Light-emitting device including independently electrically addressable sections
Light-emitting devices are described herein. Some embodiments relate to light-emitting diodes with light-emitting sections that are independently electrically addressable. The devices may be used in a variety of applications including illumination and general lighting.
1. A light-emitting device, comprising:
a light-emitting diode designed to emit light, the light-emitting diode including at least a first light-emitting section and a second light-emitting section,
the first and second light-emitting sections configured to be independently electrically addressable,
at least one of the light-emitting sections including a wavelength converting material layer through which light passes.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein light emitted from the first light-emitting section has a different wavelength than light emitted from the second light-emitting section.
3. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein light emitted from the first light-emitting section has a different color temperature than light emitted from the second light-emitting section.
4. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , further comprising an array of light-emitting diodes, wherein the light-emitting diodes in the array include at least a first light-emitting section and a second light-emitting section, the first and second light-emitting sections are configured to be independently electrically addressable.
5. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting diode includes at least five light-emitting sections configured to be independently electrically addressable.
6. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the light-emitting sections include a wavelength converting material layer through which light passes.
7. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting diode is configured to emit white light.
8. The light-emitting device of claim 7 , wherein light emitted from each of the light-emitting sections is combined to form the white light.
9. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the light-emitting sections is configured to emit light to color balance the light emission from the light-emitting diode.
10. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light emitted from each of the light-emitting sections is mixed to produce a single color of visible light.
11. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the single light-emitting die has a light emission surface greater than one square millimeter.
12. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the wavelength converting material comprises a phosphor material.
13. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the area of the first and second light-emitting sections is greater than about 200 micron.
14. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , further comprising a submount, wherein the light-emitting diode is mounted on the submount.
15. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the light-emitting sections is devoid of wavelength converting material.
16. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting diode comprises a first light-emitting section comprising a red wavelength converting material layer;
a second light-emitting section comprising an amber or yellow-green wavelength converting material; and
a third light-emitting section devoid of wavelength converting material positioned adjacent to at least one of the other light-emitting sections.
17. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , further comprising a close proximity optical element disposed over at least a portion of the light emission area in the optical pathway of the emitted light.
18. An illumination assembly including a light-emitting device as in claim 1 .
19. A light-emitting device, comprising:
a light-emitting diode designed to emit light, the light-emitting diode including at least a first light-emitting section and a second light-emitting section,
each of the first and the second light-emitting sections having two electrical contacts associated therewith, wherein at least one of the electrical contacts associated with the first light-emitting section is different than the electrical contacts associated with the second light-emitting section,
at least one of the light-emitting sections including a wavelength converting material layer,
wherein light emitted from the first light-emitting section has a different wavelength than light emitted from the second light-emitting section.
20. A method comprising:
providing a light-emitting device comprising a light-emitting diode designed to emit light, the light-emitting diode including at least a first light-emitting section and a second light-emitting section, at least one of the light-emitting sections including a wavelength converting material layer through which light passes; and
providing current to the first light-emitting section separately from providing current to the second light-emitting section.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the light emitted from the first light-emitting section has a different wavelength than light emitted from the second light-emitting section.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein a different current level is provided to the first light-emitting section than the second light-emitting section.
23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising controlling the current levels provided to the first light-emitting section and the second light-emitting section to control the wavelength of the light emitted by the light-emitting diode.