Integrated light source using a laser diode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017051884-A1
Application number	US-201615160873-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 20, 2016
Priority date	Aug 19, 2015
Publication date	Feb 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The embodiments described herein provide a device and method for an integrated white colored electromagnetic radiation source using a combination of laser diode excitation sources based on gallium and nitrogen containing materials and light emitting source based on phosphor materials. A violet, blue, or other wavelength laser diode source based on gallium and nitrogen materials may be closely integrated with phosphor materials, such as yellow phosphors, to form a compact, high-brightness, and highly-efficient, white light source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A packaged integrated white light source using a beam of light, comprising:
a package member configured with a base member; a laser diode device comprising a gallium and nitrogen containing material and configured as an excitation source, the laser diode device comprising a p-electrode and an n-electrode; a phosphor wavelength converter member configured as an emitter and coupled to the laser diode device; at least one common support member configured to support the laser diode device and the phosphor member, a heat sink thermally coupled to the common support member, the common support member configured to transport thermal energy from the laser diode device and phosphor member on the common support member to the heat sink; a first electrical connection configured from the p-electrode of the laser diode device to a first internal feedthrough on the package member; and a second electrical connection configured from the n-electrode of the laser diode device to a second internal feedthrough on the package member; a submount member configured with the laser diode device to form a chip on submount structure; an output facet configured on the laser diode device to output a beam of electromagnetic radiation from the output facet; the beam of electromagnetic radiation being selected from a violet and/or a blue emission with a first wavelength ranging from 400 nm to 485 nm, the output beam being characterized by a wavelength range, a spectral width, a power, and a spatial configuration: a free space, between the output facet and the phosphor member with a non-guided characteristic capable of transmitting the laser beam from the laser diode device to the phosphor member; wherein the laser beam forms an excitation spot on a spatial region of the phosphor member; a geometrical shape and a diameter dimension characterizing the excitation spot on the phosphor member; an angle of incidence configured between the laser beam and the phosphor member, the phosphor member being configured to convert at least a fraction of the electromagnetic radiation in the laser beam with a first wavelength to a second wavelength that is longer than the first wavelength; a reflective mode characterizing the phosphor member such that the laser beam is incident on an excitation surface of the phosphor member; a white light emitted from at least one emission surface of the phosphor member, the white light emission being comprised of a mixture of wavelengths characterized by at least the second wavelength from the phosphor member; a first and second lead provided on the package, the first internal feedthrough and the second internal feedthrough being configured with an electrical coupling to the first and second external leads, respectively; a cap member configured on the package member such that the cap member forms a seal around a white light source; and an electrical coupling configured with the first and second external leads to connect to a power source to supply power to the laser diode to emit the beam of electromagnetic radiation incident on the phosphor member; a form factor characterizing the integrated white light source, the form factor having a length, a width, and a height dimension.

2 . The integrated white light source of claim 1 , wherein the package is a surface mount device (SMD) package and wherein a common support member is configured from the base of the SMD package;

3 . The integrated white light source of claim 2 , wherein an intermediate submount or support member is positioned between the laser diode device and the common support member;

4 . The integrated white light source of claim 1 , wherein the phosphor member is coupled to the laser diode submount member using an intermediate submount or material.

5 . The integrated white light source of claim 1 , wherein the laser diode device is configured with a multi-stripe emitter wherein the multi-stripe emitter is comprised of 2 more adjacent laser diode stripes configured to generate 2 or more laser beams, and wherein the multi-stripe laser beam emission pattern provides an excitation spot on the phosphor member.

6 . The integrated white light source of claim 1 , wherein the laser diode device is comprised of multiple laser diodes such as 2 laser diodes, 3 laser diodes, or 4 laser diodes to generate 2 laser beams, 3 laser beams, or 4 laser beams, respectively; and wherein the multiple laser beams form an excitation spot on the phosphor member.

7 . The integrated white light source of claim 6 , wherein the multiple laser diodes are characterized by multiple first blue wavelengths in the 440 nm to 460 nm range; and wherein the multiple first blue wavelengths result in an improved color quality of the white light emission.

8 . The integrated white light source of claim 1 , wherein the interface regions between the common support member and the phosphor member, the common support member and the laser diode member, the common support member and the submount members supporting the one or more phosphor members, the common support member and the submount member supporting the laser diode member, the submount member and the phosphor member, or the submount member and the laser diode member are comprised of a solder material such as AuSn solder, SAC solder such as SAC305, lead containing solder, or indium solder.

9 . The integrated white light source of claim 1 , wherein the interface regions between the common support member and the phosphor member, the common support member and laser diode member, the common support member and the submount member supporting the phosphor member, the common support member and the submount member supporting the laser diode member, the submount member and the phosphor member, or the submount member and the laser diode member are comprised of a sintered Ag pastes or sintered Ag films.

10 . The integrated white light source of claim 1 , wherein the laser diode is characterized by the first blue wavelength in the range of 425 to 480 nm, the second wavelength from the phosphor member comprises a yellow wavelength range, and wherein the white light emission is comprised of the first blue wavelength and the second yellow wavelength.

11 . The integrated white light source of claim 10 , wherein the phosphor member is comprised of a ceramic yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) doped with Ce or a single crystal YAG doped with Ce or a powdered YAG comprising a binder material; and wherein the phosphor has an optical conversion efficiency of greater than 50 lumen per optical watt, greater than 100 lumen per optical watt, greater than 200 lumen per optical watt, or greater than 300 lumen per optical watt.

12 . The integrated white light source of claim 1 , wherein the phosphor member comprises a first phosphor member configured to emit a second wavelength and a second phosphor member configured to emit a third wavelength.

13 . The integrated white light source of claim 12 , wherein laser diode is characterized by a violet first wavelength, the first phosphor is characterized by a blue second wavelength emission, and the second phosphor is characterized by a yellow third wavelength emission, and wherein the white light emission is comprised of at least the second blue wavelength and the third yellow wavelength.

14 . The integrated white light source of claim 12 , wherein the laser diode is characterized by a blue first wavelength, the first phosphor is characterized by a green or yellow second wavelength emission, and the second phosphor is characterized by a red third wavelength emission, and wherein the white light emission is comprised of at

Assignees

• Soraa Laser Diode Inc

Inventors

• Raring James W
• Rudy Paul
• Goutain Eric
• Trottier Troy
• Mclaurin Melvin
• Harrison James

Classifications

• H10W72/5445

  being orthogonal to a side surface of the chip, e.g. parallel arrangements · CPC title

• H10W72/5363

  the connected ends being wedge-shaped · CPC title

• H10W72/536

  the connected ends being ball-shaped · CPC title

• H01S5/02438

  Characterized by cooling of elements other than the laser chip, e.g. an optical element being part of an external cavity or a collimating lens · CPC title

• H01S5/22

  having a ridge or stripe structure · CPC title