LED package comprising encapsulation
View Patent ↗Light emitting elements ( 110 ) are situated on a film ( 210 ), then surrounded by a reflective structure ( 250 ) that is placed or formed on the film ( 210 ). Thereafter, the reflective structure ( 250 ) is filled with an encapsulant ( 270 ), affixing the light emitting element ( 110 ) within the reflective structure ( 250 ). The film ( 210 ) may then be removed, exposing the contacts ( 230 ) for coupling the light emitting element ( 110 ) to an external power source. The encapsulated light emitting elements ( 110 ) within the reflective structure ( 250 ) are diced/singulated to provide the individual light emitting devices. The encapsulant ( 270 ) may be molded or otherwise shaped to provide a desired optical function.
1. A method comprising:
providing a removable film having a substantially smooth surface,
providing a plurality of light emitting elements, each of the light emitting elements having contacts situated on a surface of the light emitting elements opposite a light emitting surface of the light emitting elements,
situating each of the plurality of light emitting elements on the removable film such that the contacts are situated on the surface of the removable film,
adding a plurality of reflective structures to the removable film, the reflective structures being situated on the film so as to reflect light from one or more of the light emitting elements in an intended light output direction,
adding an encapsulant within the reflective structures so as to affix the reflective structures to the corresponding one or more of the light emitting elements,
singulating the plurality of reflective structures to provide a light emitting device comprising the one or more light emitting elements affixed to each reflective structure, and
removing the film after adding the encapsulant, exposing the contacts of each of the light emitting elements.
2. The method of claim 1 , where the reflective structure includes a sacrificial material attached to the film, and the method includes removing the sacrificial material.
3. The method of claim 1 , including shaping a light output surface of the encapsulant to form a planar surface.
4. The method of claim 1 , including shaping a light output surface of the encapsulant to form a non-planar surface.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the plurality of reflective structures to the film includes attaching a frame comprising the plurality of reflective structures to the film.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the plurality of reflective structures to the film includes forming the plurality of reflective structures on the film.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reflective structures on the film provide a reference datum for situating the plurality of light emitting elements on the film.
8. The method of claim 1 , including adding a plurality of wavelength conversion elements.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the removable film also exposes surfaces of the reflective structures surrounding the light emitting elements.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reflective structures surround the contacts of each of the light emitting elements.
11. A structure comprising:
a removable film having a substantially smooth surface,
a plurality of light emitting elements on the removable film, each light emitting element having contacts situated on a surface of the light emitting elements opposite a light emitting surface of the light emitting elements, the contacts also being situated on the surface of the removable film,
a plurality of reflective structures on the removable film, the reflective structures being situated on the film so as to reflect light from one or more of the light emitting elements in an intended light output direction, and
an encapsulant within the reflective structures that affixes the corresponding one or more of the light emitting elements within an aperture that extends through the reflective structures;
wherein removal of the removable film from each of the light emitting elements exposes the contacts of the light emitting element to facilitate electrical coupling to the light emitting element.
12. The structure of claim 11 , wherein a light output surface of the encapsulant is planar.
13. The structure of claim 11 , wherein a light output surface of the encapsulant is non-planar.
14. The structure of claim 11 , including a plurality of wavelength conversion elements.
15. The structure of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of reflective structures include a surface layer that is situated on the surface of the film, the surface layer comprising a sacrificial material that facilitates removal of the surface layer.
16. The structure of claim 11 , wherein the removal of the removable film also exposes surfaces of the reflective structures surrounding the light emitting elements.
17. The structure of claim 11 , wherein the reflective structures surround the contacts of each of the light emitting elements.