuration.

5. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more fibers comprises a glass fiber or a plastic fiber with core diameter of about 100 um to about 2 mm or greater, and wherein the fiber core can be configured from a solid core fibers, or a fiber bundle core, or a combination of solid core and fiber bundle type fibers.

6. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system of claim 1, wherein one or more fibers are directly coupled to the one or more white light source modules or wherein the leaky fibers are coupled to the respective second ends of the one or more fibers to deliver the white emission.

7. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system of claim 1, further comprising:

an optical connector for detachably connecting the one or more passive luminaries to the respective second ends of the one or more fibers to deliver the white emission;

a white light supply member optically coupled to one or more white light source modules least a level selected from greater than 20%, greater than 40%, greater than 60%, and greater than 80%; and/or

an optical switch module configured to switch one input of white light emission to one of multiple outputs respectively to multiple optical channels respectively coupled to multiple passive luminaries, a fast switching MEMS mirror to generate spatial modulation to the one or more illumination patterns, one or more sensors to collect environmental information at the illumination location, and a controller including sensor signal input unit, processing unit, and driver unit configured to process the sensor signal to generate a feedback control signal to drive the one or more white light source modules, wherein the one or more white light source modules is configured to adjust the laser electromagnetic radiation from the laser device and the phosphor emission from the phosphor member to achieve color tuning and illumination pattern adjustment of the white light emission.

8. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system of claim 1, wherein the light-emission mode characterizing the phosphor member with a white light emission comprises one of a reflection mode or a transmission mode, wherein in the reflection mode the white light emission is emitted from the same surface of the phosphor member that the laser beam is incident upon and in the transmission mode the white light emission is emitted from at least a different surface of the phosphor member than the laser beam is incident upon.

9. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system of claim 1, wherein the one or more passive luminaries comprises one or more leaky fibers respectively coupled with the one or more fibers by one or more detachable optical connectors or by splicing, wherein at least one of:

the leaky fiber comprises a scattering feature therein to produce uniform light scattering over illumination angles up to 360 degrees around;

the leaky fiber comprises a scattering feature therein to produce a directional side scattering characteristics yielding preferential illumination in a range of angles off zero degrees along the length of fiber body up to 90 degrees perpendicular to the fiber body;

the leaky fiber comprises light-emission features therein based on scattering, reflection, and collimation to produce an illumination pattern in a fixed or varied directional angle range; or

the leaky fiber comprises a light output characterized by an effective luminous flux of greater than 25 lumens, or greater than 50 lumens, or greater than 150 lumens, or greater than 300 lumens, or greater than 600 lumens, or greater than 800 lumens, or greater than 1200 lumens in an optical efficiency of greater than 35% out of the fiber body.

10. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system of claim 1, wherein the passive luminary comprises one or more light-emission and light-shaping features therein based on scattering, reflection, color conversion, and/or collimation to produce a desired spatial illumination pattern, color quality, and/or aesthetic characteristic.

11. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system of claim 1, wherein the one or more passive luminaries comprise pendant lights or chandelier lights.

12. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system of claim 1, wherein the one or more passive luminaries are comprised in waveguides integrated into troffers, built into fabrics, furniture, and/or building design elements

13. The laser-based fiber-coupled white light illumination system of claim 1, wherein the one or more passive luminaries are included as illumination elements for in door/outdoor lighting, decorative accessories, architectural features, household or industrial appliances, vehicles, submerged lightings for swimming pools and jacuzzis.

14. A central lighting system with distributed white light comprising, one or more laser-based white light sources disposed at one or more dedicated source areas, each light source comprising:

a laser device comprising a gallium and nitrogen containing material and configured as an excitation source, the laser device comprising an output facet configured to output a laser electromagnetic emission with a first wavelength ranging from 385 nm to 495 nm;

a phosphor member configured as a wavelength converter and an emitter and disposed to convert the laser electromagnetic emission to emit a second electromagnetic radiation with a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength; and

a light-emission mode characterizing the phosphor member with a white light emission being generated from at least an interaction of the laser electromagnetic radiation with the second electromagnetic emission as a mixture of wavelengths characterized by at least the second wavelength from the phosphor member;

a white light supply member configured to couple with the one or more laser- based white light sources to form a directed white light emission; an optical switching module configured to couple the directed white light emission to one or more of multiple channels to control the light intensity level to a predetermined level to be inserted into the one or more multiple channels; and

multiple transport fibers configured to respectively couple with the multiple channels to receive the white light emission from any channel with the predetermined light level status and deliver the white light emission to one or multiple distributed illumination areas.

15. The central lighting system of claim 14, wherein each of the one or more white light sources comprises a surface-mount device (SMD) type package.

16. The central lighting system of claim 14, wherein the light-emission mode characterizing the phosphor member with a white light emission comprises one of a reflection mode or a transmission mode, wherein in the reflection mode the white light emission is emitted from the same surface of the phosphor member that the laser beam is incident upon and in the transmission mode the white light emission is emitted from at least a different surface of the phosphor member than the laser beam is incident upon.

17. The central lighting system of claim 14, further comprising one or more optical connectors to form detachable optical couplings between the one or more white light sources and the white light supply member directing the white light emission.

18. The central lighting system of claim 14, wherein the one or more optical connectors comprise SMA type, FC type, snap-in type.

19. The central lighting system of claim 14, wherein the white light supply member comprises an optical waveguide member such as a fiber and optionally a

combination of lenses, mirrors, reflectors for shaping and collimating the white light emission.

20. The central lighting system of claim 14, wherein the optical switching module comprises MEMS devices with scanning micro-mirrors, or digital light processing chips (DLP) including arrays of micromirrors, or piezoelectric beam steering devices, or scanning fiber tip devices, micro positioner devices, inkjet device with an intersection of two waveguides, liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) devices, or devices based on thermal methods, acousto-optic, magneto-optic technology that can deflect the white light emission to selected one of multiple transport fibers.

21. The central lighting system of claim 14, wherein the optical switching module comprises a digital device that controls an“ON” or“OFF” state to an optical path to guide the white light emission from the white light supply member, or an analog device that enables control of the amount of white light emission delivered to provide a dimming function.

22. The central lighting system of claim 14, wherein the multiple distributed illumination areas comprise a remote area separated from the dedicated source areas with a short distance of at least 6 inches to a long distance in several tens of meters, an area that has an environment substantially free of restrictions in temperature, humidity, radiation, accessibility, and safety set for the dedicated source areas.

23. The central lighting system of claim 14, wherein each of the multiple transport wherein each of the multiple fibers comprises a glass fiber or a plastic fiber with core diameter of about lOOum to about 2 mm or greater, and wherein the fiber core can be configured from a solid core fibers, or a fiber bundle core, or a combination of solid core and fiber bundle type fibers.

24. The central lighting system of claim 14, wherein each of the multiple transport fibers is configured to transport the white light emission from the white light source with a coupling efficiency being at least in a level selected from greater than 20%, greater than 40%, greater than 60%, and greater than 80%.

25. The central lighting system of claim 14, wherein the one or more transport fibers deliver the white light emission to one or more passive luminaries at an illumination location to distribute the white light emission to one or more illumination patterns, wherein at least one of:

the one or more passive luminaries comprises one or more leaky fibers respectively coupled with the one or more fibers by one or more detachable optical connectors or by splicing, and wherein the leaky fiber is configured with a solid core, a fiber bundled core, or a different type of core, wherein the leaky fiber comprises a scattering feature therein to produce uniform light scattering over illumination angles up to 360 degrees around, or wherein the leaky fiber comprises a scattering feature therein to produce a directional side scattering characteristics yielding preferential illumination in a range of angles off zero degrees along the length of fiber body up to 90 degrees perpendicular to the fiber body, or wherein the leaky fiber comprises light-emission features therein based on scattering, reflection, and collimation to produce an illumination pattern in a fixed or varied directional angle range;

the one or more passive luminaries comprises one or more light-emission and light-shaping features therein based on scattering, reflection, color conversion, and/or collimation to produce a desired spatial illumination pattern, color quality, and/or aesthetic characteristic;

the one or more passive luminaries comprise pendant lights or chandelier lights; or

the one or more passive luminaries are comprised in waveguides integrated into troffers, built into fabrics, furniture, and/or building design elements

26. A smart lighting system comprising,

one or more laser-based white light sources disposed at a source area, the one or more light sources comprising:

one or more transport fibers configured with a first end coupled to the one or more laser-based white light sources to transport the white light emission to a second end at an illumination area at a remote distance; one or more sensors disposed at the illumination area and configured to collect one or more sensor signals;

a controller configured to receive electrically or optically the one or more sensor signals and to process the one or more sensor signals to generate a feedback signal back to the laser-based white light source to generate a light response.

27. The smart lighting system of claim 26, wherein the one or more laser- based white light sources are comprised in a surface-mount device (SMD) type package.

28. The smart lighting system of claim 26, wherein the laser-based white light source is configured to exit the white light emission from a source diameter of about 0.1 mm to 3 mm with a total luminous flux of about 100 lumens to about 2000 lumens or greater with amplitude modulation capability.

29. The smart lighting system of claim 26, wherein the light-emission mode characterizing the phosphor member with a white light emission comprises one of a reflection mode or a transmission mode, wherein in the reflection mode the white light emission is emitted from the same surface of the phosphor member that the laser beam is incident upon and in the transmission mode the white light emission is emitted from at least a different surface of the phosphor member than the laser beam is incident upon.

30. The smart lighting system of claim 26, further comprising a first optical connector to form a detachable optical coupling between the laser-based white light source and the first end of a transport fiber or supply member.

31. The smart lighting system of claim 26, further comprising a second optical connector to form a detachable optical coupling between the second end of the transport fiber to a passive luminary at the illumination area, wherein at least one of:

the passive luminary comprises a scattering fiber or leaky fiber configured to yield a light output characterized by an effective luminous flux of greater than 10 lumens, greater than 25 lumens, or greater than 50 lumens, or greater than 150 lumens, or greater than 300 lumens, or greater than 600 lumens, or greater than 800 lumens, or greater than 1200 lumens;

the passive luminary comprises a leaky fiber comprising a scattering feature therein to produce uniform light scattering over illumination angles up to 360 degrees around; and wherein the fiber core can be configured with a solid core, a fiber bundled core, or another type of core,

the passive luminary comprises one or more light-emission and light-shaping features therein based on scattering, reflection, color conversion, and/or collimation to produce a desired spatial illumination pattern, color quality, and/or aesthetic characteristic;

the one or more passive luminaries are comprised in waveguides integrated into troffers, built into fabrics, furniture, and/or building design elements.

32. The smart lighting system of claim 26, further comprising an optical switching module configured to control switching or splitting the white light emission to one or more of multiple passive luminaries disposed in multiple illumination areas, wherein the optical switching module comprises MEMS devices with scanning micro-mirrors, or digital light processing chips (DLP) including arrays of micromirrors, or piezoelectric beam steering devices, or scanning fiber tip devices, micro positioner devices, inkjet device with an intersection of two waveguides, liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) devices, or devices based on thermal methods, acousto-optic, or a magneto-optic technology, and wherein the optical switching module comprises a digital device that controls an“ON” or“OFF” state to an optical path to guide the white light emission from the white light supply member, or an analog device that enables control of the amount of white light emission delivered to provide a dimming function.

33. The smart lighting system of claim 26, configured for a LiFi or a visible light communication signal that is receivable at least within a range of the illumination area.

34. The smart lighting system of claim 26, wherein the communication based on the lighting system provides communication for a local network, connects smart devices, provides data describing the surroundings or environment, delivers digital content, provides security, optimizes the efficiency of the smart lighting system or other systems, or serves other functions.

35. The smart lighting system of claim 26, wherein one or more sensors comprises one or more selected from microphone, geophone, motion sensor, radio-frequency identification (RFID) receivers, hydrophone, chemical sensors including a hydrogen sensor, CO2 sensor, or electronic nose sensor, flow sensor, water meter, gas meter, Geiger counter, altimeter, airspeed sensor, speed sensor, range finder, piezoelectric sensor, gyroscope, inertial sensor, accelerometer, MEMS sensor, Hall effect sensor, metal detector, voltage detector, photoelectric sensor, photodetector, photoresistor, pressure sensor, strain gauge, thermistor, thermocouple, pyrometer, temperature gauge, motion detector, passive infrared sensor, Doppler sensor, biosensor, capacitance sensor, video cameras, transducer, image sensor, infrared sensor, radar, SONAR, LIDAR.

36. The smart lighting system of claim 26, wherein the light response based on the sensor feedback comprises an illumination spatial distribution response, an illumination pattern movement response, an illumination color response, an illumination brightness or light level response, a communication signal response, or a combination thereof.

37. The smart lighting system of claim 26, wherein the light response based on the sensor feedback adjusts the lighting characteristics at one or more illumination locations to maximize the energy efficiency of the smart lighting system.

38. The smart lighting system of claim 26, wherein the light response based on the sensor feedback adjusts the lighting characteristics at one or more illumination locations to optimize the lighting characteristics for a given set of circumstances.

39. The smart lighting system of claim 26, wherein the light response based on the sensor feedback provides a communication function to notify or alert users of the smart lighting system that a certain condition is met.

40. A fiber-coupled white light illumination source comprising:

one or more passive luminaries coupled to the white light emission from the laser based white light source;

the one or more passive luminaries configured to distribute one or more illumination patterns at one or more illumination areas;

the one or more passive luminaries free from an electrical power supply and located at a remote distance from the one or more laser based white light sources; and

optionally an intermediate transport fiber with a first end coupled to the laser- based white light source to transport the white light emission to a second end coupled to the one or more passive luminaries.

41. The fiber-coupled white light illumination source of claim 40, wherein the laser-based white light source comprises a surface-mount device (SMD) type package.

42. The fiber-coupled white light illumination source of claim 40, wherein the laser-based white light source is configured to exit the white light emission from a source diameter of about 0.1 mm to about 3 mm with a total luminous flux of about 100 lumens to about 2000 lumens or greater with amplitude modulation capability.

43. The fiber-coupled white light illumination source of claim 40, wherein the light-emission mode characterizing the phosphor member with a white light emission comprises one of a reflection mode or a transmission mode, wherein in the reflection mode the white light emission is emitted from the same surface of the phosphor member that the laser beam is incident upon and in the transmission mode the white light emission is emitted from at least a different surface of the phosphor member than the laser beam is incident upon.

44. The fiber-coupled white light illumination source of claim 40, wherein the transport fiber comprises a glass fiber or a plastic fiber with core diameter of about lOOum to about 2 mm or greater, and wherein the fiber core can be configured from a solid core fibers, or a fiber bundle core, or a combination of solid core and fiber bundle type fibers; and wherein the white light emission from the laser-based white light source is coupled via a connector to the one or more passive luminaries with a coupling efficiency being at least a level selected from greater than 20%, greater than 40%, greater than 60%, and greater than 80%, and wherein the connector comprises a detachable mechanism to separate each passive luminary from the system.

45. The fiber-coupled white light illumination source of claim 40, wherein one or more passive luminaries comprises a scattering or leaky fiber having a built-in feature for producing uniform or directional line illumination source; wherein the leaky fiber core can be configured from a solid core, a fiber bundled core, or another type of core, and wherein the leaky fiber is configured to yield a light output characterized by an effective luminous flux of greater than 25 lumens, or greater than 50 lumens, or greater than 150 lumens, or greater than 300 lumens, or greater than 600 lumens, or greater than 800 lumens, or greater than 1200 lumens in an optical efficiency of greater than 35%.

46. The fiber-coupled white light illumination source of claim 40, wherein one or more passive luminaries comprises a pendant light with an assembly of collimation lens optics for directional illumination or flood illumination or sideway illumination coupled from the transport fiber or a leaky fiber.

47. The fiber-coupled white light illumination source of claim 40, wherein one or more passive luminaries comprises a chandelier light with multiple illumination branches split from one lead cable coupled from the transport fiber or a leaky fiber.

48. The fiber-coupled white light illumination source of claim 40, wherein one or more passive luminaries comprises one or more phosphors comprising alternative color elements, gradients, light-emission modes coupled from the transport fiber or a leaky fiber to modify the color characteristic of the illumination emitted from the passive luminaries.

49. The fiber-coupled white light illumination source of claim 40, wherein one or more passive luminaries comprises a distributed line source made by a scattering fiber with light extraction features producing a radially non-symmetric pattern.

50. The fiber-coupled white light illumination source of claim 40, wherein one or more passive luminaries comprises a distributed line source made by a scattering fiber with light extraction features producing a radially symmetric pattern, and optionally wherein the distributed line source comprises a reflector optical element that directs the radially symmetric pattern to a restricted angular range, wherein at least one of:

the distributed line source is integrated into crown molding for wall or ceiling illumination or distributed to any architectural design features including baseboards, ceiling beams, trims, pillars, windows, doors, stairs;

the distributed line source is integrated into interior as a waveguided troffer embedded in fabric or glass for semi-transparent glowing illumination;

the distributed line source is integrated into appliance for interior illumination with open-door trigger or all-time ON with glass door; or

wherein the distributed line source is integrated into submerged areas under water in swimming pool, jacuzzi, liquid storage tank.