Method and apparatus for generating white light from solid state light emitting devices

Abstract

An optical device capable of generating warm light using an array of phosphor islands situated over a phosphor layer is disclosed. The device includes a solid state light emitter, a phosphor layer, and phosphor islands. The solid state light emitter, in an aspect, is a light emitting diode (“LED”) capable of converting electrical energy to optical light. The phosphor layer is disposed over the solid state light emitter for generating luminous cool light in response to the optical light. Multiple phosphor islands are disposed on the phosphor layer for converting cool light to warm light, wherein the phosphor islands are evenly distributed over the phosphor layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A solid-state illuminating device, comprising:
 a substrate containing various contacts for facilitating electrical communications;   a solid-state light emitter situated on the substrate and coupled to at least a portion of contacts of the substrate for facilitating conversion from electrical energy to optical light;   a cup configuration situated in a vicinity of the solid-state light emitter and configured to have a predefined angle for redirecting at least a portion of the optical light; and   a phosphor film structure situated over the solid-state light emitter and configured to include phosphor substances for generating warm light via a phenomenon of phosphorescence.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the phosphor film structure includes a layer disposed for generating luminous cool white light in response to the optical light, wherein the phosphor layer has a first range of optical wavelengths. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the phosphor film structure includes a plurality of phosphor islands disposed over the phosphor layer for converting the cool white light to warm light. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the phosphor islands have a second range of optical wavelengths. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of phosphor islands is individually deposited onto the phosphor layer. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a light extracting layer disposed between the phosphor film structure and the solid state light emitter for extracting the optical light from the solid state light emitter. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the light extracting layer is a clear silicone layer; and wherein the solid state light emitter is a light emitter diode (“LED”). 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the light extracting layer is structured in a dome shape capable of extracting and scattering the optical light from the LED to the phosphor layer. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the phosphor islands are arranged in a substantial evenly distributed formation over the phosphor layer; and   wherein the first range of optical wavelengths has shorter optical wavelengths than the second range of optical wavelengths.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the first range of optical wavelengths is from 490 nanometers (“nm”) to 590 nm; and   wherein the second range of optical wavelengths is from 590 nm to 750 nm.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the phosphor layer includes yellow phosphor materials; and   wherein the plurality of phosphor islands includes red phosphor materials.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of phosphor islands is structured in a dome shape for scattering red light. 
     
     
         13 . A lighting device, comprising:
 a substrate containing various contacts for facilitating electrical communications;   a light emitter diode (“LED”) situated on the substrate and coupled to at least a portion of contacts of the substrate for managing optical light conversion from electrical energy;   an angular structure situated in a vicinity of the LED and configured to have an angled surface positioned in such a way that the angled surface is capable of redirecting at least a portion of the optical light; and   a color conversion layer situated over the LED and configured to include phosphor substances for generating a predefined lighting color via phosphorescence.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the color conversion layer includes a layer disposed for generating luminous cool white light in response to the optical light, wherein the phosphor layer has a first range of optical wavelengths. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the color conversion layer includes a plurality of phosphor islands disposed over the phosphor layer for converting the cool white light to warm light, and wherein the phosphor islands have a second range of optical wavelengths. 
     
     
         16 . A method for manufacturing a lighting device, comprising:
 placing a light emitter diode (“LED”) on a substrate;   dispensing a silicone layer over the LED for extracting optical light from the LED;   dispensing a phosphor layer having a first range of optical wavelengths over the silicone layer for generating luminous cool light; and   depositing a plurality of phosphor islands, having a second range of optical wavelengths, over the phosphor layer for generating warm light, wherein depositing a plurality of phosphor islands further includes overlaying each of the plurality of phosphor islands independent from other phosphor islands, wherein the first range of the optical wavelengths has shorter wavelengths than the second range of the optical wavelengths.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising placing a silicone molding lens over the plurality of phosphor islands. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein placing an LED on a substrate further includes utilizing flux eutectic bonding technique to anchor the LED to the substrate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein dispensing a phosphor layer having a first range of optical wavelengths over the silicone layer further includes jet dispensing a continuous yellow phosphor layer over the silicone layer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein depositing a plurality of phosphor islands further includes activating a jet dispenser for dispensing an array of red phosphor islands on the yellow phosphor layer.