Electronics package for light emitting semiconductor devices and method of manufacturing thereof

1. A light emitting semiconductor (LES) device comprising:

an insulating substrate layer comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the insulating substrate layer including a plurality of vias formed therein;

at least one LES chip mounted on the top surface of the insulating substrate layer, each of the at least one LES chips comprising:

an active surface including a light emitting area configured to emit light therefrom responsive to a received electrical power; and

a back surface positioned on the top surface of the insulating substrate layer and including connection pads thereon;

a conductor layer positioned on the bottom surface of the insulating substrate layer and in the plurality of vias, the conductor layer in direct contact with the connection pads of the at least one LES chip so as to be electrically and thermally connected thereto; and

an encapsulant positioned adjacent the top surface of the insulating substrate layer and surrounding at least part of the at least one LES chip, the encapsulant comprising a light transmitting material.

2. The LES device of claim 1 wherein a light emitting surface of the LES device from which light is emitted by the at least one LES chip comprises a planar or nearly planar surface.

3. The LES device of claim 2 wherein the light emitting surface of the LES device is within <500 micrometers of planarity.

4. The LES device of claim 2 wherein the encapsulant is applied over the active surface of the at least one LES chip and forms the light emitting surface of the LES device.

5. The LES device of claim 2 wherein the encapsulant surrounds side surfaces of the at least one LES chip and forms a first portion of the light emitting surface; and

wherein the active surface of the at least one LES chip is free of encapsulant and forms a second portion of the light emitting surface.

6. The LES device of claim 2 further comprising a reflector positioned on the encapsulant and adjacent the active surface of the LES chip to reduce optical losses in the LES device, such that the reflector and the active surface of the LES chip form the light emitting surface of the LES device.

7. The LES device of claim 1 further comprising:

a component attach material positioned on the top surface of the insulating substrate layer and that adheres the at least one LES chip to the insulating substrate layer; and

a protective layer positioned on the component attach material that provides UV protection to the component attach material and the insulating substrate layer.

8. The LES device of claim 1 wherein the conductor layer comprises:

conductive vias formed in the plurality of vias and in direct contact with the connection pads of the at least one LES chip; and

one or more plates in contact with the conductive vias and positioned on the bottom surface of the insulating substrate layer that provide thermal and electrical connections to the LES device.

9. The LES device of claim 8 wherein the conductive vias have a diameter of >30 micrometers and the one or more plates have a thickness of >10 micrometers.

10. The LES device of claim 8 wherein the one or more plates comprises a plurality of plates that function as a cathode and an anode for the LES device.

11. The LES device of claim 1 wherein a junction temperature between the LES chip and the insulating substrate layer is maintained between 85° C. and 95° C. during operation of the LES chip.

12. The LES device of claim 1 wherein thermal resistivity at a junction between the LES chip and the insulating substrate layer is between 0.5 and 1.0 C/W.

13. The LES device of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional LES chip mounted on the top surface of the insulating substrate layer, with the conductor layer positioned in additional vias formed in the insulating substrate layer, so as to be directly coupled to the connection pads of each of the at least one additional LES chips and electrically and thermally connected thereto.

14. The LES device of claim 13 wherein the insulating substrate layer comprises a flexible dielectric film and the encapsulant includes partitions therein between adjacent LES chips, such that the LES device is constructed as a flexible device.

15. The LES device of claim 1 further comprising one or more of a driver circuit, passive component, and heat pipe mounted on the top surface of the insulating substrate layer and surrounded by the encapsulant.

16. A method of forming a light emitting semiconductor (LES) device comprising:

providing a perimeter frame;

mounting an insulating substrate layer to the perimeter frame, the insulating substrate layer having a first side and a second side, with the second side attached to the perimeter frame;

providing a LES chip comprising an active surface having a light emitting area configured to emit light therefrom and a back surface having connection pads thereon;

attaching the back surface of the LES chip to the first side of the insulating substrate layer;

forming a conductor layer on a second surface of the insulating substrate layer opposite the first surface, the conductor layer extending through vias in the insulating substrate layer to electrically couple with the connection pads of the LES chip; and

applying an encapsulant over the insulating substrate layer and about the LES chip to at least partially surround the LES chip via a panel process that maintains planarity of the LES device during encapsulation of the LED chip;

wherein the insulating substrate layer remains mounted to the perimeter frame during application of the encapsulant to maintain planarity of the LES device.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the insulating substrate layer is mounted to the perimeter frame prior to attachment of the LES chip to the insulating substrate layer, and wherein the perimeter frame is removed upon formation of the LES device.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein, in applying the encapsulant via the panel process, the encapsulant is applied within +/−500 micrometers of planarity.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein forming the conductor layer comprises:

forming a plurality of conductive vias in the vias in the insulating substrate layer, the conductive vias in direct contact with the connection pads of the LES chip; and

forming one or more plates on the second surface of the insulating substrate layer and in contact with the conductive vias that provide thermal and electrical connections to the LES device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the one or more plates have a thickness of 10 micrometers or more.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein mounting the LES chip on the top surface of the insulating substrate layer comprises one of:

attaching the LES chip to the top surface of the insulating substrate layer via a component attach material applied between the LES chip and the top surface of the insulating substrate layer; or

attaching the LES chip to the top surface of the insulating substrate layer via a self-adhering property of the insulating substrate layer.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising positioning a reflector adjacent the encapsulant, the reflector comprising a flat reflector positioned on a top surface of the encapsulant or a cupped reflector.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising attaching at least one additional LES chip on the first surface of the insulating substrate layer, with the conductor layer positioned in additional vias in the insulating substrate layer, so as to be directly coupled to the connection pads of each of the at least one additional LES chips and electrically and thermally connected thereto.

24. A light emitting semiconductor (LES) device comprising:

an insulating substrate layer comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the insulating substrate layer including a plurality of vias formed therein;

an array of LES components mounted on the top surface of the insulating substrate layer, wherein each LES component comprises an active surface including a light emitting area configured to emit light therefrom and a back surface including connection pads;

a conductor layer positioned on the bottom surface of the insulating substrate layer and in the plurality of vias to provide a direct electrical and thermal path to the array of LES components, the conductor layer comprising:

conductive vias formed in the plurality of vias and directly coupled to the connection pads of each of the LES components in the array of LES components; and

conductive plates coupled to the conductive vias and positioned on the bottom surface of the insulating substrate layer, the conductive plates providing anode and cathode connections to the LES device; and

an encapsulant positioned adjacent the top surface of the insulating substrate layer and surrounding the array of LES components.

25. The LES device of claim 24 wherein a light emitting surface of the LES device from which light is emitted by the array of LES components comprises a planar or nearly planar surface.