High optical power light conversion device using a phosphor element with solder attachment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11289616-B2
Application number	US-202017032877-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2020
Priority date	Sep 25, 2015
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

A light generator comprises a light conversion device and a light source arranged to apply a light beam to the light conversion element. The light conversion device includes an optoceramic or other solid phosphor element comprising one or more phosphors embedded in a ceramic, glass, or other host, a metal heat sink, and a solder bond attaching the optoceramic phosphor element to the metal heat sink. The optoceramic phosphor element does not undergo cracking in response to the light source applying a light beam of beam energy effective to heat the optoceramic phosphor element to the phosphor quenching point.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A light conversion device comprising:
a phosphor wheel including:
an optoceramic phosphor element comprising one or more phosphors embedded in a ceramic host;
a metal heat sink which is a metal disk rotatable about a central axis;
a solder bond disposed on the metal heat sink; and
a solderable metal stack including more than one metal layer disposed on a back side of the optoceramic phosphor element between the optoceramic phosphor element and the solder bond;
wherein the metal heat sink is attached with the solderable metal stack by the solder bond on an outer rim of the metal heat sink.

2. The light conversion device of claim 1 , wherein one of the metal layers of the solderable metal stack includes an adhesion layer or a diffusion barrier layer.

3. The light conversion device of claim 1 , wherein the solderable metal stack comprises:
a solderable metal layer;
an adhesion layer adjacent to the optoceramic phosphor element; and
a diffusion barrier layer disposed between the adhesion layer and solderable metal layer.

4. The light conversion device of claim 3 , wherein the adhesion layer comprises chromium or titanium, the diffusion barrier layer comprises nickel, and the solderable metal layer comprises gold or silver.

5. The light conversion device of claim 4 , wherein the diffusion barrier layer of the solderable metal stack also includes vanadium.

6. The light conversion device of claim 1 , wherein the metal heat sink includes a recess within which the solder bond is disposed.

7. The light conversion device of claim 6 , wherein a lower portion of the optoceramic phosphor element is also disposed within the recess of the metal heat sink.

8. The light conversion device of claim 1 , wherein the optoceramic phosphor element does not undergo cracking in response to an applied light beam with beam energy effective to heat the optoceramic phosphor element to the phosphor quenching point.

9. A light generator comprising:
a light conversion device as set forth in claim 1 ; and
a light source arranged to apply a light beam to the light conversion device;
wherein the optoceramic phosphor element does not undergo cracking in response to the light source applying a light beam of beam energy effective to heat the optoceramic phosphor element to the phosphor quenching point.

10. A light conversion device comprising:
a phosphor wheel including:
a phosphor element comprising one or more phosphors embedded in a solid host material;
a metal heat sink which is a metal disk rotatable about a central axis of the metal disk;
a solder bond disposed on the metal heat sink; and
a solderable metal stack including more than one metal layer deposited on a back side of the phosphor element between the phosphor element and the solder bond;
wherein the metal heat sink is attached with the solderable metal stack by the solder bond on an outer rim of the metal disk.

11. The light conversion device of claim 10 further comprising:
a dielectric mirror coating disposed on the back side of the phosphor element between the phosphor element and the solder bond.

12. The light conversion device of claim 11 , wherein the dielectric mirror coating is designed to operate with a backside air interface.

13. The light conversion device of claim 10 wherein the solderable metal stack comprises an adhesion layer adjacent to the phosphor element, a solderable metal layer, and a diffusion barrier layer disposed between the adhesion layer and solderable metal layer, wherein the adhesion layer comprises chromium or titanium, the diffusion barrier layer comprises nickel, and the solderable metal layer comprises gold or silver.

14. A light generator comprising:
a light conversion device as set forth in claim 10 ; and
a light source arranged to apply a light beam to the phosphor element;
wherein the phosphor element does not undergo cracking in response to the light source applying a light beam of beam energy effective to heat the phosphor element to the phosphor quenching point.

15. A method of fabricating a light conversion device comprising:
depositing a solderable metal stack including more than one layer on a back side of an optoceramic phosphor element of a phosphor wheel, wherein the optoceramic phosphor element includes one or more phosphors embedded in a ceramic host;
providing a metal heat sink as a metal disk that is rotatable about a central axis of the metal disk; and
attaching the optoceramic phosphor element to an outer rim of the metal disk by soldering the solderable metal stack to the outer rim of the metal disk;
wherein the depositing of the solderable metal stack on the back side of the optoceramic phosphor element includes:
depositing an adhesion layer onto the back side of the optoceramic phosphor element; and
depositing a solderable metal layer on the adhesion layer.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
prior to depositing the solderable metal stack on the back side of the optoceramic phosphor element, depositing a dielectric mirror coating on the back side of the optoceramic phosphor element whereby the solderable metal stack is deposited on the dielectric mirror coating.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the depositing of the solderable metal stack further includes depositing a diffusion barrier layer on the adhesion layer, and depositing the solderable metal layer on the diffusion barrier layer, wherein the adhesion layer comprises chromium or titanium, the diffusion barrier layer comprises nickel, and the solderable metal layer comprises gold or silver or platinum.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the diffusion barrier layer also includes vanadium.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the depositing of the solderable metal stack on the back side of the optoceramic phosphor element includes:
depositing a solderable silver, platinum, or gold layer as the solderable metal layer;
wherein the soldering comprises soldering the solderable silver, platinum, or gold layer to the metal heat sink.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the attaching comprises:
disposing the optoceramic phosphor element onto the metal heat sink with a solder preform interposed between the optoceramic phosphor element and the metal heat sink to create an assembly; and
heating the assembly to a soldering temperature which is effective to cause the solder preform to form a solder bond between the solderable metal stack and the metal heat sink.

Assignees

• Materion Corp

Inventors

• Newell Michael P
• Aslett Zan
• Cuzziere Robert
• Houde Andrew P
• Brown Derrick

Classifications

• H10F71/00

  Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) · CPC title

• H10F71/1375

  Apparatus for automatic interconnection of photovoltaic cells in a module · CPC title

• H10F77/63

  Arrangements for cooling directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells, e.g. heat sinks directly associated with the photovoltaic cells or integrated Peltier elements for active cooling · CPC title

• H10F77/60

  Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or compensating for temperature fluctuations · CPC title

• H10F77/413 Primary

  directly associated or integrated with the devices, e.g. back reflectors (directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells H10F77/42) · CPC title