Laminate support film for fabrication of light emitting devices and method of fabrication
View Patent ↗Optical elements ( 130 ) are attached to a support film ( 110 ) at select locations, the select locations corresponding to locations of light emitting elements ( 140 ) on another substrate, e.g. the substrate of the title ( 150 ). The film is placed on the substrate containing the light emitting elements such that the optical elements are in contact with their corresponding light emitting elements. The optical elements are laminated to the light emitting elements, and the support film is removed. The optical elements may include wavelength conversion elements, lens elements, combinations of elements, and so on. Other elements, such as conductors and reflectors may also be positioned on the laminate film.
1. A method comprising:
providing a flexible support film, and
adding one or more layers to a surface of the film, in accordance with a pattern, to form at least a plurality of discrete optical elements, the pattern resulting in variations in elevation of at least one layer normal to the surface of the support film, wherein the pattern corresponds to an arrangement of light emitting devices on a separate substrate,
placing the flexible support film with the plurality of discrete optical elements upon the light emitting elements on the separate substrate, without an adhesive,
applying a vacuum to draw the support film that is between the discrete optical elements toward the separate substrate, thereby applying a force that urges the discrete optical elements upon the light emitting devices,
heating the laminate to attach the discrete optical elements to the light emitting devices, and
removing the support film, leaving the plurality of optical elements attached to the plurality of light emitting devices.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optical elements include wavelength converting elements.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more layers includes a layer of electrically conductive elements.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more layers includes material that enhances thermal conduction.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more layers includes a layer of reflective material.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein each optical element includes a plurality of phosphor elements.
7. A laminate film comprising:
a flexible support film, and
one or more laminated layers upon the support film, at least one of the layers including a plurality of discrete optical elements situated on the support film in accordance with a pattern corresponding to locations of light emitting devices on a separate substrate, the pattern resulting in variations in elevation of the at least one layer normal to the surface of the support film,
wherein:
the discrete optical elements have a substantially higher vacuum lamination adhesion factor than the support film, and
the plurality of discrete optical elements are adhered to the surface of the support film with a low adhesion that enables the support film to be removed from the plurality of optical elements without damage to the optical elements after the plurality of discrete optical elements are vacuum laminated to the plurality of light emitting devices without the use of an adhesive layer.
8. The laminate film of claim 7 , including a cover film layer that covers the plurality of optical elements, opposite the support film.
9. The film of claim 7 , wherein the optical elements include wavelength converting elements.
10. The film of claim 7 , wherein the optical elements include phosphor-glass elements.
11. The film of claim 7 , wherein each of the optical elements includes a plurality of phosphor elements.
12. The film of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the layers includes a layer of conductive elements, the conductive elements including at least one of electrically conductive elements or thermal conductive elements.
13. The film of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the layers includes a layer of reflective material.
14. A laminate structure comprising:
a tile that includes a plurality of light emitting devices, and
a laminate film that includes:
a flexible support film and
a plurality of discrete optical elements that are situated on a surface of the support film at locations corresponding to locations of the plurality of light emitting devices on the tile, the optical elements forming an irregular profile that includes variations in elevation normal to the surface of the support film,
wherein:
the discrete optical elements have substantially higher vacuum lamination adhesion factor than the support film, and
the plurality of discrete optical elements are adhered to the surface of the support film with a low adhesion that enables the support film to be removed from the plurality of optical elements without damage to the optical elements after the plurality of optical elements are vacuum laminated to the plurality of light emitting devices without the use of an adhesive layer.
15. The structure of claim 14 , wherein the optical elements include wavelength converting elements.
16. The structure of claim 14 , wherein each of the optical elements includes a plurality of phosphor elements.
17. The structure of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the layers includes at least one of: an electrically conductive layer, a thermal conductive layer, a reflective layer, and a cover layer.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the support film comprises an ethylene tetra fluoro ethylene (ETFE) film.
19. The film of claim 7 , wherein the support film comprises an ethylene tetra fluoro ethylene (ETFE) film.
20. The structure of claim 14 , wherein the support film comprises an ethylene tetra fluoro ethylene (ETFE) film.