KR20190006204A - Devices comprising a patterned color conversion medium and methods of forming the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed herein are optical assemblies that include a light emitting element, a color conversion medium that at least partially defines the light emitting element, and a transparent lens that is positioned to lie snugly over the light emitting element and the color conversion medium. Also disclosed herein are color conversion assemblies comprising a color conversion medium arranged in a ring-like pattern between two substrates. What is further disclosed herein are photoconversion devices comprising a substrate having a first surface patterned with a color conversion medium and a reflective layer disposed on the first surface and at least partially encapsulating the color conversion medium. Display, illumination, and electronic components including these assemblies and elements are disclosed herein.

Description

Devices comprising a patterned color conversion medium and methods of forming the same

<Cross reference of related application>

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 347,351, filed June 8, 2016, The content of this document is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety and claims the benefit of priority under § 119.

This disclosure relates generally to devices that include a patterned color conversion medium, and more particularly to optical components including at least two lenses, a color conversion medium, and / or a light source, as well as displays and / To illumination elements.

Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are commonly used in a variety of electronic devices such as cell phones, laptops, electronic tablets, televisions, and computer monitors. Conventional LCDs typically include blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) and color conversion components such as phosphors or quantum dots (QDs). LEDs can also be used in combination with color conversion components in lighting applications such as lighting fixtures. For example, through a color conversion medium that can convert a portion of the light into green and / or red light as the blue light from the LED passes through it. The combination of blue, green, and red light is recognized as white light by the human eye.

Color conversion components such as phosphors and QDs are not 100% quantum efficient in the conversion of light, and some of the light energy can be absorbed by the color conversion component as heat. Additionally, the color conversion process itself can generate heat due to, for example, a Stokes shift when shorter wavelengths are converted to longer wavelengths. In some examples, up to 20-40% of the absorbed light is converted to heat. As extra heat can degrade the color conversion component, it may be important to construct appropriate cooling or heat sink paths to maintain the color conversion component within the required drive temperature to release the generated heat. While the phosphor materials may be capable of driving at intermediate temperatures (e.g., up to about 300 캜), the QD materials may be highly temperature sensitive and may experience degradation at temperatures above about 100 캜.

Due to the temperature sensitivity of the QDs, traditional backlight units (BLUs) are generally configured to prevent proximity and / or direct contact between QDs and LEDs. This configuration may be referred to as a " remote " configuration. For example, as shown in the LCD assembly of FIG. 1, QDs are often supplied in the form of glass or polymer tubes, capillaries, sheets, or films, such as a QD enhancement film (QDEF) Which may be laid on top of (but not in direct physical contact with) the array of LEDs 2 arranged on the printed circuit board (PCB) 3. So that the light 4 emitted from the LEDs 2 can pass through the QDs as they move to the liquid crystal (LC) panel 5. The BLU 6 may further include a heat sink 7 attached to the PCB, which is capable of emitting heat generated by the LEDs 2.

However, these assemblies may not provide sufficient cooling, since the heat from the QDs is emitted by free or forced convective air forces 8, which pass primarily through the gap between the LEDs and the QDEF. The QDEF itself is a relatively poor heat conductor and has no advantage over direct thermal contact with the heat sink 7. Thereby, the LCD assembly can be driven at lower light intensity and / or power to protect the QDs from thermal degradation, which may undesirably lead to an overall reduction in display or illumination brightness. Additionally, these assemblies can cause significant material consumption because the QDs are uniformly distributed over the entire LED array rather than being discretely positioned on each of the individual LEDs within the array.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide devices that include a patterned color conversion medium that can reduce material consumption and thus reduce the cost of these devices. It would also be advantageous to provide elements that include heat sink paths or other cooling mechanisms capable of emitting heat generated by the color conversion medium.

The aspects described herein are intended to solve some of the problems described above.

In various embodiments, the disclosure provides a light emitting device comprising a light emitting device disposed on a first surface of a substrate, a ring structure including a color conversion medium disposed on the first surface of the substrate, And a transparent lens disposed over the light emitting element and the ring structure such that the color conversion medium is spaced from the light emitting element and the light emitting element is at least partially circumscribed by optical assemblies . Displays, lights, and electronic components include such assemblies, or assembly arrays are also disclosed herein.

The present disclosure further provides a sub-assembly comprising a first substrate and a second substrate which are sealed together to form at least one cavity comprising a color conversion medium; And a transparent lens positioned cooperatively transversely over the sub-assembly, the at least one cavity including a plurality of cavities arranged in a continuous ring-shaped cavity or a discontinuous ring-shaped pattern; Wherein the transparent lens comprises a convex surface and at least a portion of the convex surface comprises an isosceles spiral curvature. Not only are optical assemblies including the color conversion assembly and at least one light emitting element disclosed herein, but also displays, lights, and electronic components include such assemblies.

Also disclosed herein are transparent substrates and reflective substrates that are sealed together to form at least one cavity comprising a color conversion medium, wherein the at least one cavity is arranged in a continuous ring-shaped cavity or in a discontinuous ring- Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; cavities &lt; / RTI &gt; Optical assemblies including the color conversion assembly and at least one light emitting device, and / or a transparent lens are additionally disclosed herein, as well as displays, lights, and electronic components include such assemblies.

Additionally disclosed herein is a light emitting device comprising a transparent substrate having a first surface and an opposite light emitting surface, a color conversion medium disposed on the first surface, and at least a portion of the color conversion medium disposed on the first surface, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; encapsulating &lt; / RTI &gt; reflective layer. Also disclosed herein are light guide assemblies comprising said photo-conversion element optically coupled to a light-emitting element. Further disclosed are methods of forming a color conversion assembly, the methods comprising: patterning a color conversion medium on a first surface of a substrate and depositing a protective layer on the first surface to encapsulate at least a portion of the color conversion medium Wherein one of the substrate or the protective layer comprises a reflective material.

Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the specification, including the following detailed description, the claims, as well as the accompanying drawings, Lt; / RTI &gt;

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide an overview or contour for purposes of understanding the nature and characteristics of the embodiments, as illustrated and claimed, something to do. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate one or more embodiments (s) and serve to explain the principles and operation of various embodiments in conjunction with the detailed description.

The following detailed description will be better understood when read in conjunction with the drawings, wherein like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements.
Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary LCD assembly.
2A-2C show cross-sectional views of lenses according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 3A schematically illustrates total internal reflection (TIR) within a lens according to further embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 3b shows a topographic surface map of an exemplary lens formed by rotation of the curve of Figure 3a about an axis of rotation.
Figure 4 illustrates a coordinate system used to construct a rotationally symmetric lens in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 5 shows a constant angle of incidence curve according to further embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a linear lens in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure;
Figure 7 illustrates an array of lenses in accordance with further embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 8 illustrates an optical assembly in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 9 shows an array of optical assemblies in accordance with further embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figures 10-12 illustrate optical assemblies in accordance with alternative embodiments of the present disclosure.
13A and 13B show plan and cross-sectional views of a patterned color conversion assembly.
Figure 14 illustrates an exemplary display device including a BLU assembly in accordance with non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure.
15A-15C illustrate exemplary light guide plates (LGPs) that include a patterned color conversion medium.
16A-16C illustrate exemplary photoconversion elements including a patterned color conversion medium and a reflective layer.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure will now be discussed with reference to Figs. 2-16, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of lenses, light emitting elements, photoconversion elements, and optical assemblies including such elements. Display and illuminating elements and assemblies comprising such elements are also disclosed herein. The following general description is intended to provide an overview of the claimed elements, and various aspects will be discussed in detail in this disclosure with reference to non-limiting illustrative embodiments, which are, in the context of this disclosure, They are interchangeable.

Lenses

Disclosed herein are lenses comprising a contact surface, a convex surface, and a central region disposed therebetween, wherein the convex surface includes a negative axiconic depression extending into the central region. For example, the negative excisional depression includes a hollow conical area with a cone half-angle ranging from about 15 [deg.] To about 40 [deg.]. Also disclosed are lenses comprising a contact surface, a convex surface, and a central region disposed therebetween, wherein at least a portion of the convex surface comprises an equiangular spiral curvature. In certain embodiments, the lenses may be linear or rotationally symmetric. Suitable materials from which the lenses may be constructed may include optical transparent materials such as glass and plastics.

2A illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary lens 100 in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The lens 100 includes a contact surface 101, a convex surface 102, and a central region 103 disposed therebetween. The convex surface 102 may comprise, for example, a negative excision depression 104 at or near its top and such a depression 104 may extend into the central region 103. In some embodiments, the negative excondition depression 104 may have a vertex 107 pointing toward the contact surface 101. In some embodiments, In further embodiments, the convex surface 102 may truncate so that it does not fully extend until it meets the contact surface 101, as discussed in more detail below. In these embodiments, the cut surface 105 (optionally coated with a reflective layer) may connect the contact surface 101 and the convex surface 102. Moreover, in non-limiting embodiments, the contact surface 101 may include one or more recesses or cutouts 106, which may be configured to receive the light source within the optical assembly, as discussed in more detail below. Or the like.

As used herein, the term " convex " may be intended to refer to a surface feature that defines a thinner lens at the outer edges than at the center, for example when the contact surface is flat. In some embodiments, the convex second surface may be embodied as a surface that curves outward or extends outward from the centerline of the flat first surface of the lens, for example, hemispherical or semi-elliptical. The convex surface of the lens may be embodied as a rounded dome, and the dimensions thereof need not be fully rounded, hemispherical, or semi-elliptical.

2B, the " convex " surface may be rotationally symmetric about the vertical centerline 108 of the lens 100. As shown in FIG. For example, as illustrated, the convex surface 102 may include rotationally symmetric spheres, such as, for example, in a typical lens. However, other shapes are possible and are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure, such as two-dimensional surfaces created by rotating a one-dimensional profile function around an ellipse, parabola, or centerline. The one-dimensional profile function may be generated by splines and the slope may not be continuous. Convex surfaces that are rotationally symmetric about the centerline of the lens can also be described by standard aspheric sag equations or Forbes polynomial aspheric sag equations. The bird of the surface described by these equations is the normal distance from the plane perpendicular to the centerline at the surface intersecting the normal. The convex surface bird has a sign that significantly increases in size along the distance from the centerline and makes the lens thinner at the edge of the lens than at the center of the lens. In some radial areas, the lens may become thicker along the radial distance from the lens, but is generally thinner at the edge.

It should be understood that the term " convex " is not limited to surfaces that are rotationally symmetric about a vertical centerline. An asymmetric surface profile may be advantageous to provide different illumination profiles. The formulas describing this shape may not be standard sag equations and may describe the free-form surface shape used in optical manufacturing. It should also be understood that the term " convex " is not limited to continuous surfaces. This surface may also be a composite surface where the bird of another spiral region is defined by other equations.

FIG. 2C provides a detailed view of area C of FIG. 2A, which includes a negative excision depression 104. FIG. As used herein, the term " negative axicon depression " is intended to refer to a hollow conical area that is capable of diverging condensed light, which is substantially conical in shape, May be embodied as an indent or depression. According to various embodiments, the vertical centerline 109 of the cone may be spatially arranged so as to be aligned, or substantially aligned, parallel, or substantially parallel to the vertical centerline of the convex surface (see 108 in Figure 2b) . The term " negative " refers to the formation of a lens shape that diverges the condensed light incident conically on the conical surface, in contrast to the positive axicon lens that converges the light to form axial line focus in space. . May be designed to be slightly aspherical in shape to improve performance, such as in a spherical surface in optical systems, and the shape of the cone may also deviate from the perfect cone to improve performance and / or simplify manufacturing.

For example, in certain examples, it may be difficult to manufacture a negative axicon depression 104 with a perfectly sharp point or apex 107. Thus, in some embodiments, the depression 104 may have a vertex 107 having a curvature or rounded curvature, for example, as shown in FIG. 2C. Thus, instead of having a " width " (as in the case of a perfect cone) defined by a single point, the rounded vertex 107 may have a width w greater than zero. However, the blunt or rounded vertex 107 may allow some light to pass at shallow angles, for example, to cause undesired light leakage in this area. While vertex 107 may be machined or molded to increase its sharpness, it may also be possible to modify one or more surfaces of the negative axicon depression to offset this effect in some embodiments. For example, a reflective film (not shown) may be disposed on at least a portion of the rounded corner vertex of the cone so that light can be reflected backward, . &Lt; / RTI &gt; At least a portion of the rounded corner vertex 107 may also be blocked by coatings or metal objects, such as small balls or balls, which are adhered or forced into the apex of the cone.

According to various embodiments, the negative excondition depression 104 may have a width of about 15 [deg.], Including all ranges and subranges therebetween, such as from about 20 [deg.] To about 35 [deg.] Or about 25 [ Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt;(#) &lt; / RTI &gt; As used herein, the term &quot; cone half angle &quot; and variations thereof refer to an angle formed by the line 110 crossing the outermost point (x) of the cone and the vertical center line of the cone and the vertical center line 109 of the cone . &Lt; / RTI &gt; As noted above, the depressions 104 need not be perfectly conical, and the sides may not be perfectly linear. For example, as shown in FIG. 2C, the sides of the cone may be curved inward toward the vertical centerline of the cone, or may be bent outward in other embodiments (not shown).

It should be noted that while the lens 100 is shown as being plano-convex with a substantially planar contact surface 101, for example in FIGS. 2A-2C, it is also possible that the first surface is non- do. A slightly convex contact surface (e.g., having a radius of curvature greater than about 100 mm) provides improved optical properties, such as reduced refraction in the "rear" direction (eg, away from the user) in some instances can do. However, for practical purposes such as ease of configuration, a flattened lens may be more readily employed within an optical assembly. In some embodiments, the contact surface may be flat or substantially flat. 2b shows a contact surface 101 having a spherically symmetrical shape that is rotationally symmetric about the vertical centerline 108 of the lens while the contact surface 101 may be rotationally asymmetric about the vertical centerline of the lens, , And / or may have a preform shape. The contact surface 101 may be provided with one or more recesses or cutouts 106 intended to accommodate optical components such as light sources, color conversion media, circuits, and the like.

The overall height (or thickness) and / or diameter of the lens 100 may for example be dependent on the dimensions of the optical assembly intended to be used. For example, the diameter of the lenses can be selected to be larger than the dimensions (e.g., diameter, length, and / or width) of the light sources from which they can be optically coupled. For illustrative purposes only, the overall lens height (or thickness) in a non-limiting embodiment may range from about 0.1 mm to about 20 mm, from about 0.2 mm to about 15 mm, from about 0.5 mm to about 10 mm, About 8 mm, about 2 mm to about 7 mm, about 3 mm to about 6 mm, or about 4 mm to about 5 mm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. Similarly, the diameter of the entire lens may be, for example, from about 1 mm to about 100 mm, from about 5 mm to about 90 mm, from about 10 mm to about 80 mm, from about 20 mm to about 70 mm, from about 30 mm to about 60 mm , Or from about 40 mm to about 50 mm, including all ranges and subranges therebetween.

The size and / or shape of the lens may also depend on the required optical path for the light emitted by the light source optically coupled to the lens. For example, referring to FIG. 3A, the curvature of the convex lens surface 102 is such that the light 110 emitted from a light source (e.g., LED) 111 that is optically coupled to the lens is more than a critical angle Can be designed to strike the convex surface 102 at a large angle and to be " trapped " inside the lens due to total internal reflection (TIR). As used herein, the term " optically coupled " is intended to indicate that the light source is positioned with respect to the lens for introducing or injecting light into the lens interior. The light source may be optically coupled to components such as a lens, a light guide plate (LGP), or other substrate, even though it is not in physical contact with such components.

Total reflection (TIR) is a function of the refractive index of a second material (e.g., air) that has a second refractive index that is lower than the first refractive index, such that light propagating into a first material (e.g., glass, plastic, And so on). TIR can be described using Snell's law.

_{n 1 sin (θ i) =} n 2 sin (θ r)

This explains the refraction of light at the interface between two materials with different refractive indices. According to Snell's law, n ₁ is the refractive index of the first material, n ₂ is the refractive index of the second material, θ _i is the light angle of incidence at the interface to the normal to the interface, and (incident angle), θ _r is the normal Of the refracted light. Refraction angle (θ _r) and the 90˚ For example, when _{n 2 sin (θ r) =} 1 day, Snell's law may be expressed as follows:

Under these conditions, the incident angle [theta] _i may also be referred to as the critical angle [theta] _C. (&Amp;thetas; _i) having an incident angle larger than the critical angle > θ _C ) will be totally reflected in the first material, while light (θ _i ≤ θ _C ) having an incident angle equal to or smaller than the critical angle will be transmitted by the first material.

In the case of an exemplary interface between air ( n ₁ = 1) and glass ( n ₂ = 1.5), the critical angle θ _C can be calculated to be 41 _° . Thus, if the light propagating in the glass collides with the air-glass interface at an incident angle greater than 41 °, the entire incident light will be reflected from the interface at an angle equal to the angle of incidence. If the reflected light is confronted with a second interface comprising the same refractive index relationship as the first interface, the light incident on the second interface will be reflected back at an angle of reflection equal to the angle of incidence.

Thus, the lenses disclosed herein may be configured to " trap " light, and may be configured to emit light as long as, for example, light injected into the lens by the light source is repeatedly propagated into the lens, Or alternately between the contact surface 101 and the convex surface 102 until there is a contact between the contact surface 101 and the convex surface 102. 3A, the curvature of the convex surface 102 is such that substantially all of the light 110 emitted from the light source 111 is incident at an angle of incidence [theta] _i irrespective of the point of origin on the light source itself (Where _i > θ _C ) can be machined to strike the convex surface. For example, the upper corners of light source 111 (light 110 emitted from upper right corner 113 in FIG. 3A) may have the smallest incident angle with respect to convex surface 102 of the lens, Even the light emitted from this position on the light source 111 can be configured to have an incident angle [theta] _i larger than the critical angle [theta] _C.

3A, the color conversion medium 112 may be dispersed around the periphery of the light source 111 to provide regions of modified interfacial conditions, for example, when the reflected light incident on the color conversion medium 112 has a critical angle can be scattered forward to an angle smaller than the angle &amp;thetas; _C. Thereby, the TIR can be " broken " in the areas where the color conversion medium 112 is dispersed so that the light 110 can escape the lens as transmitted light 110 '. This arrangement also allows for a heat sink path for the color conversion medium itself (e.g., via a PCB (not shown) under the color conversion medium) to allow the optical assembly employing the disclosed configuration to be driven at elevated temperatures To provide additional benefits. Furthermore, since the light 110 from the light source 111 is reflected or spatially dispersed before it passes through the color conversion medium 112, the color conversion medium can be exposed to a reduced light flux density, &Lt; / RTI &gt; means that the optical assembly can be driven at a higher light intensity as compared to the configurations of FIG. These and other potential advantages are discussed in greater detail below with reference to the disclosed optical assemblies.

Note that only the right half of the convex lens surface curvature in FIG. 3A is shown (along with the corresponding half of the LED 111 and the color conversion medium 112). The rotation of the curve about the vertical centerline 108 of the lens (also the symmetry axis in this case) will create a convex lens surface 102 having the topography shown in 3b. 2, the convex surfaces 102 in FIG. 3A can be cut so that they do not extend completely until they meet the contact surface 101. In FIG. This cut surface (not labeled) may be coated with a reflective layer 114 to prevent escape of light from such areas in certain embodiments.

)는 수식 (1)을 사용하여 그려질 수 있다:In accordance with non-limiting embodiment, the lens is from substantially all of the light is a constant angle of incidence (θ _i) emanating from a light source (where θ _i = k > [theta] _C ). 3A, the incident angle curve r ([theta]) of the convex surface 102 has an origin defined as an upper right corner 113 or an upper left corner (not shown) of a light source (not shown) Or by defining a coordinate system. As shown in Fig. 4, a tangent vector ((r

) Can be plotted using Equation (1): &lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt;

는 광선의 방향을 대표하는 유닛 벡터이고,

는

에 수직한 유닛 벡터이다.

및

의 내적은 수식 (2)에 의해 표현될 수 있다:here

Is a unit vector representing the direction of the light beam,

The

Lt; / RTI &gt;

And

Can be expressed by equation (2): &lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt;

와

사이에 형성되는 각도이다. 입사각이 α의 여공간(complement)이므로, 수식 (2)는 다음의 수식 (3)으로서 쓰여질 수 있다:Here,

Wow

As shown in FIG. Since the incident angle is a complement of?, Equation (2) can be written as equation (3) below:

Equation (3) can be further simplified to provide the differential equation (4) in the polar coordinate system:

The solution to equation (4) is represented by equation (5): &lt; EMI ID =

Where r (0) is the starting point or origin of r (θ) at θ = 0.

5 shows an exemplary constant incidence curvature for the convex lens surface 102, where r (0) = 0.4 mm, and θ _i = 42 degrees. (&Amp;thetas;&lt; [pi]) for light emitted from the light source 111, each of which has an incident angle &amp;thetas; _i = 42 °. Note that in the case of angles?>?, A constant angle of incidence curve will define a spiral, which is also referred to as a logarithmic spiral, an equiangular spiral, or a growth spiral. do. Thereby, the convex surface 102 having a constant incident angle of curvature may include at least one region having an isosceles spiral curvature. In some embodiments, substantially all of the convex surfaces may have an isosceles spiral curvature. In other embodiments, a portion of the convex surface may have an isosceles spiral curvature (e.g., in the case of a lens having a cut surface).

Note that the rays tend to move along the top of the lens, which leaves a gap 115 adjacent to the light source 111. [ Thereby, even though some light may leak in the central region corresponding to the negative excision depression as mentioned above, the light emanating from the optical assembly forms a ring of light forming the periphery around the light source 111 Can be recognized. The lens vertices may be processed, molded or otherwise modified (e.g., to have a reflective layer) to reduce or eliminate such light leakage if desired.

The peak of the curve r (?) For 0 <? <? Can be expressed by the angle? _P =? _I +? / 2. Cartesian coordinates for this peak can be expressed by Equations (6a-b): &lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt;

The boundary or maximum limit 116 of the convex surface with respect to the Y axis right side occurs at an angle? _I. Thus, the Cartesian coordinates for the rightmost point can be represented by the equations (7a-b): &lt; EMI ID =

The value of x _r can be used to determine the maximum radius of the light source that can be optically coupled to the lens.

While FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a rotationally symmetric (e.g., hemispherical) lens 100 configured to be optically coupled to a single light source, other configurations in which the lenses may be coupled with more than one light source Note that it can be employed. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the linear lens 100 'may have a contact surface 101' convex surface 102 'similar to those defined above for the symmetric lens 100. Moreover, in some embodiments, the convex surface 102 'of the linear lens 100' may be machined to have a similarly constant incident angle of curvature (isometric spiral curvature). Furthermore, the lens 100 'may have a double lobe configuration (A'-B') as shown or may have a single-lobe configuration (A 'or B'). In some embodiments, during construction of the optical assembly, the individual lobes A 'and B' may be paired together to form a double lobe configuration. The double lobed (A'-B ') linear lenses may be arranged to lie coincidentally on the light source array 111', or each individual lobe A ', B' As shown in FIG.

The linear lens 100 'shown in FIG. 6 may be formed using any method known in the art, such as extrusion, molding, casting, or stamping. Similar fabrication processes can be used to produce a lens 100 that is rotationally symmetric or an array of such lenses. This exemplary array is shown in FIG. 7, and each individual lens 100 may include an aperture or recess 106 corresponding to a respective individual light source (not shown) within the accompanying LED array .

Optical assemblies

What is disclosed herein are optical assemblies comprising at least one lens as described above in combination with at least one of a light emitting element and / or a color conversion medium. The lens may be optically coupled to at least one light source, such as an LED. The optical assembly may also include a color conversion medium that includes at least one color conversion component, such as a lens and phosphors, quantum dots, and / or luminophores, e.g., fluorophores and light emitting polymers. have. Non-limiting exemplary optical assemblies may include, by way of example, backlight units (BLUs), light guide plates (LGPs), color conversion elements, light emitting elements, photoconversion elements, or lighting fixtures.

In various embodiments, the optical assemblies include a light emitting device disposed on a first surface of a substrate, a ring structure including a color conversion medium disposed on a first surface of the substrate, Wherein the color conversion medium is spaced apart from the light emitting element and at least partially defines the perimeter. Arrays of such assemblies are also disclosed herein.

Referring to FIG. 8, a non-limiting exemplary optical assembly is shown, which includes a lens 100, a light source 111, and a color conversion medium 112. The assembly may include in some embodiments a first substrate 118 defining a cavity 120 that contains a color conversion medium 112 therein and a ring structure 117 that may include a second substrate 119 . The ring structure 117 may further define a recess 121 within which the light source 111 may be at least partially positioned. A printed circuit board (PCB) 122 on which the light source 111 may be mounted may also be provided. A heat sink 123 may be attached to the PCB, which may include one or more thermal vias (not shown) to emit heat from the light source and / or color conversion medium. One or more adhesive layers (not shown) may optionally be present between two or more of the optical assembly components. Exemplary paths for rays 110 and transmitted rays 110 'have been included for illustrative purposes.

The lens 100 may include a contact surface 101 and a convex surface 102 as described above. The convex surface 102 may include a negative axicon depression 104 which may have a vertex 107 pointing towards the contact surface 101. [ According to various embodiments, the lens 100 may be positioned to lie conformally over the light source 111 and / or the color conversion medium 112. In various embodiments, the vertex 107 of the lens 100 may be aligned with the vertical centerline of the light source 111. In further embodiments, the outer periphery of the lens 100 may be aligned with the outer periphery of the color conversion medium 112. The contact surface 101 may be placed in physical contact with the ring structure 117 (e.g., the first substrate 118) and / or attached to the ring structure 117 by an adhesive layer (not shown) . Although not shown in FIG. 8, the contact surface 101 may include one or more recesses or cutouts so that the light source 111 may be at least partially positioned therein (e.g., FIGS. 2A, 2B, See 106 in 10).

According to various non-limiting embodiments, the color conversion medium 112 may be arranged in a ring-shaped pattern around the light source 111 and may be arranged such that, for example, the color conversion ring at least partially defines the perimeter of the light source . Although this ring shape may not be recognized from FIG. 8 which shows only a cross section of the optical assembly, additional examples of ring shaped color conversion media are shown in FIG. 9 and FIGS. 13A, 13B. It should be noted, however, that the term " ring " is not limited to circular patterns but may also include elliptical, square, rectangular, and other shapes. Thus, a " ring " can define any regular or irregular outline extending around the light source 111. [ Additionally, the " ring " or periphery need not be continuous, as in the case of a single ring shaped cavity. Rather, the ring may contain one or more gaps as in the case of a space between a plurality of cavities arranged in a ring-shaped pattern.

According to additional embodiments, the ring of color conversion medium 112 may be spaced from the light source 111, e.g., not in physical contact with the light source. However, in other non-limiting embodiments, the ring may be at least partially in contact with the light source, including contacting the side surfaces of the light source or locating the upper portion in a conformable manner. In certain embodiments, it may be advantageous to isolate the color conversion medium 112 from the light source 111 to reduce heat transfer between these two components.

In various embodiments, the color conversion medium may be arranged in a plane extending around the periphery of the light source. The color conversion medium may be in the same horizontal plane as the light source in some embodiments. If the color conversion medium is arranged in the same horizontal plane as the light source and defines the perimeter of the light source, the light source may not emit light directly into the plane of the color conversion medium. Rather, light emitted directly from the light source may first be reflected away from the convex surface of the transparent lens, and then directed back into the plane of the light source, e.g., into the plane of the color conversion medium. Thus, in non-limiting embodiments, the color conversion medium is not exposed to light rays that emanate directly from the light source, rather the reflected light rays are redirected more than once by the lens.

The rings of the color conversion medium can be manufactured using various structures and combinations. A second substrate 119 and a first substrate 118 sealed together to form at least one cavity 120 containing the color conversion medium 112 as shown in Figure 8, A ring structure 117 can be employed. According to various embodiments, the first substrate 118 may contact the lens 100 and the second substrate 119 may contact the PCB 122 directly or through an adhesive layer (or other intermediate layer) . In certain embodiments, the cavity 120 may be a ring-shaped cavity and may extend continuously around the periphery of, for example, the light source 111. Alternatively, the cavity 120 may comprise a plurality of cavities arranged in a ring-shaped pattern. 13A, the first and second substrates 118, 119 may be sealed together to form a plurality of ring-shaped cavities 120 and their arrays.

In various embodiments, the optical assembly shown in FIG. 8 includes an array of lenses 100, an array of light sources 111, and an array of rings including a color conversion medium 112 to form an optical array Can be repeated. An exemplary two-dimensional array is shown in FIG. As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the ring-shaped color conversion medium 112 may be spaced from the light source 111 by a distance d to reduce thermal interaction between these two components. Alternatively, although not shown, the color conversion ring may be in physical contact with at least a portion of the light source 111.

Figure 10 illustrates an additional, non-limiting configuration for an optical assembly in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the lens 100 " may comprise at least one cavity 120 ' including a color conversion medium, whereby the lens 100 " may function as a first substrate, May be sealed or otherwise joined together with the second substrate 119 to form a structure 117 '. In other unillustrated embodiments, the color conversion medium can be individually sealed between two separate films such as polymer films (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (" PET ")), and individually sealed color conversion The medium can be placed in the cavity 120 (FIG. 8) or the cavity 120 '(FIG. 10).

Figure 11 illustrates an additional configuration of an optical assembly in accordance with further embodiments of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the ring structure 117 may include a first substrate 118 and a second substrate 119. The micro-light source 111 'may include, for example, micro-LEDs that may be deposited in optional cavities or wells (not shown) within the first substrate 118. In some embodiments, the micro-light sources 111 '(e.g., micro-LEDs) may be configured to emit light at a wavelength ranging from about 3 microns to about 8 microns, from about 4 microns to about 7 microns, or from about 5 microns to about 6 microns, And may have a height of less than about 10 [mu] m, including all ranges and subranges therebetween. The adhesive layer 124 may be disposed on the first substrate 118 and the micro-light sources 111 'to bond the lens 100 to the first substrate 118. Thus, the first substrate 118 can function as a PCB component on which the micro-light sources can be mounted, and as a sealing substrate in the ring structure 117. According to various embodiments, the first substrate 118 may be constructed from transparent materials.

Figure 12 illustrates another configuration for an optical assembly in accordance with further embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the ring structure 117 " may include a first substrate 118 and a second substrate 119, which are connected to the seal 125 such that the color converting microstructure 112 ' The color-converting micro-layer 112 'may, in some embodiments, include all ranges and subranges between them, such as from about 5 microns to about 20 microns, or from about 10 microns to about 15 microns Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; um. &Lt; / RTI &gt;

In some embodiments, a glass frit may be used to form the seal 125 between the first and second substrates 118, 119. In other embodiments, a thin inorganic film may be melted (e.g., by laser heating) to form the seal 125. In further embodiments, the seal 125 may be laser welded between two substrates, for example without a glass frit or other intervening layer.

According to various embodiments, the first and second substrates 118 and 119 may be transparent. The reflective layer 126 may be disposed on one or more surfaces of the first and / or second substrates 118, 119 in areas that do not correspond to or align with the color converting micro-layer 112 'and / or the micro-light source 111' / RTI &gt; One or more adhesive layers 124 may optionally be used to bond the lens 100 to the first substrate 118 and / or to bond the ring structure 117 &quot; to the PCB 122 ' May be a micro-light source 111 'mounted on a transparent PCB 122' (as shown), or may include a conventional LED mounted on an opaque PCB (not shown) in alternative embodiments .

Also disclosed herein are color conversion assemblies comprising a transparent substrate and a reflective substrate that are sealed together to form at least one cavity comprising a color conversion medium, wherein the at least one cavity is a continuous ring-shaped cavity or a discontinuous ring shape And a plurality of cavities arranged in the pattern. The present disclosure further relates to a sub-assembly comprising a first substrate and a second substrate which are sealed together to form at least one cavity comprising a color conversion medium, and a sub-assembly comprising a transparent lens positioned co- Wherein the at least one cavity comprises a plurality of cavities arranged in a continuous ring-shaped cavity or a discontinuous ring-shaped pattern, wherein the transparent lens comprises a convex surface, and wherein the convex surface At least a portion of which includes an isosceles spiral curvature. Optical assemblies including such color conversion assemblies and at least one light emitting device are further disclosed herein.

13A and 13B, the color conversion assembly may include a first substrate 118 that is sealed to a second substrate 119, and the sealed substrates may include at least a color conversion medium 112 containing a color conversion medium 112, One cavity 120 is defined. As shown in FIG. 13A, an assembly may include one or more cavities, for example, an array of cavities 120. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 13A, the single cavity 120 may be ring-shaped, or alternatively, a plurality of individual cavities may be assembled into a ring-shaped pattern (not shown). Such a color conversion assembly may be used, for example, as ring structure 117 within any of the embodiments shown in Figures 8-12. Thereby, at least one cavity 120 may define at least partially the perimeter of the optional aperture 128, which may be included, for example, to accommodate the light source when optically coupled to the LED array.

Figure 13A shows an array of uniformly spaced circular cavities 120 of the same size and shape while the cavities 120 are arranged in a ring of any other shape, such as square, oval, rectangular, As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Additionally, it should be understood that not all cavities 120 in the array need be the same. Moreover, it is not required that each cavity 120 contain the same number or positive color conversion medium, and it is possible for this amount to vary from cavity to cavity, and for example, to match the required LED array, It is also possible that the color conversion medium does not include the color conversion medium.

With reference to any of FIGS. 8-13, the color conversion medium 112, 112 'may include at least one color conversion component. In some embodiments, the color conversion component may be suspended in a glass or inorganic matrix, such as silicone or other suitable material. In certain embodiments, the color conversion component may float within the thermally conductive matrix. According to various embodiments, the color conversion material includes all ranges and subranges therebetween, such as from about 10 microns to about 300 microns, from about 20 microns to about 200 microns, or from about 50 microns to about 100 microns For example, as a layer having a thickness ranging from about 5 [mu] m to about 500 [mu] m. The at least one color conversion component may be selected from, for example, phosphors, quantum dots, and / or luminophores, such as fluorophores and light emitting polymers, and equivalents. Exemplary phosphors include, but are not limited to, red and green light emitting phosphors such as yttrium and zinc sulfide-based phosphors such as yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG), Eu ²⁺ doped red nitride, And combinations thereof.

The QDs may have varying shapes and / or sizes depending on the desired wavelength of the diverging light. For example, the frequency of the divergent light can be increased as the size of the quantum dots decreases, and the color of the divergent light can shift from red to blue as the size of the quantum dots decreases. When irradiated with blue, ultraviolet, or near ultraviolet radiation, the quantum dots can convert light into longer red, yellow, green, or blue wavelengths. According to various embodiments, when the color conversion component is irradiated with blue, ultraviolet, or near ultraviolet light, the quantum dot may be selected from QDs emitting at red and green wavelengths.

In various embodiments, it is possible for at least one cavity 120 to include components that emit light of the same or different types of color conversion components, e.g., different wavelengths. For example, in some embodiments, the cavity may include color conversion components that emit both green and red wavelengths to produce an red-green-blue (RGB) spectrum in the cavity. However, according to other embodiments, it is possible for the individual cavities to include only color conversion components that emit the same wavelength, such as a cavity containing only green quantum dots or only a blue phosphor containing only blue phosphors. In further embodiments, a single cavity can be subdivided, such as spokes or pie pieces on a wheel, one by one sub-cavities being filled with green color conversion components, and their complementing red color conversion components &Lt; / RTI &gt; This embodiment may be useful, for example, to re-convert light, e.g., to prevent blue light from being converted back to green and back again to red, or vice versa.

It may be within the capabilities of those skilled in the art to select the type of cavities or cavities and the type and amount of color conversion medium to be placed within each cavity to achieve the desired display or lighting effect. Furthermore, although the red and green divergent components have been discussed above, it is also possible to use any of the wavelengths of red, orange, yellow, green, blue or any other color within the visible spectrum (for example ~ 420 to 750 nm) It should be understood that any type of color conversion component capable of emitting light may be used. For example, in solid state lighting applications, quantum dots having various sizes can be combined to mimic the output of a blackbody, which can provide good color rendering.

In the embodiments discussed above with reference to Figures 2 to 13, the lenses 100, 100 ', 100 ", the first substrate 118, and / or the second substrate 119 may be formed, for example, The term " transparent " as used herein means that the lens, substrate, or material is greater than about 80% in the visible spectrum region (~ 420-750 nm) For example, an exemplary transparent substrate or lens may have an overall transmittance of less than about 90% or greater than about 95% in the visible light range, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; 85%. &Lt; / RTI &gt;

Suitable transparent materials may include, for example, any glass known for use in displays and other electronic components. Exemplary glasses may include, but are not limited to, aluminosilicates, alkali-aluminosilicates, borosilicates, alkali-borosilicates, aluminoborosilicates, alkali-aluminoborosilicates, and other suitable glasses. In various embodiments, such substrates may be chemically strengthened, and / or thermally annealed. Non-limiting examples of suitable commercially available substrates include EAGLE XG®, Lotus ^™ , Iris ^™ , Willow® and Gorilla® glasses from Corning Incorporated to name a few. In some non-limiting embodiments, chemically tempered glasses by ion exchange may be suitable as substrates. In other embodiments, polymeric materials such as plastics (e.g., polymethyl methacrylate ("PMMA"), methyl methacrylate styrene ("MS"), or polydimethylsiloxane ("PDMS" Can be used as transparent materials.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the second substrate 119 may be a reflective substrate, such as a metal, metal oxide, metal alloy, or mixtures thereof. Alternatively, the second substrate may include a transparent material (e.g., glass, plastic, etc.) or an opaque material (e.g., ceramic, glass-ceramic, If present) can be coated with a reflective material (such as a metal or an oxide, an alloy, or a salt thereof, etc.). The one or more reflective surfaces in the cavity 120 may be advantageous in terms of ensuring that light is scattered in the required direction (omni-directional). For example, any light that is scattered back by the color conversion medium can be scattered back in the direction required by the reflective substrate (or reflective surface). Moreover, any blue (unconverted) light that is reflected away from the reflective substrate (or reflective surface) may have a second chance to be converted to the required wavelength as they pass back through the color conversion medium.

In certain embodiments, it may be advantageous to configure the second substrate 119 with a thermally conductive material, such as metal and / or ceramic, to facilitate heat dissipation from the color conversion medium 112. Exemplary ceramic materials include aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, beryllium oxide, boron nitride, and silicon carbide, to name a few. Exemplary reflective metals include, but are not limited to, Al, Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Cu, other similar metals, alloys thereof. According to various embodiments, the second substrate 119 may be comprised of inorganic substrates such as inorganic substrates at least partially having a greater thermal conductivity than glass. For example, suitable inorganic substrates may have a thickness of less than about 2.5 W / mK (e.g., about 2.6, 3, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100 W / mK), a relatively high thermal conductivity ranging from about 2.5 W / mK to about 100 W / mK, including all ranges and subranges therebetween Lt; / RTI &gt; In some embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the inorganic substrate is greater than about 100 W / m K to about 300 W / m K (e.g., about 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, Including all ranges and subranges therebetween, such as about 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280, 290, 100 W / m · K.

In further embodiments, referring to Figures 8-13, a sealing seal may be used to join the first and second substrates (ring structures 117, 117 &quot;) and / or the lens and the second substrate 117 ' The sealing seals can also be used to bond any other components of the optical assembly, such as bonding the lens to the ring structure. For example, the substrates and / or lenses can be used to mount ring structures 117, 117 &apos;, 117 &quot;) may be hermetically sealed to be impervious or substantially impervious to water, moisture, air, and / or other contaminants. As a non-limiting illustrative example, a hermetic seal may limit the diffusion (diffusion) of oxygen to less than about 10 ^-2 cm ³ / m ² / day (e.g., less than about 10 ^-3 cm ³ / m ² / day) and to limit evaporation of the water less than about 10 ^-2 g / m ² / day (e.g., less than about 10 ^-3, 10 ^-4, 10 ^-5, or 10 ^-6 g / m ² / day) Lt; / RTI &gt; In various embodiments, the hermetic seal may substantially prevent water, moisture, and / or air from contacting components (e.g., a color conversion medium and / or a light source) that are protected by the hermetic seal.

Instead of transmitting light directly through the color conversion medium (the " transmissive " mode), the optical assemblies disclosed herein allow light emitted by the light source to be reflected more than once using, for example, (&Quot; reflective " mode) to disperse light over a larger area before encountering the conversion medium. Thereby, the optical flux in the device can be reduced by at least two orders of magnitude. In other words, the reflected light that affects the color conversion medium has an intensity that is less than 1% of the light initially transmitted from the light source. Furthermore, since light can be reflected from the reflective surface beneath the color conversion medium, the reflective mode configuration has the additional advantage that light passes through the color conversion medium more than once, thereby increasing the chance that they will be converted to different wavelengths have.

Moreover, in combination with the " reflective " mode, using a " remote " configuration in which the color conversion medium is spaced from the light source not only reduces the optical flux to which the medium and / or matrix is exposed, To provide additional heatsink paths. Furthermore, the " remote " configuration has the additional advantage of allowing LEDs to be driven at lower temperatures, and as a result of the heat path for cooling the color conversion medium more efficiently (e.g., As in the case). The lifetime of the optical assembly may thus be extended compared to conventional elements due to one or more of the above advantages.

Devices

The lenses and optical assemblies shown in Figures 2-13 may be used in a variety of applications including, but not limited to, display and lighting applications. For example, a lighting element such as a lighting fixture or solid state lighting element may include the optical assembly disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, the optical assemblies can be used in an array, either alone or to mimic the broadband of the sun's output. Such assemblies may include color conversion components of various types and / or sizes diverging at various wavelengths, such as, for example, visible wavelengths in the range of 420 to 750 nm.

For example, a " white " LED can be fabricated by coating a blue light-emitting LED with a silicon / phosphor slurry. However, silicon can become dark over time after sustained exposure to LED optical flux and heat. The optical assembly disclosed herein may provide additional or alternative thermal paths to reduce the optical flux to which the color conversion medium and / or matrix is exposed and / or to emit heat generated by the LED and / or color conversion medium Can be used in these lighting elements. Embodiments that include one or more glass substrates may also have the additional benefit of remaining optically clear for a longer period of time as compared to plastic substrates.

According to various embodiments, the optical assembly disclosed herein may be integrated into a backlight unit (BLU) in a display device such as an LCD. 14, the BLU 127 and the liquid crystal (LC) panel 129 may be integrated into a display device such as a television, a computer, a portable device, or the like. The BLU 127 may include an array of light sources 111 mounted on the PCB 122 and may be attached to the heat sink 123. As shown, PCB 122 may be provided with a plurality of thermal vias 130, which may be positioned to provide heat sink paths for light sources 111 and color conversion medium 112 . In some embodiments, thermal vias 130 may include holes or apertures in PCB 122 filled with a conductive material (e.g., metals such as Cu, Ag, etc.) To heat transfer from one side of the heat sink 123 to the other side and into the heat sink 123 (if present). Although a single heat sink 123 is shown in FIG. 14, it is also possible to provide more than one heat sink 123. For example, individual heat sinks may be provided for the color conversion medium 112 and for the LEDs 111, which may further isolate the color conversion medium from the heat generated by the LEDs.

As shown in FIG. 14, the array of lenses 100 may be optically coupled to an array of light sources 111. One or more adhesive layers 124 may optionally be included to improve adhesion between the various components of the BLU 127 and / or between the BLU 127 and the LC panel 129. Additional layers such as a diffuser layer 131 may be provided between the BLU 127 and the LC panel 129 and / or additional layers such as reflective walls 132 may be provided between the lenses 100 As shown in FIG. In some embodiments, it may not be necessary to completely isolate individual optical assemblies from each other, and additional layers 131 and 132 may be correspondingly modified or removed to allow the required amount of light leakage between the assemblies .

Additional disclosures herein include a transparent substrate having a first surface and an opposing light emitting surface, a color conversion medium disposed on the first surface, and a reflective layer disposed on the first surface and encapsulating at least a portion of the color conversion medium Lt; / RTI &gt; Exemplary photoconversion devices include, for example, light guide plates (LGPs) and light guide assemblies. For example, as shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, the first surface 133 of LGP 134 may be patterned with a color conversion medium 112, which may be sealed with a protective layer such as reflective layer 135 Can be encapsulated. In non-limiting embodiments, the reflective layer may comprise a metal film, such as a film comprising one or more of Al, Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Cu, and alloys thereof. In certain embodiments, the reflective layer 135 may comprise a material having a high thermal conductivity, for example, a material capable of emitting heat from the color conversion medium. Moreover, the reflective layer 135 may include a ductile material that is capable of expanding and / or stretching under thermal stress (e.g., by thermal expansion of a color conversion material) without developing cracks or pinholes have. The reflective layer 135 thus serves both as a heat sink for releasing heat from the color conversion medium 112 and / or as a sealing barrier for preventing deterioration of the color conversion medium 112 by moisture and / .

The light source 111 may be coupled to the edge (light incidence) surface of the LGP 134. Optionally, the reflector 140 may be attached to the opposite edge of the LGP. The light 110 propagating through the LGP 134 will reflect in the LGP by the TIR until it hits the area containing the color conversion medium 112 and at this point the light emitting (second) Such as light 110 ' ' &apos; The color conversion medium may also modulate light 110 such that transmitted light 110 'has a different wavelength than the original wavelength of light 110. Thereby, the light guide assemblies shown in Figs. 15A and 15B can integrate various layers typically included as individual BLU components. For example, the color conversion medium may be integrated on the first surface 133 of the LGP 134, on the light source 111 or in the BLU stack, rather than as a separate film. Furthermore, the reflective layer 135 may also be integrated on the first surface 133, instead of being included as an additional component separate from the LGP 134 in conventional BLU stacks.

Conventional LGPs may be optically coupled to blue LEDs coated with white LEDs, for example, a color conversion medium such as a silicon / phosphor slurry that converts blue light to white light. White paint or other light scattering features may be provided on the surface of the LGP to scatter light in any desired direction. However, using the integrated color converter configuration disclosed herein, it may be possible to replace a conventional white LED with a blue LED and replace the white paint with a color conversion material encapsulated by a reflective layer. The integrated color conversion medium on the LGP surface can thus perform a dual function of forwarding blue light in the desired direction and converting blue light into white light. Thus, in certain embodiments, a conventional phosphor-coated white LED may be replaced by a blue LED coupled to LGP patterned with QDs. Since the QDs have a narrower divergence spectrum than the phosphors, the resulting assembly can have an improved color gamut. Of course, in other embodiments, the LGP may be patterned with color conversion components other than QDs, such as phosphors, fluorophores, and analogues.

FIG. 15A shows an LGP comprising a continuous reflective layer 135, and certain embodiments may also incorporate a discontinuous reflective layer 135 'as shown in FIG. 15B. Since metals such as aluminum may be somewhat absorbent, a continuous reflective metal coating may cause a slight attenuation of the LGP. Thus, in some embodiments, the reflective layer may be provided only in regions corresponding to the deposits of the color conversion medium 112. Thus, the regions 137 of the LGP can have a glass / air or plastic / air interface and allow a larger TIR. In addition, although not shown, the surface 133 of the LGP 134 corresponding to the regions 137 may be provided with other light scattering features, such as white scattering particles, which may cause the light transmitted by the LGP 134 Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; color balance. &Lt; / RTI &gt; Light scattering features such as TiO ₂ particles can be printed on the surface 133 of the LGP 134 and / or light scattering features can be used to etch or laser damage the surface 133 of the LGP 134 Lt; / RTI &gt;

In alternative embodiments, an ink layer 138 may be provided between the color conversion medium 112 and the reflective layer 135, as shown in Figure 15C. For example, ink layer 138 may comprise a reflective white ink, such as metal oxides (e.g., TiO _2), may function to partially or totally obscure the reflective layer 135 from the field of view. If desired, the ink layer 138 may be applied along the entire length of the surface 133, even in areas where the color conversion medium 112 is not present, as shown in Fig. 15C. Alternatively, the ink layer 138 may be provided only in areas including the color conversion medium 112. [

According to various embodiments, the color conversion medium and / or light scattering features can be patterned at a suitable density on the surface 133 to produce a substantially uniform light output intensity across the light emitting surface 136 of the LGP. have. In other embodiments, the color conversion medium and / or light scattering features may be patterned to produce a non-uniform light output intensity across the surface 136. In certain embodiments, the density of the color conversion medium and / or light scattering features adjacent to the light source 111 may be lower than the density at a further portion from the light source, or may be generated to produce the required light output distribution across the LGP And may be the opposite, such as a gradient from one end to the other as appropriate.

Configurations other than edge-emitting LGPs are possible and are embraced within the scope of the present application. For example, back-lighted LGPs may also benefit from the integrated color conversion medium described herein. Moreover, the photoconversion elements are not limited to BLU applications only, and may also be useful in solid state lighting applications. For illustrative purposes, three exemplary non-limiting illumination configurations are shown in Figures 16a-c. A large number of illumination configurations may be used for various light sources 111 (e.g., preceding lamps such as fluorescent bulbs), substrate 139 shapes and / or sizes (e.g., prisms), and / Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; 140 &lt; / RTI &gt; The type and / or location of the color conversion medium 112 and the reflective layer 135 may also vary from configuration to configuration.

Methods

Disclosed herein are methods of making photoconversion elements comprising depositing a protective layer on a first surface to pattern the color conversion medium on a first surface of the substrate and encapsulate the color conversion medium And one of the substrate or the protective layer comprises a reflective material. Also disclosed herein are methods of making an optical assembly, comprising the steps of depositing a color conversion medium in a ring-shaped pattern, placing the light-emitting element within the perimeter of the ring-shaped pattern, and aligning the light- And positioning the transparent lens so that the lens is positioned thereon.

In various embodiments, the substrate may be a transparent substrate, and the protective layer may comprise at least one metal. Alternatively, the substrate may be a reflective substrate comprising at least one metal, and the protective layer may comprise at least one transparent inorganic oxide. Moreover, the substrate may comprise at least one cavity having at least one reflective surface, and the protective layer may comprise at least one transparent inorganic oxide.

The color conversion medium may be deposited on the first surface of the substrate using any method known in the art. Suitable deposition methods include, but are not limited to, coating methods such as inkjet printing, screen printing, microprinting, and printing such as homogenization, spin coating, slot coating, dip coating, pipetting, or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, droplets of the color conversion medium suspended in one or more solvents may be deposited onto the first surface in any desired pattern. The solvent (s) can be selectively removed by drying at ambient or elevated temperatures. As used herein, the term " patterning " is intended to refer to a color conversion medium that is present on the first surface in any given pattern or design, such pattern or design may be, for example, And may be repetitive or non-repetitive, and may be uniform or non-uniform. As discussed above, the pattern may also include a gradient from one end of the substrate to the other.

Deposition methods of the protective layer may include, for example, sputtering or vapor deposition processes. For example, the color conversion medium can be deposited on a first surface of a transparent substrate, such as a glass or plastic substrate, and the protective metal film is then sputtered or evaporated onto the first surface to at least partially encapsulate the color conversion medium . Alternatively, a color conversion medium may be deposited on the first surface of the reflective substrate, and the protective inorganic oxide layer may be sputtered or evaporated onto the first surface. In various embodiments, the substrate and the protective layer may form a sealed capsule containing the color conversion medium. In further embodiments, the substrate may include one or more cavities within which color conversion media may be deposited. The cavities may be provided in the substrate by, for example, pressing, molding, cutting, or any other suitable method. According to further embodiments, the protective layer may have a thickness of from about 0.5 microns to about 9 microns, from about 1 microns to about 8 microns, from about 2 microns to about 7 microns, from about 3 microns to about 6 microns, or from about 4 microns to about 5 microns Including all ranges and subranges therebetween, such as from about 0.1 [mu] m to about 10 [mu] m.

The color conversion assemblies disclosed herein may be fabricated using a variety of methods. For example, the color conversion medium may be formed by encapsulation between the first and second substrates using a pair of rollers embossed with recesses corresponding to the desired cavity shape (e.g., ring shape or ring pattern) . In various embodiments, the embossed rollers may be driven at a temperature and / or pressure sufficient to promote melting of the first and second substrates. In the case of a ring-shaped cavity or pattern, additional processing steps may include providing holes or apertures in the center of the ring. These holes may be cut or punched into the first and second substrates using any method known in the art.

Alternative methods for forming the color conversion assemblies can include molding. For example, one or more substrates forming the ring structure may be molded to include at least one cavity. In some embodiments, the transparent lens may be molded to include at least one cavity. After filling the cavity with a color conversion medium, the molded substrate (s) and / or lenses may be joined together using, for example, adhesives or using sealing techniques such as laser sealing. The sputtering and vapor deposition processes discussed above with respect to the photoconversion elements may also be suitable for formation of the color conversion assemblies disclosed herein.

Another method for forming color conversion assemblies can include depositing a color conversion medium on a substrate in a desired pattern.

It is to be understood that the various disclosed embodiments may be associated with the specific features, components, or steps described in connection with the specific embodiments. It is also to be understood that, although a particular feature, element, or step may be varied or combined with alternative embodiments within the various non-depicted combinations or permutations, even if described in connection with one particular embodiment.

It is also to be understood that the terms "above," "one," or "work," as used herein, mean "at least one" and, conversely, should not be limited to "only one" do. Thus, for example, references to " cavities " include one such "cavity" or instances having two or more such "cavities" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Similarly, a "plurality" or "array" is intended to refer to two or more such that "array of cavities" or "plurality of cavities" refer to two or more such cavities.

Ranges may be expressed herein as from " about " one particular value, and / or " about " to another particular value. When such a range is expressed, embodiments may include from one particular value, and / or to another specific value. Similarly, it will be understood that when values are expressed as approximations by use of the preceding word " about ", certain values form other aspects. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of these ranges are associated with the other endpoints, and both are independent of the other endpoints.

All numerical values expressed herein are to be construed as including " about ", whether or not mentioned. However, it is further understood that regardless of whether or not they are expressed as " about " these values, each numerical value defined is precisely considered. Thus both " dimensions less than 10 mm " and " dimensions less than about 10 mm " include embodiments of " dimensions less than about 10 mm "

Unless specifically stated otherwise, it is not intended at all to be construed as requiring any of the methods set forth herein to be performed in a particular order. Accordingly, it is not intended that any order be deduced at all if the method claim does not actually limit the order followed by the steps, or if it is not specifically stated in the claims or the detailed description that the steps are limited to a particular order It is not intended.

While various features, elements, or steps of certain embodiments may be disclosed using transitional phrases " comprising ", transitional phrases may be described using " composed " or " It should be understood that alternative embodiments may be inferred, including those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, alternative embodiments deduced for a method involving A + B + C include embodiments where the method consists of A + B + C and embodiments where the method consists essentially of A + B + C do.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the principles set forth herein. Since combinations, subcombinations, and variations of the modifications of the disclosed embodiments that incorporate the spirit and essence of this disclosure will occur to those skilled in the art, this disclosure is not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims to the scope of the appended claims, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; and / or &lt; / RTI &gt;

Claims (58)

A light emitting element disposed on a first surface of the substrate;
A ring structure comprising a color conversion medium disposed on the first surface of the substrate; And
A transparent lens positioned overlying the light emitting device and the ring structure in overlying registration,
Wherein the color conversion medium is spaced from the light emitting element and at least partially circumscribes the periphery of the light emitting element. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein said ring structure comprises at least one cavity containing said color conversion medium. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein said at least one cavity is hermetically sealed. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the at least one cavity comprises a plurality of cavities arranged in a continuous ring-shaped cavity or in a discontinuous ring-shaped pattern. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the ring structure comprises a reflective surface and an opposing transparent surface, the reflective surface being in contact with the first surface of the substrate. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein said ring structure comprises a transparent substrate and a second substrate that are sealed together to form at least one cavity containing said color conversion medium. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the transparent substrate is selected from glass and polymers, and the second substrate is a reflective substrate. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the reflective substrate is selected from ceramic or glass-ceramic substrates comprising metal, metal alloy, or metal oxide substrates, or at least one surface coated with a metal, metal alloy or metal oxide layer. . The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the transparent lens comprises at least one cavity containing the color conversion medium and the ring structure is defined by the transparent lens and the second reflective substrate. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the ring structure comprises a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate which are sealed together with a micro-layer of a color conversion medium interposed therebetween, the micro-layer having a thickness in the range of about 5 [mu] m to about 20 [ &Lt; / RTI &gt; The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the transparent lens comprises a convex surface, and at least a portion of the convex surface comprises an equiangular spiral curvature. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the transparent lens is selected from single-lobed and double-lobed linear lenses. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the transparent lens comprises a contact surface, a convex surface, and a central region disposed therebetween, the convex surface comprising a negative axiconic depression extending into the central region, Optical assembly. 14. The method of claim 13,
Wherein the contact surface is a rotationally symmetric plane surface and the convex surface is a rotationally symmetric hemispherical surface. 14. The method of claim 13,
Wherein the negative excision recess comprises a hollow conical region positioned coincidentally transversely over the light emitting element,
And an apex of the hollow conical area points toward the contact surface of the transparent lens. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the color conversion medium comprises at least one color conversion component selected from phosphors, quantum dots, and lumiphores. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the color conversion medium is disposed on the first surface of the substrate such that light emitted from the light emitting element and reflected by the convex surface of the transparent lens is incident on at least a portion of the color conversion medium Optical assembly. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the color conversion medium is arranged in a plane extending around the perimeter of the light emitting element,
Wherein the light emitting element does not emit light directly into the surface of the color conversion medium. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the color conversion medium is not in physical contact with the light emitting element. The method according to claim 1,
And at least one heat sink in contact with a second surface of the substrate. An optical array comprising a plurality of assemblies according to claim 1. A display device, an electronic device, or a lighting device comprising the optical assembly of claim 1 or the optical array of claim 21. A sub-assembly comprising a first substrate and a second substrate that are sealed together to form at least one cavity comprising a color conversion medium; And
A transparent lens positioned cooperatively transversely over the sub-assembly,
Wherein the at least one cavity comprises a plurality of cavities arranged in a continuous ring-shaped cavity or a discontinuous ring-shaped pattern;
Wherein the transparent lens comprises a convex surface and at least a portion of the convex surface comprises an isosceles spiral curvature. 24. The method of claim 23,
Wherein the first substrate is a transparent substrate and the second substrate is a reflective substrate. 24. The method of claim 23,
Wherein the contact surface of the transparent lens is in physical contact with the transparent substrate. 24. The method of claim 23,
Wherein the contact surface is a rotationally symmetrical plane surface and the convex surface is a rotationally symmetric hemispherical surface. 24. The method of claim 23,
Wherein the convex surface further comprises a negative axicon depression having a vertex pointing towards the contact surface of the transparent lens. 24. The method of claim 23,
Wherein the color conversion medium comprises at least one color conversion component selected from phosphors, quantum dots, and lumiphores. 24. The method of claim 23,
Wherein the first and second substrates are hermetically sealed together. An optical assembly comprising the assembly of claim 23 and at least one light emitting device. 31. The method of claim 30,
Wherein the at least one cavity defines a perimeter of the at least one light emitting element. 31. The method of claim 30,
Wherein the at least one light emitting element is located within a recess in the first substrate of the sub-assembly. 33. The method of claim 32,
RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; 1, &lt; / RTI &gt; wherein the at least one light emitting element is a micro LED. A display device, electronic device, or illumination device comprising the color conversion assembly of claim 23 or the optical assembly of claim 30. A transparent substrate and a reflective substrate that are sealed together to form at least one cavity comprising a color conversion medium,
Wherein the at least one cavity comprises a plurality of cavities arranged in a continuous ring-shaped cavity or in a discontinuous ring-shaped pattern. 36. The method of claim 35,
Wherein the transparent substrate is selected from glasses and polymers,
Wherein the reflective substrate is selected from ceramic or glass-ceramic substrates comprising at least one surface coated with a metal, metal alloy, or metal oxide substrates or metal, metal alloy, or metal oxide layers. assembly. 36. The method of claim 35,
Wherein the color conversion medium comprises at least one color conversion component selected from phosphors, quantum dots, and lumiphores. 34. An optical assembly comprising the color conversion assembly of claim 35 and at least one light emitting device. A transparent substrate having a first surface and an opposite light emitting surface;
A color conversion medium disposed on the first surface; And
And a reflective layer disposed on the first surface and encapsulating at least a portion of the color conversion medium. 40. The method of claim 39,
Wherein the color conversion medium comprises at least one color conversion component selected from phosphors, quantum dots, and lumiphores. 40. The method of claim 39,
Wherein the transparent substrate is selected from glasses and polymers,
Wherein the reflective layer comprises at least one metallic film. 42. The method of claim 41,
Wherein the metallic film is discontinuous. 42. The method of claim 41,
And at least one light scattering feature disposed on the first surface within at least one region corresponding to voids in the discontinuous metallic film. 42. The method of claim 41,
And a white reflective layer disposed between the color conversion medium and the metallic film. 45. The method of claim 44,
Wherein the white reflecting layer is discontinuous. 39. A light guide assembly comprising the element of claim 39 optically coupled to at least one light source. 47. The method of claim 46,
Wherein the at least one light source is optically coupled to the first surface of the transparent substrate. 47. The method of claim 46,
Wherein the at least one light source is optically coupled to an edge surface of the transparent substrate. 49. The method of claim 48,
Wherein the color conversion medium has a gradient of increasing density as a function of distance from the at least one light source and is patterned on the first surface. 47. The method of claim 46,
Wherein the at least one light source is a light emitting diode that emits ultraviolet light, near ultraviolet light, or blue light. Patterning a color conversion medium on a first surface of the substrate and depositing a protective layer on the first surface to encapsulate the color conversion medium,
Wherein one of the substrate or the protective layer comprises a reflective material. 52. The method of claim 51,
Wherein the substrate is a transparent substrate selected from glasses and polymers,
Wherein the protective layer comprises at least one metal. 52. The method of claim 51,
Wherein the substrate is a reflective substrate comprising at least one metal,
Wherein the protective layer comprises at least one transparent inorganic oxide. 52. The method of claim 51,
Wherein the substrate comprises at least one cavity having at least one reflective surface,
Wherein the protective layer comprises at least one transparent inorganic oxide. 52. The method of claim 51,
Wherein the protective layer is deposited by vapor deposition or sputtering. &Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; 15. &lt; / RTI &gt; 52. The method of claim 51,
Wherein the color conversion medium comprises at least one color conversion component selected from phosphors, quantum dots, and lumiphores. 52. The method of claim 51,
Wherein the color conversion medium is deposited on the first surface in a ring-shaped pattern. 58. The method of claim 57,
Further comprising forming an optical assembly by locating the light emitting element within the outer periphery of the ring shaped pattern and locating the transparent lens so as to lie coincidentally over the light emitting element and the color conversion medium .

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