Optoelectronic device with upconverting luminophoric medium

Abstract

A microelectronic device that in operation generates or includes component(s) that generate heat, in which the device comprises a heat conversion medium that converts such heat into a light emission having a shorter wavelength than such heat, to thereby cool the device and dissipate the unwanted heat by such light output. The heat conversion medium can include an upconverting luminophoric material, e.g., an anti-Stokes phosphor or phosphor composition. The provision of such heat conversion medium enables thermal management of microelectronic devices, e.g., optoelectronic devices, to be achieved in an efficient manner, to prolong the operational service life of devices such as LEDs, laser diodes, etc. that are degraded in performance by excessive heat generation in their operation.

1 . A microelectronic device comprising an LED arranged to produce a light output from the device, and an upconverting luminophoric material arranged to cool the LED by dissipating, via heat to light conversion, heat produced in operation by the LED. 
     
     
         2 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the LED is on a support. 
     
     
         3 . The microelectronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the upconverting luminophoric material is on at least one of the LED and support. 
     
     
         4 . The microelectronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the upconverting luminophoric material is on the support. 
     
     
         5 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the upconverting luminophoric material is on the LED. 
     
     
         6 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising reflecting surface adapted to reflect light emitted from the LED to the upconverting luminophoric material. 
     
     
         7 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the upconverting luminophoric material comprises an anti-Stokes phosphor film. 
     
     
         8 . The microelectronic device  claim 7 , wherein the anti-Stokes phosphor film comprises particulate phosphor material dispersed in a film-forming carrier. 
     
     
         9 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a down-converting luminophoric material arranged to receive primary radiation from the LED. 
     
     
         10 . The microelectronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the down-converting luminophoric material is on the LED. 
     
     
         11 . The microelectronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the down-converting luminophoric material overlies the LED in spaced relation thereto. 
     
     
         12 . The microelectronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the down-converting luminophoric material comprises a first down-converting luminophoric medium on the LED, and a second down-converting luminophoric medium overlying the LED in spaced relation thereto. 
     
     
         13 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a lens overlying the LED. 
     
     
         14 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling fin structure. 
     
     
         15 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermoelectric cooler. 
     
     
         16 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the LED comprises a III-V nitride LED. 
     
     
         17 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the LED comprises a GaN LED. 
     
     
         18 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the upconverting luminophoric material comprises anti-Stokes phosphor. 
     
     
         19 . The microelectronic device of  claim 18 , wherein the anti-Stokes phosphor is excitable by photonic and/or phononic heat energy to emit light. 
     
     
         20 . The microelectronic device of  claim 18 , wherein the anti-Stokes phosphor is in a composition comprising Stokes phosphor and anti-Stokes phosphor. 
     
     
         21 . The microelectronic device of  claim 20 , wherein said composition comprises particles of Stokes phosphor having deposited thereon discontinuous film regions of anti-Stokes phosphor. 
     
     
         22 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , comprising multiple upconverting and/or down-converting materials. 
     
     
         23 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the upconverting luminophoric material comprises material of the formula L:M, wherein L is yttrium oxide, yttrium fluoride, yttrium oxyfluoride, yttrium oxychloride, yttrium oxysulfide, or ytterbium oxychloride, and M is one or more of ytterbium, erbium, and thulium. 
     
     
         24 . The microelectronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the upconverting luminophoric material comprises material selected from the group consisting of Y 2 O 2 S:Yb,Tm; La 2 O 2 S:Er,Yb; Y 2 O 2 S:Er,Yb; YF 3 :Er,Yb; Y 2 O 3 —YOF:Er,Yb; YOCl:Er,Yb; and YbOCl:Er. 
     
     
         25 . A microelectronic device comprising an LED arranged on a support to produce a light output from the device, and an upconverting luminophoric material on at least one of the LED and support, wherein the upconverting luminophoric material is adapted to dissipate, via heat to light conversion, heat produced in operation by the LED. 
     
     
         26 . A method of thermally managing an LED for operation at predetermined temperature, said method comprising cooling the LED with an upconverting luminophoric material that is arranged to dissipate, via heat to light conversion, heat produced in operation by the LED.