Granted Patent B2

US 7,417,367 · App. 11/131,528 · Granted Aug 26, 2008

Assignee: Luminus Devices, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (86)

1. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a multi-layer stack of materials including a light-generating region and a first layer supported by the light-generating region so that, during use of the light-emitting device, light generated by the light-generating region can emerge from the light-emitting device via a surface of the first layer,

wherein the surface of the first layer has a dielectric function that varies spatially as a pattern, and at least about 45% of a total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device; and

wherein the pattern has an ideal lattice constant and a detuning parameter with a value greater than zero.

2. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein at least about 50% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device.

3. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein at least about 60% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device.

4. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein at least about 70% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device.

5. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the multi-layer stack of materials comprises a multi-layer stack of semiconductor materials.

6. The light-emitting device of claim 5 , wherein the first layer comprises a layer of n-doped semiconductor material, and the multi-layer stack further comprises a layer of p-doped semiconductor material.

7. The light-emitting device of claim 6 , wherein the light-generating region is between the layer of n-doped semiconductor material and the layer of p-doped semiconductor material.

8. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , further comprising a support that supports the multi-layer stack of materials.

9. The light-emitting device of claim 8 , further comprising a layer of reflective material that is capable of reflecting at least about 50% of light generated by the light-generating region that impinges on the layer of reflective material, the layer of reflective material being between the support and the multi-layer stack of materials.

10. The light-emitting device of claim 9 , wherein the first layer comprises an n-doped material, the multi-layer stack of materials further includes a layer of p-doped material, and a distance between the layer of p-doped semiconductor material and the layer of reflective material is less than a distance between the layer of n-doped semiconductor material and the layer of reflective material.

11. The light-emitting device of claim 10 , further comprising a p-ohmic contact layer between the layer of p-doped material and the layer of reflective material.

12. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , further including a current-spreading layer between the first layer and the light-generating region.

13. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the multi-layer stack of materials comprise semiconductor materials.

14. The light-emitting device of claim 13 , wherein the semiconductor materials are selected from the group consisting of III-V semiconductor materials, organic semiconductor materials and silicon.

15. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the pattern does not extend into the light-generating region.

16. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the pattern does not extend beyond the first layer.

17. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the pattern extends beyond the first layer.

18. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , further comprising electrical contacts configured to inject current into the light-emitting device.

19. The light-emitting device of claim 18 , wherein the electrical contacts are configured to vertically inject electrical current into the light-emitting device.

20. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting device is selected from the group consisting of light-emitting diodes, lasers, optical amplifiers, and combinations thereof.

21. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting device comprises a light emitting diode.

22. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting device is selected from the group consisting of OLEDs, flat surface-emitting LEDs, HBLEDs, and combinations thereof.

23. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting device is in the form of a packaged light-emitting device.

24. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting device is in the form of a packaged die.

25. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a multi-layer stack of materials including a light-generating region and a first layer supported by the light-generating region so that, during use of the light-emitting device, light generated by the light-generating region can emerge from the light-emitting device via a surface of the first layer,

wherein the first layer comprises a semiconductor material and the surface of the first layer has a dielectric function that varies spatially as a pattern, and at least about 45% of a total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device; and

wherein the pattern is a nonperiodic pattern comprising a plurality of non-concentric holes, a majority of the non-periodic pattern having order; and

wherein the light emerging from the light-emitting device via the surface of the first layer is substantially incoherent.

26. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the first layer has features with a size of less than about λ/5, where λ is a wavelength of light that can be generated by the light-generating region and that can emerge from the light-emitting device via the surface of the first layer.

27. The light emitting device of claim 25 , wherein the nonperiodic pattern comprises a pattern selected from the group consisting of aperiodic patterns, Robinson patterns, and Amman patterns.

28. The light emitting device of claim 25 , wherein the nonperiodic pattern comprises a quasicrystalline pattern.

29. The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of holes.

30. The light-emitting device of claim 25 , wherein the holes have a cross-sectional dimension of less than 190 nanometers.

31. The light-emitting device of claim 25 , wherein a length of an edge of the light-emitting device is at least about three millimeters.

32. The light-emitting device of claim 25 , wherein at least about 90% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges from the light-emitting device via the surface of the first layer.

33. The light-emitting device of claim 25 , wherein the multi-layer stack of materials comprises a multi-layer stack of semiconductor materials.

34. The light-emitting device of claim 25 , wherein the first layer comprises a layer of n-doped semiconductor material, and the multi-layer stack further includes a layer of p-doped semiconductor material, and the light-generating region comprises a semiconductor material.

35. The light-emitting device of claim 25 , wherein the pattern does not extend into the light-generating region.

36. The light-emitting device of claim 25 , wherein the light-emitting device comprises a light-emitting diode.

37. The light-emitting device of claim 25 , wherein the pattern is configured so that light emerging from the light-emitting device via the first surface is more collimated than a lambertian distribution of light.

38. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a multi-layer stack of materials including a light-generating region and a first layer supported by the light-generating region so that, during use of the light-emitting device, light generated by the light-generating region can emerge from the light-emitting device via a surface of the first layer, and

wherein the first layer comprises a semiconductor material and the surface of the first layer has a dielectric function that varies spatially according to a nonperiodic pattern, and at least about 45% of a total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device, the nonperiodic pattern comprising holes being devoid of material within a perimeter defined by the first layer, a majority of the non-periodic pattern having order.

39. The light-emitting device of claim 38 , wherein the holes have a cross-sectional dimension of less than 190 nanometers.

40. The light-emitting device of claim 38 , wherein a length of an edge of the light-emitting device is at least about three millimeters.

41. The light-emitting device of claim 38 , wherein at least about 90% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges from the light-emitting device via the surface of the first layer.

42. The light-emitting device of claim 38 , wherein the multi-layer stack of materials comprises a multi-layer stack of semiconductor materials.

43. The light-emitting device of claim 38 , wherein the first layer comprises a layer of n-doped semiconductor material, and the multi-layer stack further includes a layer of p-doped semiconductor material, and the light-generating region comprises a semiconductor material.

44. The light-emitting device of claim 38 , wherein the pattern does not extend into the light-generating region.

45. The light-emitting device of claim 38 , wherein the light-emitting device comprises a light-emitting diode.

46. The light-emitting device of claim 38 , wherein the pattern is configured so that light emerging from the light-emitting device via the first surface is more collimated than a lambertian distribution of light.

47. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a multi-layer stack of materials including a light-generating region and a first layer supported by the light-generating region so that, during use of the light-emitting device, light generated by the light-generating region can emerge from the light-emitting device via a surface of the first layer, and

wherein the first layer comprises a semiconductor material and the surface of the first layer has a dielectric function that varies spatially according to a nonperiodic pattern, and at least about 45% of a total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device, the nonperiodic pattern comprising a plurality of non-concentric holes; and

wherein the pattern is configured so that light emerging from the light-emitting device via the first surface is more collimated than a lambertian distribution of light.

48. The light emitting device of claim 47 , wherein the holes have a cross-sectional dimension of less than 190 nanometers.

49. The light-emitting device of claim 47 , wherein a length of an edge of the light-emitting device is at least about three millimeters.

50. The light-emitting device of claim 47 , wherein at least about 90 % of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges from the light-emitting device via the surface of the first layer.

51. The light-emitting device of claim 47 , wherein the multi-layer stack of materials comprises a multi-layer stack of semiconductor materials.

52. The light-emitting device of claim 47 , wherein the first layer comprises a layer of n-doped semiconductor material, and the multi-layer stack further includes a layer of p-doped semiconductor material, and the light-generating region comprises a semiconductor material.

53. The light-emitting device of claim 47 , wherein the pattern does not extend into the light-generating region.

54. The light-emitting device of claim 47 , wherein the light-emitting device comprises a light-emitting diode.

55. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a multi-layer stack of materials including a light-generating region and a first layer supported by the light-generating region so that, during use of the light-emitting device, light generated by the light-generating region can emerge from the light-emitting device via a surface of the first layer, and

wherein the first layer comprises a semiconductor material and the surface of the first layer has a dielectric function that varies spatially according to a nonperiodic pattern, and at least about 45% of a total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device, the nonperiodic pattern comprising features, a majority of the features having substantially the same size and a majority of the nearest neighbor distances between features being substantially the same.

56. The light emitting device of claim 55 , wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of holes.

57. The light emitting device of claim 56 , wherein the holes have a cross-sectional dimension of less than 190 nanometers.

58. The light-emitting device of claim 55 , wherein a length of an edge of the light-emitting device is at least about three millimeters.

59. The light-emitting device of claim 55 , wherein at least about 90% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges from the light-emitting device via the surface of the first layer.

60. The light-emitting device of claim 55 , wherein the multi-layer stack of materials comprises a multi-layer stack of semiconductor materials.

61. The light-emitting device of claim 55 , wherein the first layer comprises a layer of n-doped semiconductor material, and the multi-layer stack further includes a layer of p-doped semiconductor material, and the light-generating region comprises a semiconductor material.

62. The light-emitting device of claim 55 , wherein the pattern does not extend into the light-generating region.

63. The light-emitting device of claim 55 , wherein the light-emitting device comprises a light-emitting diode.

64. The light-emitting device of claim 55 , wherein the pattern is configured so that light emerging from the light-emitting device via the first surface is more collimated than a lambertian distribution of light.

65. The light-emitting device of claim 25 , wherein a majority of the holes have substantially the same size.

66. The light-emitting device of claim 25 , wherein the nearest neighbor distances between holes is substantially the same.

67. The light-emitting device of claim 25 , wherein at least about 70% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges from the light-emitting device via the surface of the first layer.

68. The light-emitting device of claim 38 , wherein a majority of the holes have substantially the same size.

69. The light-emitting device of claim 38 , wherein a majority of the nearest neighbor distances between holes is substantially the same.

70. The light-emitting device of claim 38 , wherein at least about 70% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges from the light-emitting device via the surface of the first layer.

71. The light-emitting device of claim 47 , wherein at least about 70% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges from the light-emitting device via the surface of the first layer.

72. The light-emitting device of claim 55 , wherein at least about 70% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges from the light-emitting device via the surface of the first layer.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (12)