Method of Manufacturing Addressable and Static Electronic Displays

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an electronic display. The exemplary method includes depositing a first conductive medium within a plurality of cavities of a substrate to form a plurality of first conductors. A plurality of electronic components in a suspending medium are then deposited within the plurality of cavities, and the plurality of electronic components are oriented using an applied field, followed by a bonding of the plurality of electronic components to the plurality of first conductors. A second, transmissive conductive medium is then deposited and bonded to the plurality of electronic components.

It is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a light emitting apparatus, the method comprising:
 depositing a plurality of first conductors on a base, housing or substrate;   depositing a plurality of light emitting diodes suspended in a liquid or gel on a first conductor of the plurality of first conductors to provide that the plurality of light emitting diodes are distributed substantially randomly or stochastically on the first conductor of the plurality of first conductors;   orienting the plurality of light emitting diodes to provide that at least some of the plurality of light emitting diodes have a first diode orientation and at least one first light emitting diode of the plurality of light emitting diodes has a second diode orientation opposite or inverted from the first diode orientation; and   depositing at least one second conductor coupled to the plurality of light emitting diodes and coupled to a second conductor of the plurality of first conductors; and   depositing a protective coating.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first diode orientation is a forward-bias diode orientation and the second diode orientation is a reverse-bias orientation. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first diode orientation is an upward, parallel orientation of the diode pn junction with respect to the plane of the first conductor of the plurality of first conductors and the second diode orientation is a downward, anti-parallel orientation of the diode pn junction, of the at least one first diode, with respect to the plane of the first conductor of the plurality of first conductors. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second diode orientations are in a z-axis perpendicular to the plane of the first conductor of the plurality of first conductors. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one second light emitting diode of the plurality of light emitting diodes has a third diode orientation different from the first and second diode orientations. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the third diode orientation is a sideways diode pn junction substantially perpendicular to the pn junctions of the first and second diode orientations. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one second light emitting diode of the plurality of light emitting diodes having the third diode orientation does not make electrical contact to both the second conductor and the first conductor of the plurality of first conductors. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 depositing a luminescent layer.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the luminescent layer comprises a phosphor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the base, housing or substrate is substantially transparent or translucent. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 orienting the plurality of light emitting diodes using an applied electromagnetic field.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 orienting the plurality of diodes using an applied mechanical force.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the applied mechanical force comprises a printing process. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the applied mechanical force comprises a sonication process. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus formed by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein following the deposition of the second conductor, the plurality of light emitting diodes are coupled in parallel between the first conductor of the plurality of first conductors and the second conductor. 
     
     
         17 . A light emitting apparatus, comprising:
 a base, housing or substrate;   an electrical interface coupled to the base, housing or substrate and couplable to a power source;   a plurality of first conductors coupled to the base, housing or substrate;   a plurality of light emitting diodes distributed substantially randomly or stochastically and in parallel on a first conductor of the plurality of first conductors, at least some light emitting diodes of the plurality of light emitting diodes having a first diode orientation and at least one first light emitting diode of the plurality of light emitting diodes having a second diode orientation opposite or inverted from the first diode orientation;   at least one second conductor coupled to the plurality of light emitting diodes and coupled to a second conductor of the plurality of first conductors; and   a protective coating.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first diode orientation is a forward-bias diode orientation and the second diode orientation is a reverse-bias orientation. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein each light emitting diode of the plurality of light emitting diodes has a first, p-side conductive terminal and a second, n-side conductive terminal, and wherein the first diode orientation comprises a plurality of first, p-side conductive terminals coupled to the at least one second conductor for the at least some light emitting diodes of the plurality of light emitting diodes and the second diode orientation comprises at least one second, n-side conductive terminal coupled to the at least one second conductor for the at least one first light emitting diodes of the plurality of light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first diode orientation is an upward, parallel orientation of the diode pn junction with respect to the plane of the first conductor of the plurality of first conductors and the second diode orientation is a downward, anti-parallel orientation of the diode pn junction, of the at least one first diode, with respect to the plane of the first conductor of the plurality of first conductors. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second diode orientations are in a z-axis perpendicular to the plane of the first conductor of the plurality of first conductors. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein at least one second light emitting diode of the plurality of light emitting diodes has a third diode orientation different from the first and second diode orientations. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the third diode orientation is a sideways diode pn junction substantially perpendicular to the pn junctions of the first and second diode orientations. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one second light emitting diode of the plurality of light emitting diodes having the third diode orientation does not make electrical contact to both the second conductor and the first conductor of the plurality of first conductors. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a luminescent layer.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the luminescent layer comprises a phosphor. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the base, housing or substrate is substantially transparent or translucent. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the base, housing or substrate has a dielectric constant or insulating properties sufficient to provide electrical isolation, and wherein either or both the base, housing or substrate and the protective coating form a weatherproof seal. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the base, housing or substrate comprises a plastic or polymer film having adherent properties for signage or lighting. 
     
     
         30 . A light emitting apparatus, comprising:
 a substantially transparent or translucent base, housing or substrate;   an electrical interface coupled to the base, housing or substrate and couplable to a power source;   a plurality of first conductors coupled to the base, housing or substrate;   a plurality of light emitting diodes distributed substantially randomly or stochastically and in parallel on a first conductor of the plurality of first conductors, at least some light emitting diodes of the plurality of light emitting diodes having a first, forward-bias diode orientation and at least one first light emitting diode of the plurality of light emitting diodes having a second, reverse-bias diode orientation;   at least one second conductor coupled to the plurality of light emitting diodes and coupled to a second conductor of the plurality of first conductors;   a luminescent layer; and   a protective coating.