Patent Description:
A light emitting device such as an LED is often combined with a wavelength converting material such as a phosphor. Such devices are often referred to as phosphor-converted LEDs, or PCLEDs. Phosphor may be formed into a ceramic tile that is disposed in the path of light emitted by an LED.

Composite ceramics that comprise (Ba,Sr,Ca)<NUM>-xSi<NUM>-yAlyOyN<NUM>-y:Eux luminescent ceramic grains as the main constituent are disclosed in <CIT> and <CIT>. The references teach ceramic processing methods that are based on providing precursor powders, forming the precursor powders into ceramic green bodies, sintering the ceramic green bodies into densely sintered composite ceramics, and machining the ceramics into tiles that are combined with light emitting LEDs to obtain phosphor-converted LEDs.

Document <CIT> discloses a red wavelength converting material and its application in LED devices.

Amber-emitting luminescent ceramic (Ba,Sr,Ca)<NUM>-xSi<NUM>-yAlyOyN<NUM>-y:Eux may be formed by ambient pressure firing, which often results in a ceramic including two phases, (<NUM>) a luminescent (Ba<NUM>-xSrx)<NUM>-zSi<NUM>-yO4yN<NUM>-4y:Euz (<NUM>) phase (<NUM> ≤ x ≤ <NUM>; <NUM> ≤ y ≤ <NUM>; <NUM> ≤ z ≤ <NUM>), and (<NUM>) a non-luminescent (Ba,Sr)<NUM>Si<NUM>O<NUM>N<NUM>:Eu (<NUM>) phase. The <NUM> phase is undesirable because it may lower the quantum yield (i.e. the conversion efficiency) of the luminescent ceramic, and may easily hydrolyze in moist air. Hydrolysis leads to the formation of white flakes on the surfaces of the ceramic. The white flakes may cause undesirable scattering of light escaping the ceramic. Also, a ceramic tile is often glued to an LED or other structure, for example by a silicone-based or any other suitable adhesive or glue layer. The white flakes may reduce the adhesion of the glue layer. The embodiments of the invention are defined in the appended claims.

In embodiments of the invention, (Ba,Sr,Ca)<NUM>-xSi<NUM>-yAlyOyN<NUM>-y:Eux ceramic is treated after sintering under high nitrogen pressure at elevated temperatures as defined in the independent method claim. The post-sintering thermal treatment (also referred to herein as an anneal) may reduce the amount of the <NUM> phase, for example by reducing the oxygen content of the <NUM> phase and/or by encouraging formation of a crystalline (Ba,Sr)<NUM>SiO<NUM>:Eu (BOSE) phase. The post-sintering thermal treatment may increase conversion efficiency and chemical stability of the ceramic.

In some embodiments, fine powders of (Ba<NUM>-xSrx)<NUM>-zSi<NUM>-yO4yN<NUM>-4y:Euz phase (<NUM> ≤ x ≤ <NUM>; <NUM> ≤ y ≤ <NUM>; <NUM> ≤ z ≤ <NUM>), for example with a surface area in the range <NUM>- <NUM><NUM>/g, are sintered under ambient pressure conditions. These (Ba<NUM>-xSrx)<NUM>-zSi<NUM>-yO4yN<NUM>-4y:Euz powders are used as precursor powders to form a ceramic. To adjust the oxygen content of the precursor powder, a ratio [Ba]+[Sr]+[Eu]/[Si] may be at least <NUM> in some embodiments and no more than <NUM> in some embodiments. Suitable starting materials for the precursor powder synthesis include, for example, barium (strontium, europium) nitride, barium (strontium, europium) hydride, barium (strontium, europium) amide, barium (strontium, europium) silicides, europium oxide, europium nitridosilicate (Eu<NUM>Si<NUM>N<NUM>), europium fluoride, silicon, silicon nitride, silicon diimide, or perhydropolysilazane.

Mixtures of the starting materials are fired under nitrogen in some embodiments, or nitrogen - hydrogen mixtures in some embodiments, at temperatures of at least <NUM> in some embodiments and no more than <NUM> in some embodiments, to obtain the raw precursor powders. These raw precursor powders, consisting of (Ba<NUM>-xSrx)<NUM>-zSi<NUM>-yO4yN<NUM>-4y:Euz phase, are milled and washed with diluted mineral acids to obtain the ceramic precursor powder. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis shows a single phase of <NUM> material; analysis of the total oxygen content shows values in the <NUM>-<NUM> wt% range.

The precursor powder may be formed by any suitable technique. Embodiments of the invention are not limited to the process described above.

The precursor powder is then transferred into a ceramic green body by means of granulation followed by uniaxial pressing or isostatic pressing, tape casting, roll compaction, gel casting, injection molding, slip casting, or any other suitable technique.

After binder burn out, for example in air or under nitrogen, for example at temperatures in the <NUM> - <NUM> range, ceramic green bodies are fired (sintered) at temperatures in the <NUM>-<NUM> range under flowing nitrogen in some embodiments, or nitrogen - hydrogen mixtures in some embodiments, at ambient pressure in conventional high temperature furnaces. The ceramic green bodies and the sintered ceramics may be formed by any suitable technique. Embodiments of the invention are not limited to the process described above.

As analyzed by XRD, the as-fired ceramics consist of <NUM>-<NUM> crystalline phases, including M<NUM>Si<NUM>-yO4yN<NUM>-4y (<NUM>-<NUM> wt%), M<NUM>SiO<NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM> wt%), M<NUM>Si<NUM>O<NUM>N<NUM> (<NUM>- <NUM> wt%), and MSi<NUM>N<NUM> (<NUM>- <NUM> wt%) (M = Ba, Sr, Eu).

The M<NUM>Si<NUM>-yO4yN<NUM>-4y (<NUM> phase, M = Ba, Sr, Eu), characterized by partial removal of SiN<NUM> building blocks and replacement by VSiO<NUM> units (VSi: silicon vacancy), crystallizes in a defect variant of the nominally oxygen free <NUM> compounds. As for the case of the isotypic <NUM> SiAlON compounds M<NUM>-xSi<NUM>-yAlyOyN<NUM>-y:Eux where (Si,N) replacement by (Al,O) leads to anisotropic changes of lattice constants, a similar change of lattice constants is found for the M<NUM>Si<NUM>-yO4yN<NUM>-4y ceramic main phase, a contraction along the crystallographic b axis and an expansion within the (<NUM><NUM>) plane of the orthorhombic unit cell. The <NUM> lattice unit cell is illustrated in <FIG>. In <FIG>, the directions lattice constant cell axes a, b, and c are shown as arrows. The box <NUM> is the unit cell. The balls <NUM> are the M = Ba, Sr, Eu atoms. The tetrahedral <NUM> represent the Si(N,O)<NUM> units with the Si atoms (or the Si vacancies) in the middle and the N or O atoms at the vertices. The O content of the <NUM> phase, characterized by the parameter y, may thus correlate with the lattice constant ratio a*c/b<NUM>.

The M<NUM>Si<NUM>O<NUM>N<NUM> (<NUM> phase, M = Ba, Sr, Eu) phase crystallizes in an orthorhombic structure type (IUC space group Nr. <NUM>, P mmn). One SiN<NUM>O<NUM> and two SiNsO tetrahedra are vertex connected to form star-shaped [Si<NUM>N<NUM>O<NUM>]<NUM>- units that are further condensed via vertex-sharing to form corrugated [Si<NUM>O<NUM>N<NUM>]<NUM>- layers within the (<NUM>) plane. M atoms are located between the layers. The structure is illustrated in <FIG>, where the smallest spheres <NUM> are O, the larger spheres <NUM> are N, the largest spheres <NUM> are M, and the Si atoms are not shown.

The M<NUM>SiO<NUM> orthosilicate phase (BOSE phase, M = Ba, Sr, Eu) also crystallizes in an orthorhombic structure type.

The MSi<NUM>N<NUM> phase (<NUM> phase, M = Ba, Sr, Eu) crystallizes in a monoclinic structure type.

The inventors have observed that the anisotropic change of lattice constants of the M<NUM>Si<NUM>-yO4yN<NUM>-4y (<NUM> phase, M = Ba, Sr, Eu), which is believed to scale with the y parameter, correlates with the relative content of M<NUM>Si<NUM>O<NUM>N<NUM> (<NUM> phase, M = Ba, Sr, Eu) phase, but no correlation is observed with the relative content of M<NUM>SiO<NUM> orthosilicate phase (BOSE phase, M = Ba, Sr, Eu).

Since the <NUM> phase absorbs blue light without showing wanted amber emission and easily hydrolyzes in moist air, in some embodiments, amber-emitting luminescent ceramics are formed with a low <NUM> phase content, to increase the luminescence conversion efficiency and the chemical stability of the ceramics. The content of <NUM> phase is less than <NUM> wt% (relative to the total amount of crystalline phases in the ceramic) in some embodiments, not forming part of the claimed invention, no more than <NUM> wt% in some embodiments, not forming part of the claimed invention, less than <NUM> wt% in some embodiments, less than <NUM> wt% in some embodiments, at least <NUM> wt% in some embodiments, and <NUM> wt% in some embodiments, not forming part of the claimed invention. The content of BOSE phase is no more than <NUM> wt% in some embodiments, and <NUM> wt % in some embodiments. The content of <NUM> phase is less than <NUM> wt% in some embodiments, and <NUM> wt % in some embodiments.

In embodiments of the invention, the amount of <NUM> phase in as-sintered amber-emitting luminescent (Ba,Sr,Ca)<NUM>-xSi<NUM>-yAlyOyN<NUM>-y:Eux ceramics can be reduced by a thermal treatment, post-sintering. The post-sintering thermal performed under increased nitrogen pressure and at temperatures exceeding <NUM>. The post-sintering thermal treatment is performed at a temperature of at least <NUM> in some embodiments and no more than <NUM>, under nitrogen pressure of at least <NUM> MPa and not more than <NUM> MPa, and with dwell times of at least <NUM> hr and no more than <NUM> hr. The post-sintering thermal treatment may be performed at a temperature of at least <NUM> in some embodiments and not more than <NUM> in some embodiments, under nitrogen pressure of at least <NUM> MPa in some embodiments and not more than <NUM> MPa in some embodiments, and with dwell times of at least <NUM> hr in some embodiments and not more than <NUM> hr in some embodiments.

The post-sintering thermal treatment reduces the amount (weight percent) of <NUM> phase, increases the amount of BOSE phase, and leads to a decrease of the O content of the <NUM> phase according to the formula: <MAT>.

When the <NUM> phase is also present, <NUM> phase reduction may also take place according to: <MAT>.

Equations <NUM> and <NUM> may be combined to describe annealing reactions where in general the amount of the <NUM> phase is reduced and the amount of the BOSE phase is increased.

By reducing the amount of the <NUM> phase, the quantum yield (defined as the number of emitted amber light quanta divided by number of absorbed blue LED light quanta) of the amber-emitting luminescent ceramics, and the transmission of red light through the ceramic, may increase.

The wavelength converting materials described above may be used, for example, in a light source including a light emitting diode (LED). Light emitted by the light emitting diode is absorbed by the wavelength converting material according to embodiments of the invention and emitted at a different wavelength. <FIG> illustrates one example of a suitable light emitting diode, a III-nitride LED that emits blue light.

Though in the example below the semiconductor light emitting device is a III-nitride LED that emits blue or UV light, semiconductor light emitting devices besides LEDs such as laser diodes and semiconductor light emitting devices made from other materials systems such as other III-V materials, III-phosphide, III-arsenide, II-VI materials, ZnO, or Si-based materials may be used.

<FIG> illustrates a III-nitride LED <NUM> that may be used in embodiments of the present invention. Any suitable semiconductor light emitting device may be used and embodiments of the invention are not limited to the device illustrated in <FIG>. The device of <FIG> is formed by growing a III-nitride semiconductor structure on a growth substrate <NUM> as is known in the art. The growth substrate is often sapphire but may be any suitable substrate such as, for example, SiC, Si, GaN, or a composite substrate. A surface of the growth substrate on which the III-nitride semiconductor structure is grown may be patterned, roughened, or textured before growth, which may improve light extraction from the device. A surface of the growth substrate opposite the growth surface (i.e. the surface through which a majority of light is extracted in a flip chip configuration) may be patterned, roughened or textured before or after growth, which may improve light extraction from the device.

The semiconductor structure includes a light emitting or active region sandwiched between n- and p-type regions. An n-type region <NUM> may be grown first and may include multiple layers of different compositions and dopant concentration including, for example, preparation layers such as buffer layers or nucleation layers, and/or layers designed to facilitate removal of the growth substrate, which may be n-type or not intentionally doped, and n- or even p-type device layers designed for particular optical, material, or electrical properties desirable for the light emitting region to efficiently emit light. A light emitting or active region <NUM> is grown over the n-type region. Examples of suitable light emitting regions include a single thick or thin light emitting layer, or a multiple quantum well light emitting region including multiple thin or thick light emitting layers separated by barrier layers. A p-type region <NUM> may then be grown over the light emitting region. Like the n-type region, the p-type region may include multiple layers of different composition, thickness, and dopant concentration, including layers that are not intentionally doped, or n-type layers.

After growth, a p-contact is formed on the surface of the p-type region. The p-contact <NUM> often includes multiple conductive layers such as a reflective metal and a guard metal which may prevent or reduce electromigration of the reflective metal. The reflective metal is often silver but any suitable material or materials may be used. After forming the p-contact <NUM>, a portion of the p-contact <NUM>, the p-type region <NUM>, and the active region <NUM> is removed to expose a portion of the n-type region <NUM> on which an n-contact <NUM> is formed. The n- and p-contacts <NUM> and <NUM> are electrically isolated from each other by a gap <NUM> which may be filled with a dielectric such as an oxide of silicon or any other suitable material. Multiple n-contact vias may be formed; the n- and p-contacts <NUM> and <NUM> are not limited to the arrangement illustrated in <FIG>. The n- and p-contacts may be redistributed to form bond pads with a dielectric/metal stack, as is known in the art.

In order to form electrical connections to the LED <NUM>, one or more interconnects <NUM> and <NUM> are formed on or electrically connected to the n- and p-contacts <NUM> and <NUM>. Interconnect <NUM> is electrically connected to n-contact <NUM> in <FIG>. Interconnect <NUM> is electrically connected to p-contact <NUM>. Interconnects <NUM> and <NUM> are electrically isolated from the n- and p-contacts <NUM> and <NUM> and from each other by dielectric layer <NUM> and gap <NUM>. Interconnects <NUM> and <NUM> may be, for example, solder, stud bumps, gold layers, or any other suitable structure.

The substrate <NUM> may be thinned or entirely removed. In some embodiments, the surface of substrate <NUM> exposed by thinning is patterned, textured, or roughened to improve light extraction.

Any suitable light emitting diode may be used in the device according to embodiments of the invention. The invention is not limited to the particular LED illustrated in <FIG>. The light source, such as, for example, the LED illustrated in <FIG>, is illustrated in the following figures by block <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate devices that combine an LED <NUM> and a wavelength converting structure <NUM>. The wavelength converting structure <NUM> may be an amber-emitting luminescent ceramic tile, according to the embodiments and examples described above.

In <FIG>, the wavelength converting structure <NUM> is directly connected to the LED <NUM>. For example, the wavelength converting structure may be directly connected to the substrate <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, or to the semiconductor structure, if the substrate <NUM> is removed.

In <FIG>, the wavelength converting structure <NUM> is disposed in close proximity to LED <NUM>, but not directly connected to the LED <NUM>. For example, the wavelength converting structure <NUM> may be separated from LED <NUM> by an adhesive layer <NUM>, a small air gap, or any other suitable structure. The spacing between LED <NUM> and the wavelength converting structure <NUM> may be, for example, less than <NUM> in some embodiments.

In <FIG>, the wavelength converting structure <NUM> is spaced apart from LED <NUM>. The spacing between LED <NUM> and the wavelength converting structure <NUM> may be, for example, on the order of millimeters in some embodiments. Such a device may be referred to as a "remote phosphor" device. Remote phosphor arrangements may be used, for example, in backlights for displays.

The wavelength converting structure <NUM> may be square, rectangular, polygonal, hexagonal, circular, or any other suitable shape. The wavelength converting structure may be the same size as LED <NUM>, larger than LED <NUM>, or smaller than LED <NUM>.

Multiple wavelength converting materials and multiple wavelength converting structures can be used in a single device. Examples of wavelength converting structures other than the luminescent ceramic tiles described above include wavelength converting materials such as powder phosphors that are disposed in transparent material such as silicone or glass that is rolled, cast, or otherwise formed into a sheet, then singulated into individual wavelength converting structures; wavelength converting materials such as powder phosphors that are disposed in a transparent material such as silicone that is formed into a flexible sheet, which may be laminated or otherwise disposed over an LED <NUM>, wavelength converting materials such as powder phosphors that are mixed with a transparent material such as silicone and dispensed, screen printed, stenciled, molded, or otherwise disposed over LED <NUM>; and wavelength converting materials that are coated on LED <NUM> or another structure by electrophoretic, vapor, or any other suitable type of deposition.

In addition to the luminescent ceramic tiles described above, a device may also include other wavelength converting materials such as, for example, conventional phosphors, organic phosphors, quantum dots, organic semiconductors, II-VI or III-V semiconductors, II-VI or III-V semiconductor quantum dots or nanocrystals, dyes, polymers, or other materials that luminesce.

The wavelength converting materials absorb light emitted by the LED and emit light of one or more different wavelengths. Unconverted light emitted by the LED is often part of the final spectrum of light extracted from the structure, though it need not be. Examples of common combinations include a blue-emitting LED combined with a yellow-emitting wavelength converting material, a blue-emitting LED combined with green- and red-emitting wavelength converting materials, a UV-emitting LED combined with blue- and yellow-emitting wavelength converting materials, and a UV-emitting LED combined with blue-, green-, and red-emitting wavelength converting materials. Wavelength converting materials emitting other colors of light may be added to tailor the spectrum of light extracted from the structure.

Multiple wavelength converting materials may be mixed together or formed as separate structures.

In some embodiments, a blue-emitting LED is combined with an amber-emitting luminescent ceramic as described above, and with a red-emitting wavelength converting material. Light from the LED, the luminescent ceramic, and the red-emitting wavelength converting material combine such that the device emits light that appears white.

In some embodiments, other materials may be added to the wavelength converting structure or the device, such as, for example, materials that improve optical performance, materials that encourage scattering, and/or materials that improve thermal performance.

Synthesis of amber-emitting ceramics: <NUM> Si<NUM>N<NUM> (><NUM>%), <NUM> Eu<NUM>O<NUM> (<NUM>%), <NUM> SrH<NUM> (><NUM>%) and <NUM> BaH<NUM> (><NUM>%) are mixed by ball milling and fired at <NUM> in a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen (<NUM>:<NUM> ratio). After ball milling, the powder is washed with 2N HCl, rinsed with water and alcohol. After drying, a phase pure <NUM> powder is obtained (orthorhombic, refined lattice constants: a = <NUM>(<NUM>) Å, b= <NUM>(<NUM>) Å, c = <NUM>(<NUM>) Å, V = <NUM>(<NUM>) Å<NUM>). The washed powder is then dispersed in water with a dispersing aid (Disperbyk) and milled down to an average particle size of <NUM>(±<NUM>) µm. After granulation with polyvinyl alcohol, ceramic green body disks are being pressed uniaxially followed by a binder burnout step at <NUM> in air. After sintering at <NUM> in a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen (<NUM>:<NUM> ratio), the ceramics are ground to a thickness of <NUM> and cleaned in an ultrasonic bath.

Post-sintering thermal treatment: Thinned ceramics are annealed at <NUM> in nitrogen (<NUM> MPa) for <NUM> hours in a graphite furnace.

<FIG> illustrates the X-ray powder patterns of ceramic samples as described above, before post-sintering thermal treatment and after post-sintering thermal treatment. Both samples were crushed to powder before the XRD measurement and measured with Cu Kα radiation under dry air to prevent <NUM> phase hydrolysis during measurement.

The <NUM> phase shows a distinct peak at 2θ=<NUM>° which corresponds to the <NUM> phase X-ray reflection hkl= <NUM>. The intensity of this peak is compared with the intensity of the <NUM> peak at 2θ=<NUM>°, which corresponds to the <NUM> phase X-ray reflection hkl= <NUM>. The intensity ratio I(<NUM>)<NUM>/I(<NUM>)<NUM> is decreased significantly by the post-sintering thermal treatment. In particular, the intensity ratio I<NUM> (<NUM>°) / I<NUM> (<NUM>°) is <NUM> before post-sintering thermal treatment, and <NUM> after post-sintering thermal treatment. In some embodiments, a ratio of the intensity of an X-ray powder diffraction peak of the <NUM> phase to the intensity of an X-ray powder diffraction peak of the <NUM> phase is in the range <NUM>-<NUM>.

The cell constant ratio a*c/b<NUM> of the <NUM> phase also decreases with post-sintering thermal treatment. In particular, the ratio a*c/b<NUM> is <NUM> before post-sintering thermal treatment, and <NUM> after post-sintering thermal treatment. The cell constant ratio a*c/b<NUM> may be between <NUM> and <NUM> in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the material has lattice symmetry characterized by IUC space group Pmn2i. The International Union of Crystallography (IUC) publishes the International Tables of Crystallography which lists the <NUM> space groups and their symmetry relations. The space group number <NUM> characterized with the Wyckoff symbol Pmn2i is the space group in which the <NUM> phase is crystallizing.

The optical performance of the ceramic samples is increased by the post-sintering thermal treatment as illustrated by the quantum efficiency and the transparency of the ceramic samples. In the example above, the quantum efficiency increased by a factor of <NUM> with post-sintering thermal treatment, while the transparency increased by a factor of <NUM> with post-sintering thermal treatment.

The composition of samples produced according to the example above can be determined by Rietveld analysis of the X-ray patterns. The following table shows the relative content of phases in weight % present before and after thermal treatment:
<IMG>.

The values in the above table may be used as end points in ranges of the weight percent of each phase. It is observed that the <NUM> content is reduced from ~<NUM>-<NUM> wt% to <NUM>-4wt% while the BOSE content increases from <NUM>-<NUM> wt% to <NUM>-4wt%. The concentration of <NUM> phase in these samples is low, below <NUM> wt%.

Claim 1:
A wavelength converting material, consisting of a luminescent ceramic material comprising:
a (Ba<NUM>-xSrx)<NUM>-zSi<NUM>-yO4yN<NUM>-4y:Euz <NUM> phase wavelength converting material (<NUM> ≤ x ≤ <NUM>; <NUM> ≤ y ≤ <NUM>; <NUM> ≤ z ≤ <NUM>); and
a M<NUM>Si<NUM>O<NUM>N<NUM> <NUM> phase material (M = Ba, Sr, Eu);
wherein the M<NUM>Si<NUM>O<NUM>N<NUM> <NUM> phase material comprises at least <NUM> weight % and no more than <NUM> weight % of a total amount of crystalline phases in the ceramic material.